logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2022
35m 37s

Babbage: Untangling quantum mechanics wi...

The Economist
About this episode

In 2022, the Nobel prize for physics was awarded to a trio of scientists for their work on the fundamentals of quantum mechanics. This week, host Alok Jha asks one of the laureates, Anton Zeilinger, how he proved Einstein wrong and how his research into a phenomenon called quantum entanglement can help make sense of the universe. Plus, can “quantum teleportation” usher in a new era of technology? 


Anton Zeilinger is a physicist at the Austrian Academy of Sciences and professor emeritus at the University of Vienna.


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.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Jul 16
The bomb (part 1): were nuclear weapons inevitable?
Where did the world’s most devastating weapon come from? In a four-part series, we go behind the scenes at America's nuclear laboratories to understand how a scientific-mystery story about the ingredients of matter led to a world-changing (and second-world-war-ending) bomb less t ... Show More
44m 22s
Apr 2025
Trailer: Boss Class Season 2
Good bosses are rare. They don’t have to be. The skills of management can be learned. The Economist’s management columnist, Andrew Palmer, is here to help. The second season of Boss Class features leaders at some of the world’s best performing companies, from Levi’s to Novo Nordi ... Show More
2m 3s
Feb 2025
Trailer: Scam Inc
A sophisticated, predatory, multi-billion dollar industry is emerging from the shadows. It already rivals the size of the illicit drug trade. And it’s about to get bigger and much more powerful.  The Economist’s Sue-Lin Wong follows a trail that starts with the collapse of a bank ... Show More
3m 47s
Recommended Episodes
Dec 2022
Babbage: Untangling quantum mechanics with Nobel laureate Anton Zeilinger
In 2022, the Nobel prize for physics was awarded to a trio of scientists for their work on the fundamentals of quantum mechanics. This week, host Alok Jha asks one of the laureates, Anton Zeilinger, how he proved Einstein wrong and how his research into a phenomenon called quantu ... Show More
35m 37s
Oct 2023
Attosecond pulses and quantum dots: exploring the physics behind this year’s Nobel prizes
We also chat about that embarrassing leak of the chemistry winners in this podcast 
40m 39s
Nov 2022
Quantum technology gathers pace
The 2022 Nobel Prize for Physics celebrated research that is underpinning a tech transformation 
43m 38s
Mar 2021
Babbage: Shooting out the messenger
The pandemic has fueled the rapid advancement of emerging biotechnologies. The Economist’s science editor explores the potential of RNA beyond covid-19. Also, theoretical physicist Carlo Rovelli explains the implications of quantum physics on our interactions with objects. And, c ... Show More
26m 25s
Aug 2021
Babbage: Unstrung — the end of string theory?
The 20th Century was a golden age for physics but some of its ideas for explaining the material universe have been thrown into doubt. Could a theory known as entropic gravity usher in a new dawn? Also, how should scientists engage with science deniers? And, the technology behind ... Show More
25m 7s
Oct 2023
Babbage: The 2023 Nobel prizes in science
This year’s Nobel prizes in science recognised the former underdogs behind mRNA vaccines, how to watch electrons and a new class of material that could revolutionise both solar panels and cancer treatments. How have these achievements had an impact beyond the lab? Host: Alok Jha, ... Show More
37m 31s
Dec 2021
Babbage: A new look at the cosmos
The James Webb Space Telescope launches this week. It promises to transform human understanding of the universe. By gazing deep into space, it will see billions of years back in time. But is the long-delayed project worth the $10-billion price tag? And, science correspondent Gile ... Show More
39m 45s
Mar 2023
Quantum melodies: the intersection of music and quantum physics
Music generated by quantum computers is intriguing from musical and scientific perspectives 
59m 58s