Babbage from The Economist (subscriber edition)

The Metre Convention is a treaty that codified the measurement of the metre and the kilogram. Signed on May 20th 1875 in Paris, it facilitated trade and underpinned the development of new technology. Accurate measurements are essential for innovation, but the way scientists perform those measurements has changed over time. Now, 150 years since the treaty was first signed, how are scientists improving measurement standards?Hosts: The Economist’s Alok Jha and Gilead Amit. Contributors: JT Janssen, Andrew Lewis and Anne Curtis at Britain’s National Physical Laboratory. Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.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.

Richard Cytowic, a neurologist and author of "Your Stone Age Brain in the Screen Age," dives into the clash between our evolving brains and the digital age. He explores how constant notifications disrupt attention and learning, and how excessive screen time can mirror autism-like symptoms. Cytowic discusses the deterioration of genuine interactions and emphasizes the need for personal responsibility with technology, while advocating for silence as a crucial mental reset in our fast-paced world.

Join Ann Young, a physician who faced breast cancer in her 30s, as she shares her poignant journey through early-onset cancer. Slavea Chankova, health-care correspondent for The Economist, dives into the alarming rise in cancer diagnoses among younger individuals, exploring possible environmental links. Geneticist Mike Stratton discusses innovative genome sequencing research to identify mutational signatures related to this worrying trend. Discover the emotional challenges young patients face and the urgent need for further investigation into the causes of early-onset cancer.

Do you run, cycle or swim to lose weight? Herman Pontzer, an evolutionary anthropologist who specialises in understanding how humans use energy, thinks you’re probably wasting your time. His idea of the “exercise paradox” suggests that the amount of energy people use in a day is constrained (by evolution) and that exercising more doesn’t end up burning more calories. Figuring out why our bodies work like this is part of Prof Pontzer’s bigger project to map out and better understand how evolution has shaped variations in human biology. Hosts: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributor: Herman Pontzer, professor of evolutionary anthropology and global health at Duke University and the author of “Burn” and “Adaptable”.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.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.

Few materials have had such an influence on humanity as plastic. But as a result, tiny fragments, known as microplastics, have become ubiquitous in the environment. They have been found in Earth’s most pristine environments, from Antarctica to the deepest ocean trenches. And researchers have even detected microplastics in human blood and breast milk, and in organs such as the heart and the brain. How worried should you be about their impact on human health?Hosts: The Economist’s Alok Jha and Gilead Amit. Contributors: Mark Miodownik of University College London; Douglas Walker of Emory University; and The Economist’s health-care correspondent, Slavea Chankova. Read more about new ways to recycle plastic and how to manage waste better.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.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.

The internet is awash with clever fitness hacks, fad diets and home remedies that claim to help you live a longer, healthier and happier life. But how well do these promises hold up to scientific scrutiny? And what about the vices you’re told to avoid? This week, our correspondents consider the evidence on three types of food that have been linked to health concerns: butter, ultra-processed foods and red meat. How bad for you are they, really?This episode is part of our new “Well informed” series on Babbage. Every few months we’ll scrutinise the evidence behind some of the health or wellness trends making headlines. Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: The Economist’s Ainslie Johnstone, Shailesh Chitnis and Slavea Chankova.Subscribers to The Economist can find “Well informed” articles on our website or app every Saturday.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.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.

In this discussion, AI writer Alex Hern delves into the environmental impact of AI systems, detailing the energy consumption of data centers. He highlights the paradox of AI's potential to both harm and help the climate, with applications ranging from optimizing electricity grids to detecting methane leaks. They also tackle the ethical considerations of AI's energy demands, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices. Lastly, Hern explores how responsible deployment of AI could play a pivotal role in mitigating climate change.

President Donald Trump has announced that he wants to send Americans to plant the Stars and Stripes on Mars. The only rocket which currently stands any chance of making that happen is the enormous spacecraft being developed by Elon Musk, one of the president’s new advisors. Mr Musk has pledged to send uncrewed missions to Mars by the end of 2026, ahead of the first astronauts in early 2029—just before President Trump is supposed to leave office. But many challenges remain. Will his company, SpaceX, be able to make its Starship rocket work in time? Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor, with senior editor Oliver Morton. Contributors: Peter Hague, an astrophysicist who writes the “Planetocracy” blog; Volker Maiwald an engineer at the German Aerospace Centre.For more on this topic, check out an episode from last year which examined Starship’s role in the US-China Moon race. Also, as an Economist subscriber, listen to our recent episode of “Checks and Balance” which asks whether Elon Musk is remaking America’s government or breaking it.Transcripts of our podcasts are available via economist.com/podcasts.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.

Natasha Loder, Health Editor at The Economist, joins Charles Brenner, a metabolism and aging researcher, and Arthur Caplan, a medical ethicist from NYU, to discuss the frontier of human enhancement. They explore the ethics of gene editing, brain implants, and performance-enhancing drugs. The conversation raises questions about redefining aging, the societal impact of enhancement technologies, and the need for regulation in this evolving field. With insights into innovations and personal journeys, they delve into both the potential and pitfalls of becoming 'superhuman'.