As the world’s population grows, the need to feed billions of mouths mean our use of synthetic fertilisers will almost certainly increase significantly. The FT’s Anna Gross explores two innovative French companies that could ultimately reduce our reliance on artificial fertilisers by offering less carbon-intensive options. But how viable are these alternatives?
Category Archives: Analysis
Analysis: The ‘Bossy State’, Boris Johnson’s ‘Party’ Issues, U.S.-China Politics
A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, beware the bossy state, Britain’s party-animal prime minister (11:45) and, why America and China are one military accident away from disaster (18:00)
News Analysis: Putin’s Russia, Performative Work, Soccer’s Elite
A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, how to talk to Mr Putin, the rise of performative work (9:45) and the lingering effects of covid-19 on elite footballers (15:00).
Fast Food: How Chicken Took Over America (CNBC)
Chick-fil-A has long dominated the chicken sandwich category in fast food. After Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen launched its own version of the chicken sandwich, other fast food chains like Wendy’s, McDonalds and Shake Shack got into the battle. Here’s how chicken took over America.
Tech: Digital Property Boom In The Metaverse
Real-estate transactions in the metaverse are reaching record highs. We spoke with companies investing in digital real estate to understand the economic model, and why investors are spending millions on virtual property. Photo: Republic Realm
Analysis: Threats To U.S. Democracy, Pandemic Economies, Video Games
A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week, how to think about the threat to American democracy, which economies have done best and worst during the pandemic (10:33) and whether video games really are addictive (17:34).
Cities: Why Los Angeles Traffic Is So Bad (CNBC)
Los Angeles consistently ranks among the most traffic-clogged cities in America. The county has been trying to reduce its traffic for decades and nothing has worked. Many researchers and economists suggest charging people for using the road in a system called congestion pricing
Technology: The Rise Of Robotic Working Dogs
A number of four-legged robot dogs made by companies like Boston Dynamics, Anybotics and Ghost Robotics have been deployed in the workforce already for applications like inspections, security and public safety among others. At their core, these four-legged robots are mobility platforms that can be equipped with different payloads depending on the type of information that companies want to gather.
Experts predict the insurance industry alone will spend $1.7 billion on robotics systems in 2025. And other industries may follow suit. Amid the pandemic, a tight job market is forcing many companies to turn to automation. A survey done in December of 2020 by McKinsey, showed that 51 percent of respondents in North America and Europe said they had increased investment in new technologies during 2020, not including remote-work technologies.
Politics: The New Normal Has Arrived, Metaverse Lords, Future Of Europe
A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the Christmas double issue of The Economist. This week: has the new normal already arrived? Plus, meet the lords of the metaverse (10:10) and, a century apart, two men with very different dreams contend for Europe’s future (17:50).
Inside Views: The Journey Of A Shipping Container
The global pandemic triggered sky-high spending on manufactured goods. This increased spending created a huge bottleneck in the supply chain that could last for years. WIRED takes a look at the journey of a single shipping container; and with the help of supply chain analyst Lora Cecere, breaks down all the roadblocks a shipping container will encounter in 2021 and beyond.
Boomers Daily 