The world can be an unpredictable and uncertain place. While some people relish those uncertainties, others become crippled by anxiety. Our guest has a way to help: mathematics. Specifically, statistics. Get better at spotting patterns and you’ll gain an understanding of the real nature of risk, chance and luck. Used properly, the surprising science of statistics can provide a sense of order to the risks of everyday life and could even help us make wiser decisions. Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor, speaks to Sir David Spiegelhater, a professor of statistics at the University of Cambridge and the author of “The Art of Uncertainty”.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.

For half a century, the exponential increases in computing performance have powered the digital age. These gains were achieved by shrinking the components on computer chips, meaning that each new generation of semiconductor technology has been faster and more efficient than the last. But, with engineers now facing limits to how much further silicon chips can shrink, and ever-increasing demand thanks to the AI boom, chipmakers are having to get creative. What are the technical innovations they hope will keep the world’s AI ambitions on track?Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Shailesh Chitnis, The Economist’s global business correspondent; Eric Pop of Stanford University; David Patterson, professor emeritus of the University of California, Berkeley; and The Economist’s Rachana Shanbhogue.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.

Kathy Willis, a biodiversity professor at the University of Oxford, dives into the healing power of nature. She shares compelling research on how being in green spaces can enhance physical and mental health. Discover why the scent of certain trees boosts immune functions and how birdsong aids pain management. Personal stories illustrate nature’s role in therapy, showing it as a promising alternative to conventional treatments. Willis emphasizes the vital need for equitable access to nature for overall well-being. Nature isn’t just a backdrop; it’s crucial for health!

In this enlightening discussion, Abby Bertics, a tech researcher at the Geometric Intelligence Lab with a knack for science writing, explores the quest for artificial general intelligence. The conversation unveils the limitations of current large language models and proposes innovative approaches to integrate reasoning and knowledge. Bertics highlights the need for AI to truly grasp concepts, not just pattern-match. The ethical implications of creating superintelligent machines are examined, raising questions about the balance between potential benefits and inherent risks in this advancing field.

The discussion centers on the fascinating concept of artificial general intelligence (AGI), exploring its historical evolution and current goals among tech giants. Experts dissect the complexities of defining AGI and its comparison to human cognitive abilities. The conversation also highlights how AI has shifted from basic programming to advanced machine learning. Philosophical questions about human cognition and the risks of AGI are raised, alongside the implications of recent technological advancements like GPT-4. It's a thought-provoking look at AI's future.

In this insightful discussion, Gascia Ouzounian, a music professor at Oxford, illuminates the historical significance of sound detection. Tom Withington, an air defense expert, analyzes its resurgence in contemporary warfare. Ben Sutherland, a security reporter, shares intriguing updates on its effective use in Ukraine against Russian aerial attacks. The conversation reveals how innovations in acoustic detection, once dismissed, are revolutionizing military strategies and sparking interest globally.

There are a growing number of hints that the universe might not have evolved in the way that cosmologists thought. If those hints are confirmed by new sky surveys, it might turn out that dark matter and dark energy are more mysterious than anyone ever conceived before. In that case, how should scientists reformulate their standard model of the universe?This is the second of two episodes that explore a looming crisis in cosmology. We examine what cracks in the standard model of cosmology could mean for the quest to understand dark matter and dark energy.Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Michael Brown, Nathan Adams, Dan Thomas, Rebecca Bowler and Erik Rosenberg of the University of Manchester; Don Lincoln of Fermilab; Subir Sarkar of the University of Oxford; Nathalie Palanque-Delabrouille of DESI; and Emilie Steinmark, The Economist’s science correspondent. Listen to part one of the series, “Cosmology in crisis, part one: how to build a universe”.To learn more about how physicists are searching for dark matter, listen to our episode “Babbage: The hunt for dark matter”.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.

Most of the universe is missing. Only 5% of it is normal matter, which makes up all the people, planets and stars we can see; the other 95% consists of mysterious dark matter and dark energy. Scientists have some hypotheses of what these enigmatic substances might be but recent astronomical observations have posed challenges to their ideas. Even worse, it could mean that there are cracks in the standard model of cosmology, the best scientific description of the universe’s evolution. It’s a nerve-wracking time for cosmologists—is everything they thought they knew about to come crashing down?This is the first of two episodes that explore a looming crisis in cosmology. We examine what scientists understand about the evolution of the universe, and why their best model might be under pressure.Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Mark Mcculloch, Michael Brown, Rebecca Bowler and Erik Rosenberg of the University of Manchester; Nathalie Palanque-Delabrouille of DESI and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.To learn more about how physicists are searching for dark matter, listen to our episode “Babbage: The hunt for dark matter”.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.

At the Olympics, athletes strive for victory, compete for medals and try to smash records. Behind those Olympic champions are teams of scientists who study every aspect of a sport, looking for anything that can provide an edge over an opponent. What’s the best lane in which to run a 400m race? What’s the best angle to throw a shot put? What’s the fastest object in sport? In this episode, we uncover the hidden mathematics behind sporting success.Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor, interviews Amandine Aftalion, a professor of applied mathematics at the French National Centre of Scientific Research in Paris and the author of “Be a Champion: 40 Facts You Didn't Know About Sports and Science”.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 2010, scientists achieved what had once seemed impossible: they sequenced the genome of a Neanderthal, based on tiny fragments of DNA from ancient bones. It was an astonishing feat that kicked off a new scientific discipline—palaeogenetics—and opened a new window onto the history of life on Earth. In this episode, we explore how scientists are now shedding light not only on ancient people and animals, but on some modern diseases, too. Plus: how the study of ancient DNA could be revolutionised by the recent discovery of “fossil chromosomes”, which allow scientists to peer even further into the past.Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Rory Galloway, senior podcast producer and science writer for The Economist; Pontus Skoglund, Frankie Tait, Sarah Johnston and Jérôme Nicod of the Francis Crick Institute in London; and Cynthia Perez Estrada and Erez Aiden of the Baylor College of Medicine.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.