On 17 May the World Health Organization (WHO) declared an ongoing Ebola outbreak a public health emergency of international concern. Centred on the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, the outbreak has seen mounting numbers of suspected cases and deaths linked to the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola virus.

In this podcast we hear what's currently known about the outbreak and the efforts of clinicians, researchers and public health officials to halt its progress.

Nature: Ebola outbreak is a global health emergency: what happens next

Nature: Race begins to trial Ebola drugs amid current outbreak

Nature: Ebola outbreak spirals out of control: how might it have started?

Nature: Will this Ebola outbreak be the biggest yet?

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In this episode:

Research article: Ghareeb et al.

Research article: Gottweis et al.

Nature: Teams of AI agents boost speed of research

Editorial: Why AI cannot do good science without humans

Nature: Do you hate or love AI? Take Nature’s poll

Nature: Dried to survive: desiccated tardigrades tolerate high heat

Nature: Pristine Antarctic ice records the Solar System’s travels

Research article: Somasundaram et al.

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In this episode:

Nature: Hantavirus outbreak exposes uncertainty about how disease spreads

Nature: There is no vaccine for deadly hantavirus: what that means for future outbreaks

Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.

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In this episode:

Disclaimer: The opinions and assertions expressed herein by Juanita Anders are those of the speaker and do not reflect the official policy or position of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences or the Department of War.

Nature: The surprising science behind red-light therapy — and how it really works

Nature: Trafficked pangolins can be traced to their source by DNA — even to a specific forest

Nature: A wispy wrapper for a chilly, Pluto-like world

Research article: NCD Risk Factor Collaboration

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Although scientists have long been able to gather DNA from water and soil, it's only recently that they've started to see the air as a source of genetic information.

Airborne DNA is already being used to monitor individual species, but researchers hope its abundance could have multiple uses, including judging the success of conservation efforts or attacks with biological weapons.

However, there remains much to understand, such as how far DNA travels in the air, and the ethics involved in the potential identification of a person's genetic information.

This is an audio version of our Feature: The air is full of DNA — here’s what scientists are using it for

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Nature Feature: Are attention spans really shrinking? What the science says

Nature News Explainer: AI data hubs in space: when will they take flight?

Nature Comment: Space diplomacy: bridging the operating gaps between myriad missions

Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.

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In this episode:

Research Article: Katlowitz et al.

Nature: Even the unconscious brain can learn — and predict what you’ll say next

Nature: An electrifying test to find a good coffee

Nature: ​​​​​​​Forest pests hit trees hard as temperatures rise

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In this episode:

Nature: Mitochondria can spawn new ‘organelles’ — hinting at how modern cells evolved

Nature: Did kraken-like octopuses rule Cretaceous seas? Massive jaw fossils offer clues

Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday.

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