The scientist whose hybrid rice helped feed billions
Nature Podcast
podcast@nature.com
4.5 • 893 Ratings
🗓️ 30 June 2021
⏱️ 28 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
A historian reflects on the life of Chinese crop scientist Yuan Longping, and the possible influence of geothermal energy production on earthquake aftershocks.
In this episode:
00:46 Remembering Yuan Longping
Yuan Longping, one of China’s most famous scientists, died in May at the age of 90. Known as the ‘father of hybrid rice’, we reflect on his life and the impact of his research, which helped feed billions of people.
Obituary: Yuan Longping (1930–2021)
09:55 Research Highlights
The ancient and incredibly well-preserved beetle found in dinosaur poo, and a 5,000 year old, less transmissible strain of plague bacteria.
Research Highlight: A piece of Triassic poo yields a beautifully preserved beetle
Research Highlight: A hunter-gather’s bones yield the oldest known strain of plague
12:14 Geothermal power and earthquake aftershocks
In 2019, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake rippled through California, except – according to some researchers – at the site of a geothermal power plant. Now, a paper in Nature tries to understand why.
Research paper: Im et al.
16:47 Briefing Chat
We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, the new skull fossils that might expand the human family tree, and a new estimate of the age of an ancient ‘living fossil’.
Nature News: Mysterious skull fossils expand human family tree — but questions remain
Science: This ‘living fossil’ could reach 100 years old
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Transcript
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| 0:55.0 | Why is blight so far? |
| 0:57.0 | Like, it sounds so simple. |
| 0:58.0 | They had no idea. |
| 0:59.0 | But now the data's... |
| 1:00.0 | I find this not only refreshing, but at some level astounding. |
| 1:08.0 | Nature. |
| 1:09.0 | Welcome back to the nature podcast. |
| 1:14.7 | This week, remembering Yuan Long Ping, the father of hybrid rice. |
| 1:18.9 | And how geothermal energy production could affect seismic activity. |
| 1:24.4 | I'm Nick Pertichow. |
| 1:25.7 | And I'm Benjamin Thompson. |
| 1:43.3 | Music I'm Nick Petricho-Chow and I'm Benjamin Thompson. First up, reporter Noah Baker has been speaking to historian Sheldon Wu about the life and work of the Chinese crop scientist Yuan Longping. Yuan Longping is a name that in some parts of the world people will know very well, and in other parts of the world, they may not know so well. |
| 1:51.0 | And this week in nature, there is an obituary because he has died at the ripe old age of 90 years old. |
| 1:58.0 | To start off with, can you tell me who Yuan Long Ping is for people that might not |
... |
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