Babbage from The Economist (subscriber edition)

Since covid-19 emerged three years ago, mRNA vaccines have taken the world by storm. How will they keep up with new variants of the coronavirus, and where does the mRNA revolution go from here?Natasha Loder, The Economist’s health policy editor, talks to Ugur Sahin, the co-founder of BioNTech, whose covid vaccine changed the course of the pandemic. They consider the development of a universal coronavirus vaccine, and the other infectious diseases that will be targeted by mRNA jabs. Plus, the immunologist explains how mRNA technology can treat illnesses such as cancer, and his expectations for the technology in 2023. Alok Jha hosts.For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.

ChatGPT is just one example of a new type of artificial intelligence, which could become the next major general-purpose technology. This week, we revisit one of our favourite episodes of 2022, which explains why "foundational AI" promises to be so transformative.The Economist’s Ludwig Siegele explains why ChatGPT has been taking the world by storm, and why foundation models, or generative AI, could end up having an economic impact similar to that of electricity. Jack Clark of Anthropic AI tells us about the new AI ecosystem that is emerging. Reeps One, a beatboxer, explains how he uses machine learning to compose music. And Kate Crawford, the author of “Atlas of AI”, considers why the technology is proving so controversial. Alok Jha hosts.Babbage will be published every Wednesday from January 4th 2023.For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.

In 2022, the Nobel prize for physics was awarded to a trio of scientists for their work on the fundamentals of quantum mechanics. This week, host Alok Jha asks one of the laureates, Anton Zeilinger, how he proved Einstein wrong and how his research into a phenomenon called quantum entanglement can help make sense of the universe. Plus, can “quantum teleportation” usher in a new era of technology? Anton Zeilinger is a physicist at the Austrian Academy of Sciences and professor emeritus at the University of Vienna.For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.

Soon after the pandemic began, another health crisis started to emerge. Long covid now affects millions of people around the world. But finding the causes of the condition—and how to treat it—has been a challenge. Three years after the SARS-CoV-2 virus was first detected, are scientists any closer to understanding long covid? Natasha Loder, The Economist’s health policy editor, explores the latest research into the condition, and catches up with Tom Stayte, a patient we met in 2020. Jason Hosken, our producer, visits Britain’s first long-covid clinic at University College London Hospital. Melissa Heightman, the team’s clinical lead, explains how to treat symptoms. Plus, we ask whether the hunt to solve this medical mystery could have implications for other chronic conditions. Alok Jha hosts. We are always trying to improve our podcasts. To help, please complete this short questionnaire: economist.com/babbagesurveyFor full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.

When Russia invaded Ukraine, for the first time ever, two mature cyber-powers began to fight over computer networks in wartime. But while Russia’s cyber-war may have been intense, its impact has been modest. Has the country’s cyber prowess been overrated? The Economist’s Benjamin Sutherland describes the cybercriminals joining the war effort in Ukraine. Paul Chichester, operations director at the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre, analyses why Russia hasn’t had more success in the cyber domain. And Shashank Joshi, our defence editor, finds lessons from Ukraine on cyber warfare more broadly. Alok Jha hosts. We are always trying to improve our podcasts. To help, please complete this short questionnaire: economist.com/babbagesurveyFor full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.

A new drug for type-1 diabetes has been licensed in America. Teplizumab is the first treatment for the condition since insulin began being used a century ago. It targets one of the root causes of this type of diabetes and can slow the onset of the disease. Better still, the drug could be the herald of a new era in treating the condition.Colin Dayan, a professor of clinical diabetes and metabolism at Cardiff University, tells “Babbage” producer Jason Hosken why immunotherapy could be a game-changing innovation for diabetes. Beth Baldwin and Harj Singh share personal stories of how the condition has affected their families. And Sanjoy Dutta, chief scientific officer of diabetes research charity JDRF, explains the potential pathways to finding a cure. Alok Jha hosts.For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.

COP27 was an arduous summit, with mixed results. A landmark agreement to create a new “loss and damage” fund was a historic achievement. But many delegates were disappointed by the lack of progress on decarbonising energy systems. In the final episode of our series, we explore what the final deal means for the future of climate action. Plus, we examine AFR100, a project that aims to pair climate action with economic growth in Africa.The Economist’s Rachel Dobbs reports on the gruelling final hours of negotiations at COP27. Ani Dasgupta of the World Resources Institute explains how the AFR100 project combines agriculture, technology and clever financing to capture carbon in Africa. And Mamadou Diakhite of the African Union Development Agency describes the impact the initiative is having on communities.Alok Jha hosts with Catherine Brahic, The Economist’s environment editor, and Vijay Vaitheeswaran, our global energy and climate innovation editor.Listen to our mini-series at economist.com/COP27pod and follow all of The Economist’s climate coverage at economist.com/climate-change.For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.

COP27 takes place amid war in Ukraine and an energy crisis. In the third episode of our series covering the summit, we explore how energy-security concerns are affecting efforts to decarbonise.Niklas Höhne of the NewClimate Institute says the energy crisis could deepen Europe’s dependence on fossil fuels. But Francesco La Camera, who leads the International Renewable Energy Agency, sees it as an opportunity to accelerate the green agenda. Plus, award-winning author Daniel Yergin explains the implications for Russia, and Jason Bordoff of Columbia University assesses the geopolitics of the transition to clean energy.Alok Jha hosts with Catherine Brahic, The Economist’s environment editor, and Vijay Vaitheeswaran, our global energy and climate innovation editor.Listen to our mini-series at economist.com/COP27pod and follow all of The Economist’s climate coverage at economist.com/climate-change.For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.

COP27 has kicked off in Egypt, and adaptation is high on the agenda. In the second episode of our series covering the conference, we explore how to step up global efforts to adapt to a changing climate.Edward McBride, The Economist’s briefings editor, travels to Iraq to investigate how a hotter world is affecting the way people live. Adeline Stuart-Watt, an adaptation policy fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science, explains how to implement and finance climate-resilient projects.Alok Jha hosts with Catherine Brahic, The Economist’s environment editor, and Vijay Vaitheeswaran, our global energy and climate innovation editor.Listen to our mini-series at economist.com/COP27pod and follow all of The Economist’s climate coverage at economist.com/climate-change.For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.

This week, the COP27 climate summit will begin in Egypt. In the first of four episodes, we consider the themes set to dominate the conference. After a year lacking in climate action, do lofty targets need a dose of realism? Plus, “loss and damage” financing is expected to be high on the agenda at the summit. We explore its patchy history, and explain why we think rich countries are unlikely to pay compensation to vulnerable ones for historic emissions.Gavin Jackson, The Economist’s economics and finance correspondent, scrutinises debates on climate reparations. Fredi Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London, explains how carbon emissions can be attributed to climate disasters.Alok Jha hosts with Catherine Brahic, The Economist’s environment editor, and Vijay Vaitheeswaran, our global energy and climate innovation editor.Follow all of The Economist’s climate coverage at economist.com/climate-change.For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions, subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience.