Are baby girls more sociable? Super El Niño, meningitis outbreak explained – podcast

Madeleine Finlay and Guardian science editor Ian Sample examined a new study that suggests baby girls show a stronger innate interest in faces than baby boys, a finding that could tip the long‑standing nature‑versus‑nurture debate toward a biological component in early social behaviour. The researchers observed infants’ gaze patterns and found that girls, even in the first months of life, spent more time looking at facial features, implying that sex‑linked differences in sociability may be present from birth rather than being solely the product of later socialisation.

The discussion also turned to the looming threat of a “super” El Niño event, for which climate scientists forecast up to 450,000 excess deaths worldwide within the next six months. The unprecedented warming is expected to intensify heatwaves, exacerbate droughts, and amplify flooding, thereby straining health systems and emergency response capacities across vulnerable regions. The hosts highlighted that the projected mortality figure underscores the urgency of accelerated mitigation and adaptation measures, as well as the need for coordinated international aid to the hardest‑hit populations.

Finally, Finlay and Sample offered an explanation for the unusually large meningitis outbreak that struck the United Kingdom earlier in the year. They noted that a combination of factors—such as a particularly virulent strain, lower vaccination coverage in certain age groups, and seasonal crowding—contributed to the surge in cases. Public health officials responded with targeted vaccination campaigns and heightened surveillance, aiming to curb further spread while emphasizing the importance of maintaining routine immunisations to prevent similar outbreaks in the future.

⚡ Effects Interpreter