#86: The woman who couldn’t smell; solving the climate and biodiversity emergencies; China’s quantum of solace

Imagine going your whole life without being able to smell - and then suddenly you can. The team tells the amazing story of a woman who first gained the ability to smell aged 24 - a case which has scientists baffled. Efforts to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises need to be unified. We hear from Nathalie Pettorelli of the Zoological Society of London, lead author of a new paper calling for a more joined up approach, with an emphasis on nature-based solutions. The team discusses the latest developments in quantum computing, including a city-wide quantum communications network in China that has been running for almost three years - showcasing how a future quantum internet might work. They also find out why cuttlefish are being compared to ancient Romans, and explore the reasons behind the UK’s winter fuel crisis. On the pod are Rowan Hooper, Penny Sarchet, Matt Sparkes and Alice Klein. To read about these stories and much more, subscribe at newscientist.com/podcasts.

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