Babbage from The Economist
437 episodes - English - Latest episode: about 2 months ago - ★★★★★ - 398 ratingsBabbage is our weekly podcast on science and technology, named after Charles Babbage—a 19th-century polymath and grandfather of computing. Host Alok Jha talks to our correspondents about the innovations, discoveries and gadgetry shaping the world. Published every Wednesday.
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Episodes
Babbage: The science that built the AI revolution—part one
March 06, 2024 18:18 - 42 minutes - 98.3 MBWhat is intelligence? In the middle of the 20th century, the inner workings of the human brain inspired computer scientists to build the first “thinking machines”. But how does human intelligence actually relate to the artificial kind? This is the first episode in a four-part series on the evolution of modern generative AI. What were the scientific and technological developments that took the very first, clunky artificial neurons and ended up with the astonishingly powerful large language m...
Babbage: The hunt for dark matter
February 21, 2024 17:40 - 43 minutes - 100 MBDark matter is thought to make up around a quarter of the universe, but so far it has eluded detection by all scientific instruments. Scientists know it must exist because of the ways galaxies move and it also explains the large-scale structure of the modern universe. But no-one knows what dark matter actually is. Scientists have been hunting for dark matter particles for decades, but have so far had no luck. At the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, ...
Babbage: Sam Altman and Satya Nadella on their vision for AI
January 24, 2024 17:19 - 45 minutes - 103 MBOpenAI and Microsoft are leaders in generative artificial intelligence (AI). OpenAI has built GPT-4, one of the world’s most sophisticated large language models (LLMs) and Microsoft is injecting those algorithms into its products, from Word to Windows. At the World Economic Forum in Davos last week, Zanny Minton Beddoes, The Economist’s editor-in-chief, interviewed Sam Altman and Satya Nadella, who run OpenAI and Microsoft respectively. They explained their vision for humanity’s future wit...
Babbage: Science book club
December 20, 2023 18:26 - 42 minutes - 97 MBBooks are the original medium for communicating science to the masses. In a holiday special, producer Kunal Patel asks Babbage’s family of correspondents about the books that have inspired them in their careers as science journalists. Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Rachel Dobbs, The Economist’s climate correspondent; Kenneth Cukier, our deputy executive editor; The Economist’s Emilie Steinmark; Geoff Carr, our senior editor for science and techn...
Babbage: Fei-Fei Li on how to really think about the future of AI
November 22, 2023 19:02 - 38 minutes - 89.2 MBA year ago, the public launch of ChatGPT took the world by storm and it was followed by many more generative artificial intelligence tools, all with remarkable, human-like abilities. Fears over the existential risks posed by AI have dominated the global conversation around the technology ever since. Fei-Fei Li, a pioneer that helped lay the groundwork that underpins modern generative AI models, takes a more nuanced approach. She’s pushing for a human-centred way of dealing with AI—treating...
Babbage: How to avoid a battery shortage
October 25, 2023 17:20 - 44 minutes - 102 MBIn the coming decades, electric vehicles will dominate the roads and renewables will provide energy to homes. But for the green transition to be successful, unprecedented amounts of energy storage is needed. Batteries will be used everywhere—from powering electric vehicles, to providing electricity when the sun doesn’t shine or the wind doesn’t blow. The current generation of batteries are lacking in capacity and are too reliant on rare metals, though. Many analysts worry about material shor...
Babbage: Untangling quantum mechanics with Nobel laureate Anton Zeilinger
December 20, 2022 17:28 - 35 minutes - 81.5 MBIn 2022, the Nobel prize for physics was awarded to a trio of scientists for their work on the fundamentals of quantum mechanics. This week, host Alok Jha asks one of the laureates, Anton Zeilinger, how he proved Einstein wrong and how his research into a phenomenon called quantum entanglement can help make sense of the universe. Plus, can “quantum teleportation” usher in a new era of technology? Anton Zeilinger is a physicist at the Austrian Academy of Sciences and professor emeritus at t...
Babbage: What causes long covid?
December 13, 2022 19:06 - 38 minutes - 88.8 MBSoon after the pandemic began, another health crisis started to emerge. Long covid now affects millions of people around the world. But finding the causes of the condition—and how to treat it—has been a challenge. Three years after the SARS-CoV-2 virus was first detected, are scientists any closer to understanding long covid? Natasha Loder, The Economist’s health policy editor, explores the latest research into the condition, and catches up with Tom Stayte, a patient we met in 2020. Jaso...
Babbage: The surprising ineffectiveness of Russia’s cyber-war
December 06, 2022 17:55 - 36 minutes - 84.2 MBWhen Russia invaded Ukraine, for the first time ever, two mature cyber-powers began to fight over computer networks in wartime. But while Russia’s cyber-war may have been intense, its impact has been modest. Has the country’s cyber prowess been overrated? The Economist’s Benjamin Sutherland describes the cybercriminals joining the war effort in Ukraine. Paul Chichester, operations director at the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, analyses why Russia hasn’t had more success in the cybe...
Babbage: How to cure type-1 diabetes
November 29, 2022 19:56 - 41 minutes - 95.3 MBA new drug for type-1 diabetes has been licensed in America. Teplizumab is the first treatment for the condition since insulin began being used a century ago. It targets one of the root causes of this type of diabetes and can slow the onset of the disease. Better still, the drug could be the herald of a new era in treating the condition. Colin Dayan, a professor of clinical diabetes and metabolism at Cardiff University, tells “Babbage” producer Jason Hosken why immunotherapy could be a game...
Babbage at COP27: Part four—“Africa’s COP” concludes
November 22, 2022 19:05 - 37 minutes - 86.7 MBCOP27 was an arduous summit, with mixed results. A landmark agreement to create a new “loss and damage” fund was a historic achievement. But many delegates were disappointed by the lack of progress on decarbonising energy systems. In the final episode of our series, we explore what the final deal means for the future of climate action. Plus, we examine AFR100, a project that aims to pair climate action with economic growth in Africa. The Economist’s Rachel Dobbs reports on the gruelling fin...
Babbage at COP27: Part three—the energy crisis
November 15, 2022 18:30 - 40 minutes - 93.1 MBCOP27 takes place amid war in Ukraine and an energy crisis. In the third episode of our series covering the summit, we explore how energy-security concerns are affecting efforts to decarbonise. Niklas Höhne of the NewClimate Institute says the energy crisis could deepen Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels. But Francesco La Camera, who leads the International Renewable Energy Agency, sees it as an opportunity to accelerate the green agenda. Plus, award-winning author Daniel Yergin explains t...
Babbage at COP27: Part two—adapting to a changing climate
November 08, 2022 19:48 - 39 minutes - 89.9 MBCOP27 has kicked off in Egypt, and adaptation is high on the agenda. In the second episode of our series covering the conference, we explore how to step up global efforts to adapt to a changing climate. Edward McBride, The Economist’s briefings editor, travels to Iraq to investigate how a hotter world is affecting the way people live. Adeline Stuart-Watt, an adaptation policy fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, explains how to implement and finance climate-resili...
Babbage at COP27: Part one—the new climate realism
November 01, 2022 17:57 - 39 minutes - 89.8 MBThis week, the COP27 climate summit will begin in Egypt. In the first of four episodes, we consider the themes set to dominate the conference. After a year lacking in climate action, do lofty targets need a dose of realism? Plus, “loss and damage” financing is expected to be high on the agenda at the summit. We explore its patchy history, and explain why we think rich countries are unlikely to pay compensation to vulnerable ones for historic emissions. Gavin Jackson, The Economist’s economi...
Babbage: How to use the pandemic to tackle TB
October 25, 2022 18:05 - 38 minutes - 88.2 MBThe pandemic shattered global efforts to control tuberculosis, which was the most lethal infectious disease in the world until covid-19 took its crown. Now, with deaths rising, TB is set to reclaim that dubious honour. But the covid era also holds important lessons for the fight against TB. Can innovations such as genomic sequencing facilities and new vaccine technologies be applied to TB care, too? Avantika Chilkoti, The Economist’s international correspondent, travels to Rio de Janeiro in...
Babbage: What are tactical nuclear weapons?
October 18, 2022 18:52 - 36 minutes - 84.3 MBThe war in Ukraine has raised the nuclear threat to its highest level since the Cuban missile crisis. What types of nuclear weapons could be used in Ukraine, and how much damage could they do? Cheryl Rofer, a former nuclear scientist at America’s Los Alamos National Laboratory, describes the “tactical” nukes in Russia’s arsenal. Patricia Lewis, research director for international security at Chatham House, explains the destruction that would be wrought if the war turned nuclear. Plus, Shas...
Babbage: The gene-therapy revolution
October 11, 2022 19:20 - 39 minutes - 89.7 MBGene therapies border on the miraculous, transforming lives in a single shot. The treatments offer hope to millions around the world who live with genetic diseases, and could also help the fight against cancer and HIV. This year, four new gene therapies were approved—and there are thousands more clinical trials under way. But the path from miracles of science to miracles of medicine will not be easy. The Economist’s Natasha Loder explains the safety concerns and market challenges that must b...
Babbage: How snooping on sewage could save lives
October 04, 2022 15:50 - 42 minutes - 97.4 MBDuring the pandemic, wastewater monitoring became a valuable tool in spotting covid-19 infection waves and the arrival of new variants. But sewage surveillance can help track the spread of all kinds of diseases—and measure a population’s consumption of everything from vegetables to cocaine. The Economist’s Gilead Amit examines how spying on sewage could offer health agencies an unprecedented insight into the lives of local populations, and considers the privacy concerns that could arise. Plu...
Babbage: How psychedelics could fix the brain
September 27, 2022 19:52 - 44 minutes - 102 MBPsychedelic drugs—such as LSD and psilocybin, the psychoactive compound found in magic mushrooms—may be coming to the medicine cabinet. Research into their use to treat mental-health conditions was long blocked by law and stigma. But in recent years, there has been a revival of interest in the drugs, which are now being trialled to treat conditions such as depression. The Economist’s Ainslie Johnstone visits one of Britain's most high-profile psilocybin research facilities, and investigates ...
Babbage: How science can save the world
September 20, 2022 17:54 - 36 minutes - 82.8 MBDuring the pandemic, scientists gained greater prominence in the lives of ordinary people than ever before. And while covid-19 highlighted the importance of the field to humanity, it also raised questions about the role of scientists in modern life. Host Alok Jha talks to the astronomer and cosmologist Martin Rees, one of Britain’s top scientists and a former president of the Royal Society. His new book “If Science is to Save Us” argues that scientific knowledge can solve some of the world’s...
Babbage: Will Ethereum’s merge transform crypto?
September 13, 2022 18:06 - 42 minutes - 98 MBA monumental shift is about to take place in the crypto world. One of the most important blockchain projects, Ethereum, is set to change the way it secures its network—from the energy-intensive “proof-of-work” system to the greener “proof-of-stake” method. Known as “the merge”, the switch could slash Ethereum’s energy consumption by over 99 percent. The Economist’s Stevie Hertz investigates why the “proof-of-work” system of mining currencies like bitcoin is so bad for the environment, and Al...
Babbage: From our archive—the James Webb Space Telescope
September 06, 2022 18:54 - 41 minutes - 94.3 MBIn recent months, the world has been astounded by cosmic images taken by the James Webb Space Telescope. By gazing deep into space, it can see billions of years back in time, and promises to transform human understanding of the universe. In this episode, first released in December 2021, host Alok Jha explores the telescope’s promise. And, science correspondent Gilead Amit asks NASA’s head of science Thomas Zurbuchen about the mission’s impact on the agency. For full access to The Economist’...
Babbage: The open-source intelligence war
August 30, 2022 17:54 - 41 minutes - 95.5 MBSix months have passed since Russia invaded Ukraine. It is arguably the most transparent conflict ever, thanks to publicly available satellite data and social media. How has open-source intelligence (OSINT) shaped the war? The Economist’s defence editor Shashank Joshi examines the technologies behind the OSINT revolution, and how this new era of openness is changing warfare. Alok Jha hosts. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podca...
Babbage: NASA’s newish rocket
August 23, 2022 15:30 - 42 minutes - 96.7 MBNASA’s giant new rocket, the Space Launch System (SLS), will soon embark on its maiden journey to lunar orbit. The launcher is designed to send humans back to the Moon, but was built on old technology, and is years late and shockingly over budget. Does NASA even need a successor to the Space Shuttle, when Elon Musk’s SpaceX is developing a cheaper, more powerful alternative? Host Alok Jha examines the politics behind the SLS and the role of NASA against the backdrop of a now-flourishing, inn...
Babbage: Could artificial intelligence become sentient?
August 16, 2022 18:13 - 44 minutes - 103 MBA debate has been raging in technology circles, after an engineer at Google claimed in June that the company’s chatbot was sentient. Host Kenneth Cukier explores how to define “sentience” and whether it could be attained by AI. If machines can exhibit consciousness, it presents myriad ethical and legal considerations. Is society equipped to deal with the implications of conscious AI? Find The Economist’s list of the five best books to read on artificial intelligence here. For full access ...
Babbage: The child hepatitis mystery
August 09, 2022 18:43 - 42 minutes - 97.6 MBSince April a mysterious outbreak of hepatitis in children around the world has baffled doctors. Some children have required liver transplants and more than 20 have died. Recent findings may link the spike in cases to covid-19 lockdowns. We examine the evidence and ask how a lack of exposure to bugs can affect immune systems. What other consequences could pandemic restrictions have for the long-term health of children—and adults? Kenneth Cukier hosts. For full access to The Economist’s prin...
Babbage: How AI cracked biology’s biggest problem
August 02, 2022 18:34 - 34 minutes - 79.1 MBDeepMind’s artificial-intelligence system AlphaFold has predicted the three-dimensional shape of almost all known proteins. The company’s boss Demis Hassabis tells us how the AI was able to solve what was, for decades, biology’s grand challenge. Plus, Gilead Amit, The Economist’s science correspondent, explores the significance of the breakthrough for scientists tackling neglected diseases and designing new molecules. The leap forward could be AI’s greatest contribution to biology to date, b...
Babbage: Can technology personalise your diet?
July 26, 2022 19:50 - 43 minutes - 99.9 MBDigital tools and sophisticated wearable devices are being combined with the latest knowledge on metabolic science to build personalised eating plans. Slavea Chankova, The Economist’s health-care correspondent, explores the future of nutrition. Data from new nutrition technology can also be tied to exercise monitoring devices and blood biomarkers, to build algorithms that aim to make people get healthier. But can the emerging personalised nutrition era make a real difference to public health...
Babbage: How to keep secrets in the age of quantum computing
July 19, 2022 16:48 - 40 minutes - 92.2 MBThe age of quantum computing is coming closer, presenting both an opportunity and a risk for individuals, companies and governments. Host Alok Jha explores why quantum computers threaten to crack the codes that keep data and communications secure over the internet. We also investigate how encryption techniques can be improved for a post-quantum age, and why it is urgent that they be deployed as soon as possible. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe ...
Babbage: How did humans evolve?
July 12, 2022 18:48 - 40 minutes - 92.2 MBThe evolutionary journey that created modern humans was once thought to be relatively linear. But new technology is revealing a far more complex picture. The Economist’s Dylan Barry travels to South Africa to trace the story of our evolution, and explains how interbreeding with other species provided the genes possessed by many people today. To uncover our origins, scientists are nowadays not only hunting for clues in the bones of our ancestors—but in the genomes of living people, too. We sp...
Babbage: How to unlock the secrets of the universe—beyond the Standard Model
July 05, 2022 17:21 - 36 minutes - 82.4 MBThis week, the Large Hadron Collider returned to life after a three-year upgrade. By recreating conditions as close as possible to the Big Bang, it might provide answers to some of physics’s greatest mysteries. Recent findings have shown chinks in the armour of the Standard Model of particle physics, currently scientists’ best understanding of the universe at its smallest scales. Through the lens of an intriguing anomalous result, host Alok Jha investigates the new theories that might supers...
Babbage: How to go green amid an energy crisis
June 28, 2022 19:07 - 37 minutes - 85.9 MBThe energy shock threatens to derail action on climate change. Which technologies will enable the green transition, while ensuring energy security, too? Vijay Vaitheeswaran, The Economist's global energy & climate innovation editor, describes the pathway to a decarbonised future. How can electrical grids be made smarter and more resilient as they are fed by cleaner, more renewable sources of energy? And how soon will the technology that’s needed for the energy transition be ready for widespr...
Babbage: The short-sightedness epidemic
June 21, 2022 18:08 - 39 minutes - 89.6 MBShort-sightedness, known as myopia, was once a rare condition. But in East Asia, it is becoming ubiquitous, with rates increasing in the rest of the world, too. For decades, researchers thought the condition was mostly genetic. But the scientific consensus has changed. Host Alok Jha and Tim Cross, The Economist’s technology editor, wade through the latest evidence and explore how to prevent or slow the onset of myopia. And, how can the condition’s public-health burden be reduced? For full a...
Babbage: Is ketamine the next antidepressant?
June 14, 2022 18:00 - 41 minutes - 95.8 MBIn America and Europe, a growing number of clinics are offering ketamine to treat depression. The anaesthetic—also used illegally as a party drug—can provide rapid relief from the condition where traditional treatments, such as antidepressant drugs, have failed. We investigate how the therapy works, and ask what role it will play in the future of mental-health care. And, as ketamine treatments spread, is enough known about the drug’s long-term safety? Alok Jha hosts with Natasha Loder, The E...
Babbage: Artificial intelligence enters its industrial age
June 07, 2022 16:17 - 38 minutes - 87.5 MBA new type of artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly emerging as a candidate to become the next major general-purpose technology. "Foundational AI" will inject itself into many human endeavours—from writing to coding to drug discovery. We explore why foundation models could end up having an economic impact similar to that of electricity, and why the emerging technology is also proving so controversial. Alok Jha hosts. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions sub...
Babbage: Corals vs climate change
May 31, 2022 15:30 - 31 minutes - 72.2 MBCoral reefs are increasingly under threat from global heating, but some species appear to be resistant to warmer sea temperatures. How can scientists harness these findings and revive these important pieces of marine life? Alok Jha hosts. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Additional audio courtesy of the Acoustical Society of America and t...
Babbage: How to unlock the secrets of the universe—part two
May 24, 2022 19:20 - 41 minutes - 57.1 MBIn part two of our visit to the Large Hadron Collider on the Franco-Swiss border, Alok Jha asks whether the machine’s next iteration can take the field of particle physics beyond the Standard Model. We also investigate the long-term future of particle colliders. Will scientists ever build the instruments required to reveal the true building blocks of the universe? Listen to both episodes of the series at economist.com/LHC-pod. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio edi...
Babbage: How to unlock the secrets of the universe—part one
May 17, 2022 18:33 - 41 minutes - 95.7 MBThe Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is restarting after a three-year break for maintenance and upgrades. In the first of two episodes, host Alok Jha travels to the Franco-Swiss border to find out what the particle accelerator could reveal about the fundamental building blocks of the universe. In 2012, the LHC discovered the Higgs boson, the final piece of the Standard Model of particle physics. But physicists know that that theory is incomplete—it does not account for gravity, dark energy or da...
Babbage: An app a day keeps the doctor away
May 10, 2022 21:13 - 44 minutes - 101 MBWearable devices, such as fitness trackers and smartwatches, can measure a growing array of health indicators. Machine learning can filter that torrent of data to reveal a continuous, quantified picture of you and your health. But wearables linked to health apps are not only able to help diagnose diseases—they are beginning to treat them too. We explore the technology that promises to revolutionise health care. Alok Jha hosts. Listen to our recent episodes on the use of wearable technologie...
Babbage: Bill Gates's plan to prevent the next pandemic
May 03, 2022 16:30 - 33 minutes - 77 MBNew diseases are inevitable, but pandemics are not. As the threat from covid-19 recedes, how can the world stop new pathogens from becoming health emergencies? Business leader and philanthropist Bill Gates has long warned of the risk that a novel virus would go global. He tells Geoff Carr, The Economist’s science and technology editor, about his plan to pandemic-proof the planet. Alok Jha hosts. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/...
Babbage: Editing the code of life
April 26, 2022 17:17 - 41 minutes - 95.7 MBIn 2012, the discovery of the gene-editing tool CRISPR-Cas9 revolutionised scientists’ ability to modify DNA. Ten years on, host Alok Jha speaks to Jennifer Doudna, the Nobel laureate who pioneered the technology. She explains how CRISPR could transform healthcare and the food supply—and help with the fight against climate change. Plus, how does she grapple with the ethical questions raised by the technology she helped to invent? For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio e...
Babbage: A new age of nuclear power?
April 19, 2022 17:08 - 42 minutes - 96.6 MBThe war in Ukraine is causing countries to rethink their dependence on Russian energy. Some governments are turning to nuclear power. While unpopular, it is one of the safest and most sustainable forms of energy—and an essential weapon in the fight against climate change. Can innovations in technology and engineering help to revive the nuclear industry? Alok Jha hosts. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up fo...
Babbage: Can the 1.5°C climate target survive?
April 12, 2022 15:30 - 39 minutes - 90.2 MBIn its latest report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change warned that the window to fulfil UN climate targets is vanishing. Emissions must peak by 2025 if the world is to meet the Paris Agreement goals. Decisions made this year could determine whether or not that will be possible. Amid war in Ukraine and a deepening energy crisis, will the clean-energy transition happen fast enough? Vijay Vaitheeswaran hosts, with The Economist’s environment editor Catherine Brahic, and Oliver Mor...
Babbage: How do you solve a problem like malaria?
April 05, 2022 15:30 - 39 minutes - 91.1 MBSquashing malaria could, over the next three decades, save as many lives as covid-19 has taken. We explore new ways to fight infections: from the introduction of the first malaria vaccines, to genetically modified mosquitoes. What would it take to vanquish one of the world’s deadliest diseases? Alok Jha hosts. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscien...
Babbage: How to communicate in a war zone
March 29, 2022 19:55 - 42 minutes - 98 MBDestroying an opponent’s ability to communicate is an elementary military tactic. We examine the technologies helping Ukraine to stay connected: from SpaceX’s satellite-internet service, to shortwave radio. Also, what role is social media playing on the front line and in the information war? Alok Jha hosts. Keep up-to-date with the developing situation in Ukraine at economist.com/ukraine-crisis For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/...
Babbage: The pandemic, two years on
March 22, 2022 17:48 - 36 minutes - 83.6 MBTwo years after a pandemic was declared, the coronavirus crisis is far from over. Host Alok Jha speaks to Sir Jeremy Farrar, the director of the Wellcome Trust, one of the world's largest medical research foundations. Sir Jeremy has been at the heart of the global fight against covid-19. He assesses China’s zero-covid policy, and explores what lies ahead for the pandemic. Also, Natasha Loder, The Economist’s health policy editor, examines the ongoing vaccination effort. For full access to T...
Babbage: The fountain of youth
March 15, 2022 19:09 - 39 minutes - 91.2 MBBillions of dollars are being pumped into technologies that hope to reduce the effects of ageing. Host Alok Jha explores the latest research in the field—from regenerating organs to rejuvenating cells—and whether these efforts could help to conquer debilitating human diseases. Is anti-ageing more than just a pipe-dream for Silicon Valley startups? For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science ...
Babbage: Can tech improve your sleep?
March 08, 2022 18:59 - 35 minutes - 81.2 MBA sleep deficit in the rich world has led to a boom in the sleep-tech industry. This week, we investigate the products designed to help consumers monitor and improve their slumber. And, what innovations could transform sleep in the future? Alok Jha hosts. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more in...
Babbage: The threat of cyber-warfare
March 01, 2022 21:35 - 42 minutes - 96.9 MBThe conflict in Ukraine has brought renewed fear of a global cyber-war. We explain the technology behind the digital threat and its role in modern warfare. And, why hasn’t Russia carried out large-scale cyber-attacks so far? Alok Jha hosts. Keep up-to-date with the developing situation in Ukraine at economist.com/ukraine-crisis For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at econom...
Babbage: Rise of the robots
February 22, 2022 19:11 - 36 minutes - 84.4 MBRelations between people and robots are being reset. Host Alok Jha explores why the pace of automation is likely to accelerate, and what it means for societies and jobs. We also ask how advancements in AI and robotics can improve collaboration between humans and machines. For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/pr...