The Conversation Weekly

In this discussion, Anna Bevan, a producer of LSE IQ, reveals the hidden environmental costs of AI technology. Ergenie Dugois, an environmental economist, stresses the need for sustainable data center designs to curb energy waste. Sociologist Nick Caldry raises critical concerns about the social and environmental ramifications of AI, advocating for a sustainable social contract. Together, they explore the delicate balance between AI's potential benefits and its environmental footprint, highlighting urgent calls for policy and structural changes.

Scarlett Howard, a biologist at Monash University, specializes in animal cognition and has taught bees to distinguish between odd and even numbers. She discusses the curious world of training animals to perform tasks outside their natural instincts, like goldfish driving cars. Howard emphasizes the importance of these seemingly irrelevant experiments, claiming they unlock secrets of cognition and support future technological advancements. She also reflects on the balance between ecological relevance and cognitive exploration in research, highlighting the unexpected insights gained.

Mark Miodownik, a materials and society professor at University College London, unpacks the world's addiction to plastic. He delves into the history of plastics and their evolution from natural to synthetic materials, influencing everything from visual arts to consumer behavior. The discussion highlights the challenges of recycling and the urgent need for corporate accountability in tackling plastic pollution. Miodownik also advocates for systemic changes to combat consumerism's hold on the plastic industry, urging a shift towards a sustainable economy.

Donald Trump is suing Rupert Murdoch, alongside the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones and others, for libel after the Journal published an article alleging that Trump once wrote a “bawdy” birthday letter to the convicted sex offender, the late Jeffrey Epstein. Trump is seeking US$10 billion in damages. Trump and Murdoch have a transactional friendship that goes back decades. Despite past tensions, this rupture is something new in a relationship that has continued to serve both men’s interests.In this episode, professor of journalism Andrew Dodd at the University of Melbourne takes us back to where their relationship began in 1970s New York, to understand how Murdoch helped to build brand Trump.This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware with editing help from Ashlynne McGhee. Sound design and mixing by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Read the full credits for this episode and sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, an independent, not-for-profit news organisation.

Israel has never officially confirmed or denied having nuclear weapons and has never signed the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. Instead, even as evidence has emerged about its nuclear capabilities, Israel has maintained a policy of nuclear ambiguity.The origins of this opacity lie in a secret deal forged in a one-on-one meeting between Israeli prime minister, Golda Meir, and the US president, Richard Nixon, at the White House in September 1969.In this episode, we speak to Avner Cohen, professor of non-proliferation studies at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies at Monterrey in the US, about that 1969 deal and why it has endured for more than 50 years. This episode was written and produced by Mend Mariwany and Gemma Ware with assistance from Katie Flood and Ashlynne McGhee. Sound design and mixing by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Read the full credits for this episode and sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, an independent, not-for-profit news organisation.

Laurence Hardwick, a Professor of electrochemistry at the University of Liverpool, discusses the urgent need for sustainable battery materials. He explores innovative alternatives to lithium-ion batteries, including sodium and potassium ion technologies. The conversation touches on exciting advancements like biodegradable batteries made from waste materials, as well as the performance comparison with traditional options. Hardwick emphasizes the importance of developing diverse and eco-friendly solutions to meet the growing demand for energy storage in our tech-driven world.

Juan Masullo, an assistant professor in political science, dives into Italy's rich anti-fascist legacy stemming from World War II. He discusses how the grassroots resistance against Mussolini's regime set the stage for enduring anti-fascist sentiments today. Masullo highlights a petition backed by 250,000 signatures to ban fascist propaganda, revealing a strong historical correlation with modern activism. He also explores local memorials that keep the anti-fascist spirit alive among younger generations, against a backdrop of rising far-right movements across Europe.

Join Laura Hood, a Politics editor at The Conversation, and Ana E. Juncos, a European politics professor at the University of Bristol, as they dissect Europe's defense shortcomings. They discuss how Europe's reliance on the U.S. has led to a lack of independent military capabilities and the implications of NATO's new spending commitments. The conversation sheds light on France's defense strategy, the growing support for a common European army, and the pressing need for EU nations to collaborate amid rising geopolitical tensions.

Robert F Kennedy Jr caused controversy in April by promising to find a cause for autism by September. Claims by the new US secretary for health and human services that autism is a “preventable disease” with an environmental cause,  contradict a body of research that suggests autism is caused by a combination of genetic and external factors.The US government announced that to support its new research effort into autism it would build a “data platform” involving data on claims, medical records and consumer wearables.  In this episode of The Conversation Weekly podcast, we speak to Amy Gaeta, a  research associate at University of Cambridge in the UK who studies disability surveillance. Gaeta talks us through some of the strategies people are using to avoid potential surveillance, from self-diagnosis, to withholding information or being careful with the language they use to describe themselves. This episode was written and produced by Katie Flood. Gemma Ware is the executive producer. Sound design and mixing by Eloise Stevens and theme music by Neeta Sarl. Read the full credits for this episode and sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation.If you like the show, please consider donating to The Conversation, an independent, not-for-profit news organisation.

Daniel Bar-Tal, an Emeritus professor at Tel Aviv University and expert on self-censorship, joins Beth Daly, Executive Editor of The Conversation. They dive into the psychology behind why individuals choose silence over expression, particularly under societal and political pressures. Bar-Tal shares insights on the implications of self-censorship in academic settings and its parallels in authoritarian regimes. The discussion reveals how fears of repercussions can stifle authentic discourse, impacting both academia and broader societal norms.