The lightning-fast spread of a seemingly milder coronavirus variant may represent a shift from pandemic to endemic; we ask how that would change global responses.
Concern about video-game addictiveness is as old as video games themselves—but the business models of modern gaming may be magnifying the problem. And newly publicised photographs shed light on Bangladesh’s brutal war for independence.
Christmas – America’s mixed response to the Omicron variant comes down to geography, WSJ’s Scott McCartney looks back on his career, and why do we kiss underneath a parasite.
On this week’s show: The best of our online stories, what we know about the effects of cannabinoids, and the last in our series of books on race and science.
First, Online News Editor David Grimm brings the top online stories of the year—from headless slugs to Dyson spheres. You can find out the other top stories and the most popular online story of the year here.
Then, Tibor Harkany, a professor of molecular neuroscience at the Medical University of Vienna’s Center for Brain Research, talks with host Sarah Crespi about the state of marijuana research. Pot has been legalized in many places, and many people take cannabinoids—but what do we know about the effects of these molecules on people? Tibor calls for more research into their helpful and harmful potential.
Finally, we have the very last installment of our series of books on race and science. Books host Angela Saini talks with physician and science fiction author Tade Thompson about his book Rosewater. Listen to the whole series.
Tokyo, Japan’s busy capital, mixes the ultramodern and the traditional, from neon-lit skyscrapers to historic temples. The opulent Meiji Shinto Shrine is known for its towering gate and surrounding woods. The Imperial Palace sits amid large public gardens. The city’s many museums offer exhibits ranging from classical art (in the Tokyo National Museum) to a reconstructed kabuki theater (in the Edo-Tokyo Museum).
Date taken: December 20-22, 2021
Timeline:
0:00 Shinjuku Southern Terrace 新宿サザンテラス https://bit.ly/3pgZosE4:27 Tokyo Station 東京駅 https://bit.ly/3EnNod36:37 WHITE KITTE KITTE丸の内 https://bit.ly/32ozdHP7:11 Marunouchi Naka-dori 丸の内仲通り https://bit.ly/32moVYG9:58 Tokyo Midtown Hibiya 東京ミッドタウン日比谷 https://bit.ly/32sp7pe13:03 Omotesando 表参道 https://bit.ly/3mrwqEO15:23 Odaiba お台場 https://bit.ly/3ehJ3O217:44 Roppongi Hills 六本木ヒルズ https://bit.ly/3pkPypT20:34 Roppongi keyakizaka 六本木けやき坂通り https://bit.ly/3qnYjyO22:53 Tokyo Midtown 東京ミッドタウン https://bit.ly/3FmtTmz26:16 Ebisu Garden Place 恵比寿ガーデンプレイス https://bit.ly/3eka7fu27:21 Tokyo Skytree 東京スカイツリー https://bit.ly/3Jb9Gm729:52 Oi Racecourse 大井競馬場 https://bit.ly/3mtbFZ832:36 Ginza 銀座 https://bit.ly/3ssJcqo38:18 Tokyo Garden Terrace Kioicho 東京ガーデンテラス紀尾井町 https://bit.ly/3srHC8g
Monocle’s news editor Chris Cermak examines 2021’s biggest news stories, including the world’s biggest public-health crisis in a century, Donald Trump’s departure from the White House and the Tokyo Olympics.
Boomers Daily 