Online video streaming archive
For selected articles and letters Nature will present streaming videos that feature interviews with scientists behind the research and analysis from Nature editors. You will need the free Flash browser plugin.
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The duck-billed platypus is a truly unique animal; a monotreme with almost no close relatives alive on earth. Scientists just had to take a look at that genome and here they discuss their findings.
Smoking and lung cancer genes - Free access
Some of the strongest evidence that lung cancer risk variants are common in the general population appears in Nature and Nature Genetics, although the three papers differ on whether the association is direct or mediated through nicotine dependence. Watch the research being discussed here.
Self-healing rubber - Free access
A remarkable material that heals once broken is presented in Nature. The material displays rubber-like behaviour, but, unlike a rubber band, once snapped, all is not lost. To create it, Ludwik Leibler and colleagues use different groups of molecules that link together via hydrogen bonds.
The marine mammals known as cetaceans originated about 50 million years ago in south Asia, but their terrestrial ancestor is something of a mystery. Hans Thewissen and colleagues now provide the missing Eocene piece of the jigsaw.
Cell architecture - Free access
The gateway to the nucleus is described in detail in a coup for computational biology, published in two papers in Nature. The new computational method can illustrate the structure of large complexes containing many proteins, and is used to describe the structure of the nuclear pore complex - the largest protein complex in the cell.
Language evolution - Free access
Why do some words evolve rapidly through time whilst others stay the same? Mark Pagel and Quentin Atkinson explain that the frequency with which words are used affects how quickly they evolve. They find that similar relationships exist across all Indo-European languages.
History of Nature - Free access
Since 1869 Nature has published many of the world's greatest scientific discoveries. This video features interviews with several key players including former editors of Nature. For more on the history of science such as essays, the timeline and interactive forum, visit
History of the Journal Nature.
A top predator of many reef systems, the moray eel's feeding mechanism remained poorly understood... Until now. Rita Mehta and Peter Wainwright report in Nature that they have an extremely mobile set of jaws in their throat, that project forward into the mouth and grasp their prey before taking it back into the throat.
Hundreds of new species and unexpected biodiversity have been found in the depths of the Southern Ocean. Hear the researchers discuss their voyages and why the results are so unexpected.
Brain cell on-off switch - Free access
In these videos scientists explain how light can be used to manipulate brain cell activity with high precision. Hear them explain how this research brings the fields of bioengineering and medicine together, and what the implications might be.
Mechanically morphing molecules
Mechanical forces can activate reactions by 'tugging' on reactant bonds, but usually this just ruptures the molecules. Here researchers show force-sensitive units called 'mechanophores' transforming into new products when a mechanical force is applied.
Trick of the light - Free access
Researchers demonstrate how light can be slowed to a halt in one box before being ejected into an entirely separate one. In these videos researcher Lene Vestergaard Hau explains how it works and why it is an exciting development.
Human gut microbes - Free access
Obese humans and mice have different intestinal bacteria to leaner individuals. Hear scientists explain how our gut flora are involved in how we regulate body weight and may even be a factor in the obesity epidemic with our exclusive video.
Enjoy interviews with leading researchers and Nature's Dr Henry Gee as they reveal what the search for Neanderthal DNA tells us about our relationship with or closest hominin cousin. Additional resources are available in the web focus
Hear scientists describe what the gene sequences of the honeybee revealed so far tell us about the complex lives and behaviours of these fascinating social insects. See the accompanying web focus for more.
Hominid evolution and development - Free access
From the moment of the 'Baby Lucy' discovery to the growing realisation of its significance, enjoy the history and excitement of this incredible and uncover what more we now know about ancient human origins and development. See the web focus for more.
Brain - machine interfaces - Free access
Hear how brain-machine interfaces promise to aid paralyzed patients in these videos. The Nature web focus also contains film of the experiments.
The human genome - Free access
Nature presents interviews with leading scientists behind one of the biggest scientific projects ever undertaken - the Human Genome Project. See our Collection for the complete resource.
Two new moons for Pluto - Free access
Find our how two new moons were found using the Hubble Space Telescope -- and how a giant impact could explain their origin.
Early humans in Europe - Free access
In this video, scientists discuss the evidence suggesting early humans were living in Britain as much as 700,000 years ago.
