How has Einstein’s work on photons ushered in a golden age of light? Oliver Morton, The Economist’s briefings editor, explores why laser’s applications have been spectacular and how solar power became the cheapest source of electricity in many countries.
Also, he talks to the scientists scanning the skies with the largest digital camera in the world.
With Joe Biden taking over the establishment steps back In, Trump pardons issues pardons to friends and supporters, and some inauguration trivia.
It is Donald Trump’s last full day as president. The last full day that he can use the power to pardon. Who might Trump choose? The Senate goes back to work today for the first time since the attack on the Capitol.
It will consider five of Joe Biden’s cabinet nominees, prioritizing those in national security. In Guatemala, security forces fired tear gas at Honduran migrants trying to cross Guatemala’s southern border. Why did they leave home, despite the danger?
Pro-Trump protests quiet amid massive police presence across, U.S, Biden plans ‘roughly a dozen’ day one executive actions, and Georgia student who walked 7 miles to work each day receives new car through woman’s act of kindness.
A selection of three essential articles read aloud from the latest issue of The Economist. This week: Donald Trump’s reckoning, the new era of innovation (9:20), and Mikhail Gorbachev’s afterlife (16:45).
The weekend’s biggest points of discussion are dissected by Tyler Brûlé, Solène Léger, Florian Egli and Marcus Kraft, with commentary from our editors in London and Hong Kong. Plus: Israel’s ‘Haaretz’ newspaper.
Monocle on Saturday discusses latest from London and headlines around the world.
The incoming Biden-Harris administration has big plans. They want $1.9 trillion in new spending to help Americans. State capitals across the United States are bracing for potential unrest.
The FBI warns of scenes similar to January 6th. Are state and local law enforcement prepared? And nearly seven years after the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, those responsible are now being held accountable. Nine former and current officials have been indicted.
Science Senior Correspondent Daniel Clery regales host Sarah Crespi with tales about the most important work to come from 57 years of research at the now-defunct Arecibo Observatory and plans for the future of the site.
Sarah also talks with Toman Barsbai, an associate professor in the school of economics at the University of Bristol, about the influence of ecology on human behavior—can we figure out how many of our behaviors are related to the different environments where we live? Barsbai and colleagues took on this question by comparing behaviors around finding food, reproduction, and social hierarchy in three groups of animals living in the same places: foraging humans, nonhuman mammals, and birds.
Benjamin Thompson, Noah Baker and Elie Dolgin discuss RNA vaccines.
In this episode:
01:16 How RNA vaccines came to prominence
In less than a year, two RNA vaccines against COVID-19 were designed, tested and rolled out across the world. We discuss these vaccines’ pros and cons, how RNA technology lends itself to rapid vaccine development, and what this means for the fight against other diseases.
News feature: How COVID unlocked the power of RNA vaccines
09:20 The hurdles for trialling new COVID-19 vaccines
Multiple candidates for new COVID-19 vaccines are still being developed, which may offer advantages over the vaccines currently available. However, running placebo-controlled trials of these candidates is becoming increasingly difficult, so researchers are looking for different ways to evaluate them.
News: Search for better COVID vaccines confounded by existing rollouts
14:45 How long will COVID vaccines be effective?
There is much concern around the world about two faster-spreading variants of SARS-CoV-2. We get an update on whether these variants could render vaccines ineffective.
News: Could new COVID variants undermine vaccines? Labs scramble to find out
Boomers Daily 