logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2024
21m 52s

Minds blown: are we getting dumber?

The Economist
About this episode
tail spinning
Up next
Yesterday
An explosion still echoing: Chernobyl at 40
We go deep inside the Chernobyl nuclear-power plant and the surrounding exclusion zone, recounting the history of the accident on April 26 1986, and speaking with plant workers who were on shift that day. A pre-eminent Chernobyl historian discusses the lessons learned and yet to ... Show More
31m 37s
Apr 23
Bringing the House down: our American midterms model
We examine what our forecast model predicts so far—and consider what might change its confident prediction for one house of Congress and toss-up call for the other. Our correspondent sits down with Steve Reich, a pioneering classical composer who is nearing his 90th birthday. And ... Show More
26m 3s
Apr 22
White hat, black box: AI’s next chapter
The decision of Anthropic, an AI giant, to keep its Mythos model sequestered surely makes for good press. But there seems to be more to it than that—and it might change the whole industry’s approach. Indian politicians are chasing female voters more than ever; we question the mea ... Show More
22m 49s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2025
Home truths: Ukraine’s internal strains
A snapshot of the country reveals deepening military and economic problems—and, perhaps above all, political ones. America’s efforts to clamp down on skilled-worker visas will have far-reaching unintended consequences. And globally, more children today are obese than underweight. ... Show More
21m 15s
Oct 2025
Wrong side of the hack: cybercrime grows
Cyberattacks have brought firms like Jaguar Land Rover and Asahi to a standstill. Our correspondent asks what companies and governments should do about a rising problem. Why it is getting harder to count deaths in Africa. And is eating dark chocolate actually good for you? Listen ... Show More
21m 45s
Sep 2025
States of disarray: the UN at 80
Coffers running low and an increasingly absent principal member: the United Nations has never looked so precarious. We discuss its future amid uncertain geopolitics. The generative-AI explosion has mostly been driven by so-called large language models—but small ones look ever mor ... Show More
25m 13s
Sep 2025
Fortunes of war: is Russia’s economy slowing?
The collapse of Russia’s wartime economy has long been foretold, yet massive fiscal stimulus has compensated for the effect of sanctions. Though the pinch is now being felt, the labour market is surprisingly resilient. Protesters in China are getting more creative. And why car to ... Show More
23m 30s
Feb 2025
Heir-raising: the boom in inheritance
<p>As the baby-boom generation starts to die and economic growth slows many more people are getting rich from family wealth. Are we returning to the age of Jane Austen? The latest <a href="https://www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/democracy-index-2024?utm_campaign=MA00001507&utm_medium=ref ... Show More
22m 48s
Sep 2025
Honey, we shrunk the kids: population fall
Falling fertility makes a global decline in population inevitable. That will change the shape and make up of societies. But it may not make us poorer. Are large language models really woke? And reading is on the wane – and why that matters. Listen to what matters most, from globa ... Show More
23m 46s
Aug 2025
Stake and chips: will America take 10% of Intel?
Intel was once synonymous with chip-making, but in recent years it has fallen behind. Now the Trump administration may become its biggest shareholder. A political assassination in Colombia raises fears about a return to violence. And what an annual snail race tells us about rural ... Show More
21m 2s
Nov 2025
Home alone: the relationship recession
People are spurning marriage and any other kind of romantic relationship in record numbers. Our correspondents explore the non-dating market. The rise of AI companions could also have profound implications for society. And why tobacco companies are thriving. Listen to what matter ... Show More
24m 34s
Feb 2025
Rebel with a new cause: meeting Syria’s president
<p>From media-studies dropout to international jihadist to Syria’s ruler, Ahmed al-Sharaa has an unlikely résumé. He speaks with our editor-in-chief, sharing <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2025/02/03/syrias-new-president-ahmed-al-sharaa-gives-his-first- ... Show More
28m 44s
Feb 2025
I’ll be jammed: electronic warfare in Ukraine
<p>Some of the most frenetic innovation of Ukraine’s war happens in the electromagnetic spectrum: detecting and denying signals to and from materiel. This <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2025/02/05/fighting-the-war-in-ukraine-on-the-electromagnetic-spect ... Show More
21m 46s
Listen to millions of songs and podcasts on Anghami