Nature Podcast
Nature Podcast
Oct 30, 2019
31 October 2019: An AI masters the video game StarCraft II, and measuring arthropod abundance
Play • 25 min

This week, a computer beats the best human players in StarCraft II, and a huge study of insects and other arthropods.


In this episode:


00:45 Learning to play

By studying and experimenting, an AI has reached Grandmaster level at the video game Starcraft II.

Research Article: Vinyals et al.News Article: Google AI beats experienced human players at real-time strategy game StarCraft II


10:08 Research Highlights

A record-breaking lightning bolt, and identifying our grey matter’s favourite tunes

Research Highlight: Here come the lightning ‘megaflashes’Research Highlight: Why some songs delight the human brain


12:24 Arthropods in decline

Researchers have surveyed how land-use change has affected arthropod diversity. 

Research article: Seibold et al.


18:30 News Chat

Young Canadians file a lawsuit against their government, an Alzheimer’s drug gets a second chance, and South Korean efforts to curb a viral epidemic in pigs. 

News: Canadian kids sue government over climate changeNews: Fresh push for ‘failed’ Alzheimer’s drugNews: South Korea deploys snipers and drones to fend off deadly pig virus



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