Three years ago E+T looked at the challenges facing humanity and set seven Critical Targets that the engineering and technology sector needs to achieve if we want to look optimistically to the future. To evaluate progress on these Critical Targets and talk more broadly on these fundamental challenges, we talked to seven experts in a series of podcasts. 

Future Mobility 

Will we be able to cross the Atlantic in an electric airliner?

Special Guest: Prof Sven Schimpf

Three years ago E+T looked at the challenges facing humanity and set seven Critical Targets that the engineering and technology sector needs to achieve if we want to look optimistically to the future. To evaluate progress on these Critical Targets and talk more broadly on these fundamental challenges, we talked to seven experts in a series of podcasts. 

Trust and Truth 

Can we bring more decency and responsibility into  the online world?

Special Guest: Coral James O’Connor

Three years ago E+T looked at the challenges facing humanity and set seven Critical Targets that the engineering and technology sector needs to achieve if we want to look optimistically to the future. To evaluate progress on these Critical Targets and talk more broadly on these fundamental challenges, we talked to seven experts in a series of podcasts. 

Global Family 

Could water poverty become a thing of the past?

Special Guest - Dr Claire Malone

Three years ago E+T looked at the challenges facing humanity and set seven Critical Targets that the engineering and technology sector needs to achieve if we want to look optimistically to the future. To evaluate progress on these Critical Targets and talk more broadly on these fundamental challenges, we talked to seven experts in a series of podcasts. 

Alternative Energy 

Fossil fuels - is it really possible to confine them to history?

Special Guest: James Bamborough

Three years ago E+T looked at the challenges facing humanity and set seven Critical Targets that the engineering and technology sector needs to achieve if we want to look optimistically to the future. To evaluate progress on these Critical Targets and talk more broadly on these fundamental challenges, we talked to seven experts in a series of podcasts. 

Sustainability 

Should biodiversity be sacrosanct and underpin everything we do?

Special Guest: Yewande Akinola

Three years ago E+T looked at the challenges facing humanity and set seven Critical Targets that the engineering and technology sector needs to achieve if we want to look optimistically to the future. To evaluate progress on these Critical Targets and talk more broadly on these fundamental challenges, we talked to seven experts in a series of podcasts. 

Diversity 

Can the make-up of the engineering sector broadly reflect that of society?

Special Guest: Dr Shini Somara

In this episode of E+T: Off the Page, we dive into the challenges and progress in the global shift to electric vehicles (EVs). Regular contributors Tim Fryer, Jack Loughran and Tanya Weaver are joined by EV advisor and expert Claire Miller to discuss the factors shaping the EV journey, from infrastructure needs to consumer perceptions. Miller brings her expertise on policy, technology, and market dynamics to assess the impact of the growing number of EVs globally and the gaps in infrastructure and charging technology. The discussion also covers barriers such as upfront costs, range anxiety, and inconsistent charging support, with insights into how policies, like the Zero Emission Vehicles mandate, aim to ease this transition.

The conversation touches on consumer concerns about EV accessibility, price, and convenience as well as the need for educational outreach to help drivers understand options like salary sacrifice and charging alternatives, which can lower costs. The panel also addresses global discrepancies in EV adoption and how countries with diverse energy sources will impact the environmental benefit of EVs.

In this episode of E+T: Off the Page, the team delves into the often-overlooked topic of global population growth and its significant impact on sustainability and resource use. Regular contributors Tim Fryer, Jack Loughran and Tanya Weaver are joined by special guests Chris Edwards and Dr Joe Strong to explore how population trends affect energy, food production, and environmental pressures worldwide. The conversation opens with reflections on COP28's discussions around fossil fuel reduction and financial support for low-income countries, setting the stage for a debate on whether global population growth is the unspoken factor in climate change solutions. Together, they question whether humanity can balance family size preferences with sustainable resource consumption.

Edwards and Dr Strong also share insights from their respective work, unpacking the complex dynamics between population growth and sustainable development. The episode includes discussions of how population projections are not as extreme as once feared, noting a likely peak around 10 billion by mid-century, with Africa contributing significantly to that growth. Dr Strong also challenges the concept of "overpopulation," arguing that population issues are often political and related to resource distribution rather than sheer numbers.

In this episode of the E+T: Off the Page podcast, regular contributors Tim Fryer, Jack Loughran and Tanya Weaver are joined by special guest Coral James O’Connor from City University London to dicuss social media and its potential to disrupt the democratic process. The discussion delves into the impact of social media on political communication, particularly its potential to spread misinformation and challenge established communication practices within political campaigns. As governments globally grapple with these issues, the conversation shifts to whether traditional journalistic standards can keep up with the rapid evolution of media technologies like deepfakes, especially in an election year when over half the world’s population will be voting.

A core part of the conversation also focuses on deepfake technology, with the team discussing how such media can blur the lines between reality and fabrication, making it increasingly difficult for viewers to trust what they see. The panel also highlights the challenge of self-regulation on platforms like TikTok and Facebook, noting how these networks often lack editorial oversight, leading to rapid misinformation spread. Ultimately, the discussion circles back to whether the responsibility of sifting truth from falsehood falls on the individual or if tech companies and governments must adopt more rigorous controls.

With special guests:
Chris Edwards
Paul Dempsey

The Digital Silk Road is China’s technological arm of its belt and road initiative. While the country has been known as the world’s biggest manufacturer, the Communist Party under President Xi Jinping has increasingly pivoted towards sectors that are expected to define future economic success, such as AI, chipmaking and 5G.

The Digital Silk Road also allows China to expand its soft power influence beyond domestic borders. It uses foreign investments – often from developing countries in Latin America and Africa – to provide jobs for its glut of engineers. It also gives Chinese companies such as Huawei the opportunity to become technology leaders on a global scale in a sector previously dominated by US firms such as Apple, Microsoft, and Facebook.

E+T editors Jack Loughran and Tim Fryer discuss how successful the initiative has been with regular contributors Paul Dempsey, and Chris Edwards who wrote this issue’s lead feature on the topic.