Babbage from The Economist

Where did the world’s most devastating weapon come from? In a four-part series, we go behind the scenes at America's nuclear laboratories to understand how a scientific-mystery story about the ingredients of matter led to a world-changing (and second-world-war-ending) bomb less than five decades later. Nuclear weapons have been central to geopolitical power ever since. Now America is seeking to modernise its stockpile and, in doing so, its scientists are pushing the frontiers of extreme physics, materials science and computing.In episode one, we look at the birth of nuclear physics—the science that emerged early in the 20th century to answer a mystery: what is an atom actually made of?Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Frank Close, a physicist and author of “Destroyer of Worlds”, a history of the birth of nuclear physics; Cheryl Rofer, a chemist who used to work at the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL); and Nicholas Lewis, a historian at LANL.This episode features archive from the Atomic Heritage Foundation. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.This is a free episode. To continue listening to “The Bomb”, you’ll need to subscribe.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.

Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned.The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordisk to Google. New episodes are out weekly starting May 12th. To listen to the full series, subscribe to Economist Podcasts+. https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plusIf you’re already a subscriber to The Economist, you 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.

A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It already rivals the size of the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more powerful. The Economist’s Sue-Lin Wong follows a trail that starts with the collapse of a bank in rural Kansas to uncover a global, underground scam economy built around human trafficking, corruption and money laundering. Can it be stopped?Available now.To listen to the full series subscribe to Economist Podcasts+.

Uncover the enigmatic rise of India's Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, and his unique blend of economic reform and Hindu nationalist beliefs. Explore the controversies surrounding his leadership style and his vision for India's future as a global superpower.

AI in healthcare is revolutionizing patient access and disease detection. From AI in breast cancer screening to radiology, the podcast explores its benefits and ethical implications. Chat GPT's role in medical research and the challenges of using AI in healthcare are also discussed. The podcast teases a future episode on changes in medical research and encourages listeners to subscribe.

The podcast delves into concerns about teenagers' mental health due to smartphone and social media usage. Experts discuss the need for restrictions, social media literacy, and parental involvement. The debate around the impact of technology on young people's well-being is explored, highlighting the importance of setting boundaries and promoting balanced screen time.

The podcast explores the evolution of AI from early brain modeling to modern neural-inspired systems. It delves into the challenges of defining intelligence and the use of language models in machine learning. The progression of AI from perceptrons to deep neural networks is discussed, highlighting breakthroughs in the deep learning revolution.

Scientists are on the hunt for elusive dark matter, using cutting-edge tools and techniques to detect this mysterious substance. With no luck so far, they explore new ideas and technologies at a recent scientific meeting. Will they finally uncover the secrets of dark matter and its profound impact on the universe?

Sam Altman and Satya Nadella discuss their vision for AI at the World Economic Forum in Davos. They address concerns about AI's impact on productivity and potential existential risks. They also explore the potential of AI in healthcare and education and discuss the seriousness and regulation of AGI. The importance of open source models and recommendations from The Economist are highlighted.

Join Alok Jha and his guests as they discuss the significance of science books, including 'The Periodic Table' by Primo Levi and 'Madame Curie' by Ève Curie. They explore the blending of art and storytelling with science, the importance of collective knowledge, and the shift to a gene-centered view of evolution.