How technology led to the rise of HTS and the fall of Assad in Syria

HTS presented the removal of a brutal dictatorship that had lasted for five decades as a straightforward task accomplished in a matter of days. Currently, the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has assumed control in Syria, while former president Bashar al-Assad reportedly resides in Russia. Although the narrative often emphasizes the use of armoured vehicles and firearms, many analyses overlook the significant impact of technology on HTS's achievements, including innovations such as 3D printing and drones. To explore this topic in greater depth, we will engage in a discussion with Broderick McDonald, a researcher specializing in conflict at King’s College London.

Our demand for nickel is destroying a way of life in Indonesia

Peter Guest, one of Somewhere on Earth’s regular studio experts, has been on the nickel trail in Indonesia He provides a firsthand account of the environmental repercussions associated with the nickel sector, which supplies components for electric vehicles on our roads. Peter has undertaken a 2,000-kilometer journey across Sulawesi, examining the detrimental impacts of the nickel industry on both the environment and human rights. This investigation was for the Gecko Project.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Peter Guest.

More on this week's stories:

Broderick McDonald

Dust Money

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Audio: Ion Minas Belesis at All is Joy Studios in London

For new episodes, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or via this link:

https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

Follow us on:

Join our Facebook group

Instagram

Linkedin

Bluesky

YouTube

If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts

Contact us by email: [email protected]

Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Protecting submarine cables, how the big players are now involved

Submarine fibre optic cables are responsible for carrying 99% of the world's internet traffic yet they are often subject to damage. Therefore, it is fortunate that a coordinated organisation exists to ensure the resilience of these essential cables. Gareth and Ania discuss why this has only been set up recently.

Proton – from VPN’s to data encryption – a different approach to other tech companies

The company’s website states “A better internet starts with privacy and freedom - take control of your data with end-to-end encryption”, but what does this actually mean? The tech company Proton is already providing free VPN’s in more than 60 countries that are holding elections this year. And in addition it has also launched end to end encryption document sharing, as well as a local AI to respond to your emails – all without ever having access to your data. Ania Lichtarowicz caught up with CEO and Founder of Proton Andy Yen at Web Summit.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz.

More on this week's stories:

ITU – Submarine Cable Resilience

Proton

Ediitor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

For new episodes, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or via this link:

https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

Follow us on all the socials:

Join our Facebook group

Instagram

Twitter/X

If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts

Contact us by email: [email protected]

Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A new feeding robot could return people’s independence at mealtimes

A group of friends is enjoying lunch together, however one of the friends is unable to use their arms so rely on a carer help them eat. Now a new robot – called FIDI – could return their independence at mealtimes. A robotic arm positioned on the table automatically delivers food to their mouth, using AI and cameras to adapt to the user’s movements and behaviours, ensuring that the food reaches its intended destination—the person’s mouth. Ania saw FIDI in action at Web Summit where she met Krzysztof Stelmach, the CEO of Semi Robotics and FIDI’s creator.

AI and its influence on history and religion

Imagine the possibility of immersing yourself in a biblical scene or engaging in a direct conversation with a deity from another religious tradition. Alternatively, consider visiting an ancient landmark, such as the Colosseum in Rome, and experiencing life as the Romans did while interacting with a chatbot. Professor Sreevas Sahasranamam, from the Adam Smith Business School at the University of Glasgow is on the show to tell us more.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz.

More on this week's stories:

FIDI – The feeding robot

AI, history and religion

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

For new episodes, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or via this link:

https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

Follow us on all the socials:

Join our Facebook group

Instagram

Twitter/X

If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts

Contact us by email: [email protected]

Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kyiv – a smart city adapting to war

As the full-scale Russian invasion surpasses the thousand-day milestone, Ukrainians are keeping the war on the news agenda. One aspect that was discussed at Web Summit is Kyiv's transformation into a self-proclaimed 'smart city', highlighting the increasing availability of digital municipal services for its citizens. Oleg Polovinko, an advisor on digitalization to the mayor of Kyiv, noted that disruption has been a catalyst for innovation and what started as a transport and local authorities app is now a one stop digital information channel for residents. Ania spoke with him just as he received a significant notification on his phone.

Ukraine – cyber security global leaders

Ukraine is the most targeted country in the world by cyber criminals and is now at the forefront of cyber security technology – that’s according to Iryna Volnytska, the president of SET University. Launched just before the outbreak of war, SET University (Science, Entrepreneurship, and Technology) is now assisting developing start ups and tech businesses to support the country’s economy. Iryna spoke to Ania at Web Summit where she explained that personal data can lead to fatal consequences if it falls into the wrong hands.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz.

More on this week's stories:

Oleg Polovinko

Iryna Volnytska

SET University

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

For new episodes, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or via this link:

https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

Follow us on all the socials:

Join our Facebook group

Instagram

Twitter/X

If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts

Contact us by email: [email protected]

Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Tech and the rise of autocracies around the word - a Web Summit Special 

How has technology helped autocracies rise around the world and can it be used to bring democracy back? Angelica spoke to Venezuelan political activist and opposition leader Leopoldo Lopez about how technology has led to the rise of autocracies around the globe and how it can be used to restore democracy. Somewhere on Earth is at Web Summit Lisbon, alongside more than 70,000 attendees. We speak to Karena Walshe, Head of Impact about what Web Summit is and its influence on tech and the environment. 

The programme is presented by Angelica Mari and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz.

More on this week's stories:

Web Summit Lisbon 2024

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

For new episodes, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or via this link for the PodExtra extended edition:

https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

Follow us on social media:

Facebook

Twitter/X

Instagram

LinkedIn

If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review us

Contact us by email: [email protected]

Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484

Find a Story + Make it News = Change the World

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How reliable are French language AI Chatbots?

French is one of the fastest growing languages in the world. About half of all French speakers live in Africa. It’s the official language in 27 countries. So when you find out that French language AI chatbots give the wrong answer a quarter of the time, that’s a problem given the rising popularity of such bots. The anti-misinformation news organisation NewsGuard have just published a report on this. Ania’s been speaking to Chine Labbé, she’s one of the report’s authors.

Using AI to create AI images to train robots

Imagine teaching a robot to do parkour without ever letting it see the real world. That's exactly what MIT CSAIL researchers have achieved with their new "LucidSim" system, which uses AI-generated imagery to create virtual training environments. By integrating generative AI with physics simulators, the researchers designed scenarios where robots acquire skills through synthetic data instead of relying on real-world experiences. The outcomes of this research are impressive: robots trained in these machine-generated settings achieved a success rate of 88%, in stark contrast to the mere 15% success rate of those trained by human experts. Furthermore, when the team increased the volume of AI-generated training data, there was a consistent improvement in performance, indicating that enhanced virtual practice correlates with superior real-world capabilities. This methodology addresses a significant challenge in robotics: the reliance on extensive real-world training data. It represents a significant advancement toward creating robots that can swiftly adapt to new tasks and environments. To find out more, Gareth speaks to lead researcher Ge Yang at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz.

More on this week's stories:

French-Language AI Misinformation Monitor

Learning Visual Parkour from Generated Images

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

For new episodes, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or via this link:

https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

Follow us on all the socials:

Join our Facebook group

Instagram

Twitter/X

If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts

Contact us by email: [email protected]

Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484

Find a Story + Make it News = Change the World

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Internet shutdowns in Mozambique following election

In Mozambique, eleven people have lost their lives as law enforcement intensified its response to protests that erupted after the elections in October. For the second time within a year, authorities have suspended mobile internet services. Felicia Anthonio, the KeepItOn Campaign Manager at the digital rights organisation Access Now, who is based in Ghana, tells us about the impact.

Legal digital ID in Namibia to improve access to services

Namibia is implementing a verifiable digital identification system aimed at enabling a greater number of citizens to access online services and participate in various activities - addressing the disparity between those who are digitally connected and those who are not. Namibia, characterized by its vast territory and scattered population, presents challenges for many individuals who must travel to the capital, Windhoek, to obtain an identification card. The absence of such a card significantly hampers their ability to access essential services, including healthcare, education, and banking. In recent years, the United Nations Development Programme has collaborated with the Namibian government to advance the initiative of digital identification. Journalist Abigail Ruth Opiah, a reporter for the Biometric Update news platform tells us more.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz.

More on this week's stories:

Keep it on Mozambique

UNDP transforming lives in Namibia with digital legal ID initiative

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

For new episodes, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or via this link:

https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

Follow us on all the socials:

Join our Facebook group

Instagram

Twitter/X

If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts

Contact us by email: [email protected]

Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484

Find a Story + Make it News = Change the World

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why aren’t women embracing AI?

Women are not using AI as much as men and appear to be falling behind in using it in the workplace, according to Susi O’Neill. Susi is the Founder and Executive Director of EVA, a responsible technology and communications consultancy building trust in tech. She noticed in the AI Adoption data that women were using AI at work less than men and has been researching into why this is happening and what can be done to stop women falling behind.

How to make an audiobook – a subscriber’s experience

One of our regular subscribers, Patricia Rykiel, has just published an audio book and she got in touch to tell us about it. Patricia joins SOEP to tell us what she has learnt about the tech behind digital publishing and producing audio to make “Don’t Break my Rice Bowl” transfer from paper to sound.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz.

More on this week's stories:

7 gaps hindering women’s AI adoption at work

Don't Break My Rice Bowl

The making of "Don't Break My Rice Bowl

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What happens when GPS is jammed?

Most of us have used GPS – global positioning systems – to navigate to new destinations, but it’s also vital in getting goods delivered to our doors, with the entire aviation and shipping industries reliant upon it. But increasingly the signals are being disrupted – either jammed or spoofed, that’s setting a false location. We hear from Bridget Diakun, Maritime Risk Analyst, Lloyd's List Intelligence and Dr Ramsey Faragher from Cambridge University.

SOEP’s new home with Evergreen

We are delighted to announce that Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast is joining Evergreen Podcasts. Evergreen is one of the largest independent podcast networks in the world. We’ll be sharing their diverse platform with more than 300 other podcasts ranging from true crime, comedy and lifestyle shows. CEO of Evergreen Michael DeAloia will be joining us to tell us more about Evergreen and why SOEP has been invited to join them.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ania Lichtarowicz.

More on this week's stories:

Bridget Diakun

Dr Ramsey Faragher

Evergreen Podcasts

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What’s next for agritech? How lawyers are getting food from farm to table

Agriculture is changing, and with it, so is agritech. Incredible new tech solutions are needed as the human population continues to grow and climate change necessitates updates to our traditional farming methods. This week, we have a special podcast from White & Case, an international law firm that is increasingly working with cleantech and greentech clients. These technologies need funding—which usually involves investors, deal-making, contracts, and legal expertise. We’re discussing some of the exciting innovations promising to get food from the farm to your table with Emmie Jones, partner at White & Case, and Professor Benz Kotzen of the University of Greenwich, a researcher in aquaponics.

The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ghislaine Boddington.

More on this week's stories:

White and Case

Emmie Jones

Professor Benz Kotzen

Support the show

Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz

Production Manager: Liz Tuohy

Recording and audio editing : Lansons | Team Farner

For new episodes, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts or via this link:

https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/

Follow us on all the socials:

If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts

Contact us by email: [email protected]

Send us a voice note: via WhatsApp: +44 7486 329 484

Find a Story + Make it News = Change the World

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices