The Worm
Podcast
New nematode research, one paper at a time: neurons and behaviour, genes and evolution, told through the worms that reveal them.
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Episodes
64 episodes
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No. 64
Too Hot, Too Cold, Just Worm
🔬 We usually think of sensory neurons as the cells that detect the world, while glia sit behind the scenes supporting them. This paper turns that idea on its head. Researchers show that AMsh glial…
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No. 63
The Worm That Beat the Trap
🍄 Today we have predators, escape, genetics — and worms that literally rupture in water. The predator is Arthrobotrys oligospora , a carnivorous fungus that builds adhesive networks capable of…
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No. 62
The Worm in a Single Shot
🔬 This week we are looking at two very different developments in microscopy — one that captures three-dimensional fluorescence in a fraction of a second, and another that adds multiple quantitative…
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No. 61
Wormspy: Watching the Worm Brain Move
🔬 Today we are looking at a new imaging system called Wormspy . The problem it tackles is a familiar one in neuroscience: how do you record what neurons are doing without stopping the animal from…
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No. 60
Why Worms Switch Their Immune System Off
🧠 Today we are looking at a surprising idea in host defence: sometimes an animal is not trying to activate immunity. It is trying to hold it back . This paper shows that in C. elegans , an…
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No. 59
Food or Sex? The Worm Has to Choose
🧠 Today we are talking about a problem every animal faces: where should I spend my energy? For C. elegans , the answer depends partly on sex. Hermaphrodites need to balance food, reproduction and…
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No. 58
The Diet That Gave a Worm Its Copper Back
🧠 Today we are looking at copper, bacteria and a surprising dietary rescue. Copper is an essential micronutrient. Cells need it for mitochondrial energy production, antioxidant defence and many…
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No. 57
AI Watches Worms Eat
🤖 Today we are talking about feeding. More specifically, how do you measure a worm eating when the worm refuses to stay still? The answer might be PumpKin — a new machine-learning pipeline that…
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No. 56
A Little Heat Makes a Stronger Worm
🔥 Can a little bit of stress actually make you stronger? In C. elegans , the answer appears to be yes. This episode explores heat hormesis — the idea that a short exposure to mild heat can prepare…
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No. 55
The Worm’s Stress Network
🪱⚡ Today we are looking at how one stress-response protein helps a worm adapt to changing conditions. At the centre of the story is PMK-1 , the C. elegans equivalent of p38 MAP kinase. Rather than…
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No. 54
Sleep, Fat and Memory: One Neuron Does It All
🪱💤 Today we are looking at a single sleep-active neuron that connects far more than sleep. In C. elegans , the RIS neuron helps regulate: • sleep • lipid storage • survival • lifespan • memory At…
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No. 53
Worms on Pause
🪱⏸️ Today, we are talking about worms that appear to stop living—without dying. Researchers have identified a new, reversible state of suspended animation in C. elegans , triggered by a surprisingly…
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No. 52
Worms in Space: Microbiomes in a Capsule
🪱🚀 Today, we are looking at NemaCapsules : a new microfluidic system designed to study how host genetics and the gut microbiome influence C. elegans health during spaceflight. The challenge is…
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No. 51
The Worm Behind the Wild
🪱 Today we’re looking at a review with a bold idea. Can a tiny nematode help us protect fish, amphibians, reptiles and insects from an increasingly challenging world? The authors argue that the…
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No. 50
Fed by Mum, Built by Ribosomes
🪱 Today we’re talking about inheritance. Not DNA. Not small RNAs. Not epigenetics. But ribosomes . ⸻ 🧬 The central idea When mother worms experience dietary restriction, their offspring hatch with…
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No. 49
Glowing up the Worm Proteome
🪱 Today we’re looking at a paper that doesn’t answer a biological question. Instead, it builds the tools to answer thousands of biological questions in the future. The ambition? To fluorescently tag…
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No. 48
Murder Mode: How a Worm Evolved the Urge to Kill
🪱 Today we're talking about a worm with teeth. And a nervous system that has been rewired — by evolution — to become aggressive. ⸻ 🧬 The central idea Pristionchus pacificus is a predatory nematode.…
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No. 47
When Bacteria Fight Back: Bioplastic Kills the Worm
🪱 Today we’re talking about something unexpected. A bioplastic — something we usually think of as sustainable, useful, even beneficial — can kill a worm. ⸻ 🧬 The central idea Some bacteria produce…
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No. 46
Turning in Time: Neural Sequences in the Worm Brain
🪱 Today we’re looking at something deceptively simple: a turn . But not just that a worm turns — how the brain decides to do it. ⸻ 🧬 The central idea Turning in C. elegans is not a reflex. It’s a…
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No. 45
Worms Shape Their World: The Hidden Power of the Microbiome
🪱 Today we flip the usual perspective. We often think about how the environment shapes the worm. But what if the worm is shaping the environment? ⸻ 🧬 The central idea C. elegans doesn’t just…
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No. 44
Fat Talks: How Worms Decide Not to Eat
🪱 Today we’re talking about something fundamental — feeding behaviour — but through a lens you might not expect. Not calories. Not food availability. But fat composition . ⸻ 🧬 The central idea In…
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No. 43
Drunk Worms: Dopamine, Serotonin, and Behaviour
🪱 Today we’re looking at something surprisingly familiar in worm biology: alcohol . But not just exposure — we’re talking about behaviour, tolerance, withdrawal, and how core neurotransmitter…
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No. 42
Sand, Soil, and Screen: The Rise of the Giant Worm
🪱🎬 Today we’re stepping slightly outside the lab… but not too far. We’re asking a serious question with absolutely no serious consequences: If there were an Oscar for Best Giant Movie Worm , who…
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No. 41
Stress, Signal, Survive: Rethinking Longevity Pathways in C. elegans
🪱 Today we return to a core question in worm biology: when stress extends lifespan, what is really doing the work? Is it damage repair? Is it signalling rewiring? Or is it something more coordinated…
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No. 40
Lipids on a Leash: Cordycepin and Worm Ageing
A molecule that keeps popping up in “healthy ageing” conversations: cordycepin (3′-deoxyadenosine) 🍄 But instead of vague claims, we’re going to ground this in C. elegans data — lifespan, stress…
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No. 39
Perfect Timing: Why Worm Synchronisation Matters
🪱 Today we’re doing something a little different. If you already know C. elegans — and I know you do — then you’ll know that timing is everything ⏱️ Development, behaviour, signalling, lifespan… it…
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No. 38
When Mitochondria Whisper, Immunity Listens
What if living longer isn’t just about fixing broken mitochondria—but about how the organism responds to that stress? In this episode, we dig into a 2025 Nature Communications paper that reframes a…
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No. 37
Octopus "Ouch" Genes - Teaching Worms to Feel Pain!
How do you hunt for pain-sensing genes in an octopus — and then test what they do in a nematode? In this episode, we explore a cross-species strategy that mines the Octopus vulgaris transcriptome for…
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No. 36
Partners in Crime – When Nematodes Team Up with Plant Pathogens
In this episode of the Worm Podcast , we explore how plant-parasitic nematodes rarely act alone. Focusing on nematode–pathogen disease complexes , this episode examines how interactions between…
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No. 35
Seasoned for Survival – A Christmas Recipe for Worms
In this end-of-year episode of the Worm Podcast , we explore a seasonal but scientifically grounded idea: a Christmas recipe for worms . Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism, this episode…
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No. 34
Small Worm, Big Prizes – The Collaboration That Changed Biology
How does a one-millimetre worm help win four Nobel Prizes? In this episode, we explore how C. elegans became one of the most influential organisms in modern biology — not because of its size, but…
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No. 33
The Longevity Latte – Low Caffeine, Long Life
Can a tiny dose of caffeine help a worm live longer? In this episode, we explore how C. elegans responds to the world’s favourite stimulant. Researchers show that low-dose caffeine extends lifespan ,…
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No. 32
Colour Code – Smart Polymers That Glow, Track, and Heal
How do you make a nanoparticle that tells you where it is and helps at the same time? In this episode, we dive into the chemistry behind polydiacetylene (PDA) —a polymer that changes colour when it…
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No. 31
Longevity Legacy – Lysosomes Write Lifespan into the Epigenome
How can a worm’s intestine influence its descendants’ lifespan? This episode explores how lysosomes send metabolic signals through the epigenome to extend longevity across generations. Researchers…
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No. 30
Timelines of Ageing – What Worms Teach Us About Growing Old
In this episode, we dive into a new version of WormGazer as described in a recent GeroScience paper. This implementation automates movement monitoring in C. elegans populations as a rapid healthspan…
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No. 29
Hidden Circuits – Mapping How Worms Really Think
Is a wiring diagram enough to understand the brain? In this episode, we dive into how researchers combined whole-brain optogenetic stimulation with calcium imaging in C. elegans to reveal functional…
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No. 28
Colour Coded – How Blind Worms See Danger in Blue
Worms without eyes shouldn’t see colour — yet C. elegans can. In this episode, we dive into a landmark study that shows how worms use blue-to-amber light ratios to make foraging decisions. When…
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No. 27
Scent of Supper – How Worms Sniff Out Nutritious Bacteria
How does a worm know what’s good for dinner? In this episode, we uncover how C. elegans can distinguish between helpful and harmful microbes — and it’s all down to polyamines . These microbe-produced…
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No. 26
Eat, Inhibit, Lay – How Worms Tune Reproduction to Food
Why do C. elegans lay eggs only when food is around? In this episode, we explore a newly uncovered neuromodulatory circuit that links food detection to reproductive behaviour using a clever form of…
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No. 25
Heavy Worms, Light Data – Proteomics Gets Personal in C. elegans
In this episode, we dive into a milestone in C. elegans systems biology — the first application of SILAC-style metabolic proteome labelling in a whole animal. By feeding worms lysine auxotroph E.…
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No. 24
Worms on the Chip – Machine Learning Meets Toxicology
In this episode, we explore a high-tech twist on developmental toxicology. Researchers have combined microfluidic engineering with machine learning to automate the analysis of thousands of C. elegans…
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No. 23
Magnetic Minds – Worms Reveal Brain-Wide Signals in Real Time
In this episode, we follow Caenorhabditis elegans into the magnetic field. Researchers have developed an elegant way to measure whole-brain neural activity in freely moving worms using a…
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No. 22
Worm Towers – The Rise of Collective Dispersal
In this episode, we climb into the world of nematode architecture — worm towers! Researchers have now captured Caenorhabditis worms forming vertical towers in nature — self-assembled living…
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No. 21
Beyond the Wires – Worm Brains Reveal Hidden Neural Connections
In this episode, we go beyond the famous C. elegans connectome to explore how signal propagation doesn’t always follow the wires. Using powerful whole-brain calcium imaging combined with single-cell…
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No. 20
Tiny RNAs, Huge Impact – How Worms Revealed microRNAs
In this episode, we travel back to one of the great origin stories in gene regulation: the discovery of lin-4 , the first-ever microRNA. In Caenorhabditis elegans , scientists found that tiny…
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No. 19
Scent for Survival – How Parasite Worms Track Us by CO₂
In this episode, we track how Strongyloides stercoralis — a human-infective nematode — uses carbon dioxide sensing to navigate both outside and inside its host. This tiny parasite shifts its response…
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No. 18
Pumped Up – How Worms Mimic Heart Rhythms to Test Nanotech
In this episode, we ask: can a heartless worm model arrhythmia? Turns out — yes. Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a stand-in for cardiac muscle , researchers tested the effects of polypyrrole…
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No. 17
Oxygen High – Worms Breathe, Signal, and Adapt with cGMP Precision
In this episode, we explore how Caenorhabditis elegans senses and responds to oxygen — not just by breathing, but by activating a finely tuned cGMP signalling network in real time. Using genetically…
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No. 16
Cut, Paste, Attack – How Nematodes Remix Their Genetic Arsenal
In this episode, we dive into a genetic mystery: how can a single gene in plant-parasitic nematodes have thousands of alleles ? This study unravels the bizarre behaviour of HYP effectors — genes that…
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No. 15
Silent but Deadly – How RNAi Changed Worms (and Science)
In this episode, we rewind to one of biology’s biggest plot twists: RNA interference (RNAi) . Scientists found that injecting double-stranded RNA into Caenorhabditis elegans could silence genes…
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No. 14
Love at First Touch – Worms Feel Their Way to Romance
In this episode, we uncover how Caenorhabditis elegans males pick the right mate — by literally feeling for it! Researchers discovered that body stiffness , controlled by special furrow collagens ,…
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No. 13
Hit and Run – How C. elegans Escapes Danger with Tyramine Power
How does a tiny worm coordinate complex escape behaviour? In this episode, we dive into how the neurotransmitter tyramine triggers rapid, coordinated escape in Caenorhabditis elegans . Researchers…
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No. 12
Grow Fast, Grow Smart – How Worms Keep Their Size in Check
Why don’t fast-growing worms end up giants and slow ones stay tiny? In this episode, we explore how Caenorhabditis elegans uses a clever trick: coupling growth rate with developmental speed to keep…
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No. 11
Slip the Noose – How C. elegans Dodges Deadly Fungal Traps
In this episode, we explore a real-world predator–prey arms race: how Caenorhabditis elegans uses its anterior touch response to escape predacious fungi . Species like Drechslerella doedycoides use…
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No. 10
Self or Snack? Peptide-Mediated Kin Recognition in Pristionchus pacificus
How do predatory nematodes avoid cannibalising their own offspring? In this episode, we explore a remarkable study that uncovers a peptide-based self-recognition system in Pristionchus pacificus .…
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No. 9
Divergent Diets, Divergent Defences – Intestinal Evolution in C. elegans and P. pacificus
How does a nematode’s feeding strategy shape its gut biology and disease resistance? In this episode, we explore a comparative gut transcriptomics study of Caenorhabditis elegans and Pristionchus…
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No. 8
Smart Polymers for Smarter Drug Delivery – From Glycerol to Nanocarriers
In this episode, we explore the next generation of polymeric drug carriers , made from sustainably sourced glycerol and diglycerol. Researchers are replacing traditional PEGylated polymers with…
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No. 7
Bright Polymers – Tracking Drug Delivery with Fluorescent PLGA Nanoparticles
Tracking drug delivery inside cells is a challenge when the drug carrier itself is invisible . In this episode, we discuss a breakthrough in polymer science: the creation of fluorescent…
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No. 6
Bloodthirsty Worms – Haematophagic Caenorhabditis elegans and Vaccine Discovery
Can a normally bacteria-feeding nematode become a blood-feeder? In this episode, we dive into the surprising world of haematophagic Caenorhabditis elegans — worms that can consume human blood . This…
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No. 5
Unlocking the Physicochemical Fingerprint of the Hookworm Necator americanus
How does a tiny hookworm outsmart the human immune system? In this episode, we explore the physicochemical fingerprint of Necator americanus , a parasite that infects millions worldwide. Using…
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No. 4
Magic Nanosensors Reveal Intestinal pH Oscillations in C. elegans
Did you know that digestion in C. elegans follows a rhythmic pH cycle ? In this episode, we explore how magic nanosensors uncover real-time intestinal pH oscillations inside these tiny nematodes. By…
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No. 3
The Hidden Mechanical Properties of Biological Surfaces – Brillouin Endo-Microscopy
In this episode, we uncover a revolutionary approach to imaging the hidden mechanical properties of biological surfaces using Label-Free Brillouin Endo-Microscopy . Unlike traditional imaging…
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No. 2
Spaceflight, Muscle Loss & Worms – How Microgravity Reshapes Biology
In this episode, we explore how microgravity affects muscle structure and function, using Caenorhabditis elegans as a model organism. Spaceflight-induced muscle atrophy is a major challenge for…
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No. 1
Nematode Surface Lipids: Development, Species Adaptations, and Interactions
Surface Lipids in Nematodes are Influenced by Development and Species-specific Adaptations This research utilizes 3D-OrbiSIMS to analyze the surface lipids of nematodes, specifically Caenorhabditis…
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About the show
Nematodes are a millimetre long and see-through, and they have taught us how genes switch on, how neurons wire up and how bodies age.
Each episode takes one recently published paper on Caenorhabditis elegans or its relatives and explains what the researchers asked, what they found and why it matters beyond the worm.
The show is created and scientifically curated by Dr Veeren Chauhan, Assistant Professor in Whole Organism Analytics at the University of Nottingham. Episodes use AI-generated audio, so check details against the original paper, linked on every episode page.
Suggest a paper
Know a nematode paper that deserves an episode? Send the DOI or a link. A sentence on why it matters helps.