Nature Podcast6 Aug 2025

Underwater glue shows its sticking power in rubber duck test

00:45 Researchers develop a new glue and test it on a rubber duck

Aided by machine learning, researchers have developed a super-sticky compound that works as an underwater adhesive. Inspired by animals like barnacles, the team developed a new kind of a material called a hydrogel. The material is capable of securely fastening objects together even when immersed in salty water— a challenge for existing adhesives. To show off its properties the researchers applied it to a rubber duck, which stuck firmly to a rock on a beach despite being battered by waves.

Research Article: Liao et al.

News and Views: AI learns from nature to design super-adhesive gels that work underwater

07:37 Research Highlights

The tomato-infused origins of the modern potato — plus, a specific group of stem cells that may help to drive osteoarthritis.

Research Highlight: Potato, tomato: the roots of the modern tater

Research Highlight: Ageing stem cells in the knees drive arthritis damage

09:46 The diversity of microbes within living trees

By taking samples from over 150 trees in a forest in the US, researchers have revealed a previously unknown community of microorganisms living there. While the microbiomes of animals have been well explored, studies looking at the microbes living inside trees are limited. In this work the team show distinct populations of microbes living within different parts of a tree, and huge diversity in populations between trees. The team behind the work hope these findings will lead to a greater understanding of tree physiology and the role these microbes play in broader ecosystems.

Research Article: Arnold et al.

18:46 The ‘de-extinction’ debate

Back in April, the company Colossal Biosciences claimed to have de-extincted dire wolves, a large-bodied wolf species that once roamed North America. We discuss the science behind this technology, and the debates within the research community surrounding Colossal’s announcement.

News Feature: This company claimed to ‘de-extinct’ dire wolves. Then the fighting started.

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26 Aug 19min

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