Babbage from The Economist

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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The pandemic shattered global efforts to control tuberculosis, which was the most lethal infectious disease in the world until covid-19 took its crown. Now, with deaths rising, TB is set to reclaim that dubious honour. But the covid era also holds important lessons for the fight against TB. Can innovations such as genomic sequencing facilities and new vaccine technologies be applied to TB care, too?

Avantika Chilkoti, The Economist’s international correspondent, travels to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil to find out why TB is a disease of the poor. Mel Spigelman of the TB Alliance and Lucica Ditiu of the Stop TB Partnership say tackling the disease is a question of political will. Josefina Campos of ANLIS in Argentina explains how genomic sequencing helps monitor TB drug resistance. Author Vidya Krishnan talks about TB’s influence on art and culture. Plus, we examine why doctors are worried about the prospect of a new, highly contagious form of TB that doesn’t respond to existing drugs. Alok Jha hosts.

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The war in Ukraine has raised the nuclear threat to its highest level since the Cuban missile crisis. What types of nuclear weapons could be used in Ukraine, and how much damage could they do? 

Cheryl Rofer, a former nuclear scientist at America’s Los Alamos National Laboratory, describes the “tactical” nukes in Russia’s arsenal. Patricia Lewis, research director for international security at Chatham House, explains the destruction that would be wrought if the war turned nuclear. Plus, Shashank Joshi, The Economist’s defence editor, analyses whether Russia’s recent military setbacks increase the risk of nuclear conflict. Alok Jha hosts.

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Gene therapies border on the miraculous, transforming lives in a single shot. The treatments offer hope to millions around the world who live with genetic diseases, and could also help the fight against cancer and HIV. This year, four new gene therapies were approved—and there are thousands more clinical trials under way. But the path from miracles of science to miracles of medicine will not be easy. The Economist’s Natasha Loder explains the safety concerns and market challenges that must be overcome to make the genetic revolution possible. Alok Jha hosts.

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During the pandemic, wastewater monitoring became a valuable tool in spotting covid-19 infection waves and the arrival of new variants. But sewage surveillance can help track the spread of all kinds of diseases—and measure a population’s consumption of everything from vegetables to cocaine. The Economist’s Gilead Amit examines how spying on sewage could offer health agencies an unprecedented insight into the lives of local populations, and considers the privacy concerns that could arise. Plus, we speak to the founder of a company that monitors wastewater to track the opioid crisis in America. 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.

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