• Email Bluesky Facebook LinkedIn Reddit Whatsapp X You have full access to this article via your institution. • Download theNature Briefing Podcast20 February 2026 In this episode: 00:25 How brains differ by sex and age Nature:Brain differences between sexes get more pronounced from puberty 07:14 Bumblebees ‘fan themselves’ during flight to keep cool Science:How do busy bees avoid overheating from flying? • Video:Birds gliding through bubbles reveal aerodynamic trick Subscribe to Nature Briefing, an unmissable daily round-up of science news, opinion and analysis free in your inbox every weekday. • Never miss an episode. • Subscribe to the Nature Podcast onApple Podcasts,Spotify,YouTube Musicor your favourite podcast app.An RSS feed for the Nature Podcastis available too. • doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-026-00582-0 Related Articles Bumblebees show uniquely human behaviour Bumblebees show uniquely human behaviour Two ant species, one mother Two ant species, one mother Read the paper: Engineered yeast provides rare but essential pollen sterols for honeybees Read the paper: Engineered yeast provides rare but essential pollen sterols for honeybees Fighting climate change takes more than data - it needs wonder, love and hope Fighting climate change takes more than data - it needs wonder, love and hope Distorted representations of age and gender are reflected in AI models Distorted representations of age and gender are reflected in AI models Subjects Brain Neuroscience Climate change Latest on: Brain Neuroscience Climate change Blood test holds promise for predicting when Alzheimer’s symptoms will startNews19 FEB 26 Blood test holds promise for predicting when Alzheimer’s symptoms will start News19 FEB 26 How do autistic people age - and what does it mean for their health?News Feature18 FEB 26 How do autistic people age - and what does it mean for their health?

Article Summaries:

  • Briefing chat: How hovering bumblebees keep their cool

In the latest episode of the Nature Briefing podcast, scientists explain how bumblebees use a simple “fanning” behavior to regulate body temperature while flying. By rapidly beating their wings in a specific pattern, the insects create airflow that cools their thorax and prevents overheating during high‑energy flight. The episode also touches on recent findings that brain differences between male and female insects become more pronounced after puberty, and includes a short segment on how birds glide through bubbles to exploit aerodynamic advantages. The discussion is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube Music, and other platforms.

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