What in the World cover image

What in the World

Latest episodes

undefined
Nov 23, 2023 • 12min

OpenAI: What’s going on and what does it mean for the future of AI?

There’s been serious drama in Silicon Valley this week. On Friday the board of OpenAI, the multi-billion-dollar company behind ChatGPT, fired its CEO Sam Altman. By Wednesday he was back in the job. But this isn’t just an internal dispute for tech journalists. It’s about the future of artificial intelligence; whether it should be used for profit and whether it should be constrained. BBC tech reporter Shiona McCallum explains who Sam Altman is and how his most famous product, ChatGPT, works. Alex Rhodes breaks down a few of the most important AI terms being used at the moment. And to hear how other people away from Silicon Valley are using AI in their work, Valeria Diaz Romero from Bolivia talks about how her company uses it. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Maria Clara Montoya, Alex Rhodes and Julia Ross-Roy Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
undefined
Nov 22, 2023 • 14min

Brazil heatwave: What’s it got to do with El Niño?

Brazil has recorded its hottest ever temperature - 44.8C (112.6F) - as parts of the country endure a stifling heatwave.You may have seen the video of Taylor Swift struggling to catch her breath while performing in Rio de Janeiro. She pushed back a performance on Saturday after it emerged a fan had died after going into cardiac arrest at the stadium. Climate change and El Niño are both impacting this heatwave. But what is El Niño? We explain.And Dr Sooj (@doctorsooj on Tik Tok) offers advice about how to spot, and prevent, heat stroke. Plus, North Korea has revealed that its put its first spy satellite into orbit. Surbhi Kaul from BBC Monitoring tells us more. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Mora Morrison, Benita Barden and Luis Felipe Molina Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
undefined
Nov 21, 2023 • 13min

How a chainsaw wielding TV star became Argentina’s president

Argentina has elected far-right outsider Javier Milei as its new president.He’s a pretty unconventional politician - from tantric sex to cloning dogs. But, how did he win and what could this mean for the Latin American country? The BBC’s Maria Clara Montoya explains.TikTok played an important role in his campaign. So, we also hear from Den Borg, an Argentinian marketing specialist, about how the app was utilised. Plus, we have reaction from two young voters in Argentina. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes with Maria Clara Montoya Producers: Mora Morrison and Luis Felipe Molina Editor: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
undefined
Nov 20, 2023 • 14min

Fentanyl: Why is it killing so many young Americans?

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that’s fifty times more powerful than heroin. It’s also the biggest killer of 18-45 year olds in the United States.The death toll is so high that the sons of imprisoned drug lord El Chapo have said they aren’t going to sell it anymore - although experts say that’s probably just a publicity stunt. Dr Smitha Mundasad from the BBC’s Health team explains why fentanyl is so fatal. The BBC’s Nadine Yousif in Canada talks about the fentanyl crisis’ ‘fourth wave’, which is affecting every community in the North America - including San Francisco, where activist Darren Stallcup is based.Also in this episode, we talk about Argentina’s election results with the BBC’s Mimi Swaby.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart with Alex Rhodes Producers: Alex Rhodes and Benita Barden Editor: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
undefined
Nov 17, 2023 • 15min

Gaza: Why is Al-Shifa hospital so important to both sides?

Al-Shifa hospital has become a focal point of the Israel-Gaza war in the last few days. On Wednesday morning, Israeli tanks and troops entered the complex. Israel has claimed Hamas has a command centre under the hospital in a network of tunnels. Hamas, which is considered a terrorist organisation by many Western governments, including the US, has denied this. The BBC’s bureau chief in Jerusalem, Jo Floto, describes the hospital and its importance. This war is also, in a lesser way, playing out online. Two BBC journalists; Shaina Oppenheimer and Hesham Shawish, who monitor social media across the Middle East, describe the different kinds of posts people in Israel and in Arab nations might be seeing in their feeds. And we discuss what tools social media companies use to try to combat controversial content on their platforms, with BBC global disinformation reporter Jack Goodman.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Maria Clara Montoya, Alex Rhodes and Julia Ross-Roy Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
undefined
Nov 16, 2023 • 15min

Miss Universe: Can beauty pageants ever be inclusive?

The Miss Universe pageant takes place on 18th November in El Salvador. Organisers have introduced new rules to make the contest more inclusive. Married women and mothers can compete for the first time. And the age rule has been abolished, allowing people over 28 to participate. This year’s line-up includes two married mothers, two transgender women and a plus-sized queen. We hear from the pageant’s new owner, Anne Jakkaphong Jakrajutatip, as well as current candidates Miss Colombia (Camila Avella), Miss Nepal (Jane Garrett), and Miss Netherlands (Rikkie Kollé).Despite its efforts to promote inclusivity, Miss Universe still faces criticism for being anti-feminist. Author Jessa Crispin explains.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenters: Hannah Gelbart and William Lee Adams Producers: Julia Ross-Roy and Mora Morrison Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
undefined
Nov 15, 2023 • 13min

How people smugglers are using social media in Pakistan

A BBC investigation has found that people smugglers in Pakistan are using social media sites to advertise their services, despite a government crackdown on their operations. Reha Kansara from BBC Trending joins us to explain what she discovered.Plus: TikTok is being banned in Nepal. A food influencer tells us how he feels about the ban.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenters: Hannah Gelbart with Reha Kansara Producers: William Lee Adams, Benita Barden and Adam Chowdhury Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
undefined
Nov 14, 2023 • 15min

Cryptocurrency Explained

The world of cryptocurrency can be confusing. There’s no tangible money and no clunky coins. Instead we hear about things like Ethereum, Bitcoin and Dogecoin. Crypto has been in the spotlight this month after Sam Bankman-Fried (the ‘Crypto King’) was found guilty of fraud and money laundering. But there are many people who believe crypto could be transformative, especially for young people and failing states. Michael Kimani, a tech entrepreneur from Kenya, explains. And Erin Delmore, the BBC’s North American business correspondent, takes us back to basics. Plus, what happens to animals when people evacuate from a potential volcanic eruption? We hear from Sigrún Eggertsdóttir who’s been forced to move sheep, hens and a cat in Iceland. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Alex Rhodes Producers: Mora Morrison and Maria Clara Montoya Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
undefined
Nov 13, 2023 • 15min

How removing tattoos can help people cope with trauma

Gang members and victims of sex trafficking are often tattooed against their will. For those who escape, their tattoos become permanent reminders of the pain and suffering they endured. The Radiance Clinic in Boston removes tattoos from survivors for free. Dr. Shadi Kourosh, an assistant professor of dermatology at Harvard, tells us how this can help people cope with trauma. We also hear from nurse practitioner Rachel Niemiec who advocates for fellow trafficking survivors. Plus: Why has Kenya’s government given people a holiday to plant trees? Beverly Ochieng, a BBC reporter in Nairobi, explains. Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenter: Hannah Gelbart Producers: William Lee Adams and Benita Barden Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks
undefined
Nov 10, 2023 • 14min

Is there a right way to be masculine?

There’s so much stuff online about masculinity; guys telling you how to get buff, what to eat and how to talk to women. Sometimes a particular type of masculinity, known as toxic masculinity, seems dominant on some platforms. That’s where traits like being tough and not showing emotion are emphasised. With more awareness of this kind of content, young men are being warned off it. They’re increasingly told what not to do and who they shouldn’t be listening to. But that’s not much of a guide.In this episode the BBC’s Andrew Ochieng and Kai Kim describe their experiences of growing up in Kenya and South Korea and how masculinity is portrayed there.Nigerian commentator and life coach Solomon Buchi gives his view on what 'healthy masculinity' looks like. And we tell you about two different schemes in Guatemala (SerNiño) and India (Coaching Boys Into Men), working with boys and men to help them challenge harmful masculinity.Email: whatintheworld@bbc.co.uk WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenters: Hannah Gelbart Producers: Alex Rhodes, Mora Morrison and Julia Ross-Roy Editors: Verity Wilde and Simon Peeks

Get the Snipd
podcast app

Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
App store bannerPlay store banner

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode

Save any
moment

Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways

Share
& Export

Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more

AI-powered
podcast player

Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features

Discover
highlights

Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode