60 Minutes

04/20/2025: Bird Flu, Demis Hassabis, Flight of the Monarchs

Apr 21, 2025

51:11

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Quick takeaways

The bird flu outbreak has escalated into a public health crisis, with confirmed human cases and economic consequences raising alarm for future pandemics.

Demis Hassabis's advancements in artificial intelligence position him at the forefront of developing technologies that could revolutionize science and society, underscoring human ingenuity amidst challenges.

Deep dives

The Threat of Bird Flu

Bird flu has rapidly spread among poultry and dairy herds in the U.S., raising significant concerns about its potential to infect humans. Veterinarians have reported cases of H5N1 in cattle, marking a troubling development as the virus previously targeted birds and had a high mortality rate in humans. The urgency is underscored by testimonies from those on the front lines, who describe the current situation as a gunfight with blindfolds. Despite warnings, the response from governmental bodies has been criticized for being slow and underfunded.

Intro

2min

Battling Bird Flu and the Promises of AI

2min

Innovations in Men's Grooming and E-Commerce Solutions

2min

The Rising Threat of Bird Flu

13min

Pioneering the Future of Artificial Intelligence

2min

The Rise of AI: Advances and Ethical Dilemmas

13min

The Remarkable Migration of Monarch Butterflies

2min

The Monarch's Majestic Journey

13min

Bird flu, which has long been an emerging threat, took a significant turn in 2024 with the discovery that the virus had jumped from a wild bird to a cow. In just over a year, the pathogen

has spread through dairy herds and poultry flocks across the United States. It has also infected people, resulting in 70 confirmed cases, including one fatality. Correspondent Bill Whitaker spoke with veterinarians and virologists who warn that, if unchecked, this outbreak could lead to a new pandemic. They also raise concerns about the Biden administration’s slow response in 2024 and now the Trump administration’s decision to lay off over 100 key scientists.

Demis Hassabis, a pioneer in artificial intelligence, is shaping the future of humanity. As the CEO of Google DeepMind, he was first interviewed by correspondent Scott Pelley in

2023, during a time when chatbots marked the beginning of a new technological era. Since that interview, Hassabis has made headlines for his innovative work, including using an AI model to predict the structure of proteins, which earned him a Nobel Prize. Pelley returns to DeepMind’s headquarters in London to discuss what’s next for Hassabis, particularly his leadership in the effort to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) – a type of AI that has the potential to match the versatility and creativity of the human brain.

One of the most awe-inspiring and mysterious migrations in the natural world is currently taking place, stretching from Mexico to the United States and Canada. This incredible spectacle involves millions of monarch butterflies embarking on a monumental aerial journey. Correspondent Anderson Cooper reports from the mountains of Mexico, where the monarchs spent the winter months sheltering in trees before emerging from their slumber to take flight.

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60 Minutes

04/20/2025: Bird Flu, Demis Hassabis, Flight of the Monarchs

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

Deep dives

The Threat of Bird Flu

Impact on Agriculture and Economy

Pandemic Potential and Public Health Concerns

Scientific and Administrative Challenges

Remember Everything You Learn from Podcasts