Babbage from The Economist (subscriber edition)

How do you make an object invisible? Professor Sir John Pendry worked out that it involves guiding and bending light in precise ways by changing the structure of the material it is travelling through. His subsequent work on the interactions between light and matter has led to a new class of materials, known as “metamaterials”, which enable seemingly impossible things to happen. In this episode, he tells us how they work and their applications in everything from 5G technology to simulating the conditions around black holes.Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Guest: Professor Sir John Pendry of Imperial College London.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.

Andrea Sella, a Professor of chemistry at University College London and an expert on rare-earth elements, discusses the unique electronic and magnetic properties of lanthanides. Tim Cross, The Economist's senior science writer, tackles the pressing geopolitical implications surrounding rare earths, especially China’s export controls. They explore the critical roles these elements play in technology, the challenges of recycling, and potential alternatives for Western industries. Could this be the wake-up call for a shift in global supply strategies?

Join Katie Stack Morgan, project scientist for NASA's Perseverance rover, and Sanjeev Gupta, planetary geologist, as they dive into the thrilling discovery of a potential biosignature on Mars. They discuss the significance of the Sapphire Canyon findings and the complex geology of the 'spotty rocks.' Oliver Morton offers insights into the challenges of bringing samples back to Earth, including funding hurdles and political intrigues. The conversation unpacks how this discovery could reshape our understanding of life beyond Earth!

Tim Cross, a Senior science writer at The Economist, dives into the world of strength training. He explains why lifting weights is crucial for longevity and overall health, especially as we age. The discussion emphasizes the importance of protein in muscle growth and optimal nutrition. Cross also uncovers the benefits of creatine, showcasing its positive effects on athletic performance and cognitive function while reassuring listeners about its safety. Get ready to rethink your fitness routine and discover the real secrets to staying strong!

Neutrinos are elementary particles that are extremely light and rarely interact with anything else. Mostly, they pass invisibly through the universe—hundreds of trillions of neutrinos will have passed through your body as you read this. For physicists, though, these ghostly particles present a big problem. The prevailing theory of particle physics, the Standard Model, predicts that neutrinos should have no mass—but this is not what physicists observe in the real world. Now, scientists at JUNO, an enormous new lab in China, have started to hunt for the elusive particles and, in doing so, they hope to solve this giant conundrum in fundamental physics.Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor, with Emilie Steinmark, The Economist’s science correspondent. Contributors: Juan Pedro Ochoa-Ricoux of the University of California, Irvine; Wang Yifang and Yuekun Heng of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.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.

Jonathan Nash, a professor of oceanography at Oregon State University, shares insights on critical climate tipping points. He discusses the potential for rapid and irreversible changes, like the melting of the Greenland ice sheet and the transformation of North Africa into arid desert. Nash emphasizes the urgency of understanding these shifts, particularly how human-induced greenhouse gases drive them. The conversation highlights the significance of ice cores from Antarctica in revealing our climate history and the need for better prediction models to navigate future uncertainties.

How long you live may be shaped less by your gym routine or diet plan than by the systems that surround you, from clean air and water to safe streets and accessible healthcare. In this episode, Devi Sridhar, a professor of global public health at the University of Edinburgh, argues that governments—not individuals—hold the greatest power to extend lives. She explains what people can learn from long-lived communities in Japan and Europe, how to curb the harms of ultra-processed food, the role of GLP-1 weight-loss drugs, and how tackling inequality could help everyone live healthier into old age.Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor, speaks with Devi Sridhar, the author of “How Not to Die (Too Soon)”.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.

More than six months on from DeepSeek’s breakthrough, how much has China’s AI ecosystem evolved? As it turns out, quite a bit. In an extended interview with Alex Hern, The Economist’s AI writer, we examine the major players in China, their models and how Chinese AI stacks up against its Western rivals. Now that the White House has lifted restrictions on the export of high-end chips to China, how might the battle for AI supremacy unfold?Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor, speaks with our AI writer Alex Hern.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.

How is a new era of great-power rivalry affecting America’s nuclear security enterprise? Three national laboratories are tasked with keeping America’s warheads safe, modernising them and even building new ones. And, unlike during the cold war, they have to do it all without conducting explosive tests. With political tensions on the rise around the world, the labs’ mission has become more important than ever. This week, we investigate how the directors of the three labs are meeting this new moment.“The Bomb” is a four-part series which traces the scientific story of nuclear weapons. We go behind the scenes at America's nuclear-weapons laboratories to find out how the country is pushing the frontiers of extreme physics, materials science and computing to modernise its stockpile. In episode four, we ask the people who manage the bombs what it’s like to be responsible for such terrible and devastating weapons.Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Thom Mason of the Los Alamos National Laboratory; Kim Budil of the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory; and Laura McGill of Sandia National Laboratories. Thanks also to Jennifer Hayden of America’s National Museum of Nuclear Science & History.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.

Kim Budil, Director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Brad Wallin, Deputy Director, delve into modern nuclear weapons maintenance and design without explosive tests. They discuss the innovative National Ignition Facility, where sophisticated laser systems simulate nuclear fusion conditions. The conversation highlights how advanced simulations are replacing traditional tests, the evolution of compact warheads, and groundbreaking developments in materials science and 3D printing technologies, all crucial for a safer nuclear stockpile.