The Jab: Trailer

In this new weekly podcast series, The Economist unlocks the science, data and politics behind the most ambitious inoculation programme the world has ever seen.Alok Jha, The Economist’s science correspondent, hosts with Natasha Loder, our health policy editor. Each week our reporters and data journalists join them in conversation, along with scientists around the world. They inject the perfect dose of insight and analysis into the global effort to escape the pandemic. “The Jab from Economist Radio” will be published every Monday, initially for 12 weeks. It is the latest addition to our slate of podcasts which includes the award-winning podcasts “The Intelligence”, “The Economist Asks”, "Money Talks", “Checks and Balance” and "Babbage".For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe here: economist.com/thejabpod Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Checks and Balance: Growth states

It’s not long since America was widely thought to be on the brink of recession. Instead the economy expanded by 3% in 2023, and continues to defy expectations. But why aren’t voters happier with Joe Biden’s economy? John Prideaux hosts with Charlotte Howard and Idrees Kahloon. They’re joined by The Economist’s Simon Rabinovitch and Neale Mahoney, professor of economics at Stanford University. Thank you to the William J. Clinton Library and the UVA Miller Center for some of the audio used in this episode. Sign up for a free trial of Economist Podcasts+. If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription. For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

IDF chief of staff says Israel will respond; China’s GDP beats forecasts, and more

Israel assured its Arab neighbours that it will not threaten their security in its response to the barrage of drones and missiles that Iran launched towards its territory on Saturday, according to local media. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Futurewatch: The crypto craze

Is cryptocurrency the future of money? Helen Joyce, The Economist’s finance editor, explores whether digital coins can offer a viable alternative to existing currencies. And Tim Cross, The Economist’s technology editor, explains the blockchains that underpin them Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Intelligence: Your country needs you!

Governments particularly in the rich world are struggling to get young people in uniform. Will some form of conscription become necessary? In America, how remote working husbands may be liberating their wives (10:19). And, the generational hunting prowess of the killer whale (16:53).Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The World Ahead: Trailer

Coming soon: a new future-gazing series from The Economist that examines an assortment of speculative scenarios, what-if conjectures and provocative prophecies. Thinking about possible futures can help us understand the present, and catch glimpses of the world ahead. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Economist Asks: Trailer

One question posed to a high-profile newsmaker, followed up with lively debate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Babbage: The science that built the AI revolution—part one

What 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 models that power apps such as ChatGPT?Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Ainslie Johnstone, The Economist’s data journalist and science correspondent; Dawood Dassu and Steve Garratt of UK Biobank; Daniel Glaser, a neuroscientist at London’s Institute of Philosophy; Daniela Rus, director of MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory; Yoshua Bengio of the University of Montr

Money Talks: Why Amazon should be afraid of Temu

Amazon started with a plan to disrupt bookselling. It sold cheap books online, delivering them straight to customers’ homes. Three decades later it employs a million people in America and owns one hundred warehouses, each stocked with millions of products. More than a third of the US e-commerce market flows through it. Now, another company has spied an opportunity to disrupt Amazon: Temu. The Chinese e-commerce giant wants to undercut its US rival, delivering impossibly cheap stuff to Americans straight from factories in China. How worried should Amazon be?Hosts: Alice Fulwood, Mike Bird, Tom Lee-Devlin. Guests: Wendy Woloson of Rutgers University-Camden; Mark Shmulik of Bernstein; Michael Morton, an e-commerce analyst at MoffettNathanson; and Josh Silverman, CEO of Etsy.Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to acc

Editor’s Picks: October 23rd 2023

A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, why only America can save Israel and Gaza from a greater catastrophe. Also, the recent election in Poland offers a lesson in how to push back on populism (10:30) and the resurgence of bedbugs, beyond the hype (16:00).Sign up for Economist Podcasts+ now and get 50% off your subscription with our limited time offer.If you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you’ll have full access to all our shows as part of your subscription.For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+ please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Intelligence: Your country needs you!

Governments particularly in the rich world are struggling to get young people in uniform. Will some form of conscription become necessary? In America, how remote working husbands may be liberating their wives (10:19). And, the generational hunting prowess of the killer whale (16:53).Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.