Latest Interviews
Showing 241–247 of 247 transcripts.
Clear all filters- The Economist14 min
Meat Makers: the artificial beef revolution
Professor Mark Post, Ethan Brown, Bill Gates, John, Simone, Greg Boland, Peter
Facing the $1 trillion global meat market and its environmental impact, cellular agriculture pioneer Mark Post and Beyond Meat's Ethan Brown are pursuing divergent strategies to decouple meat production from animal slaughter. While Post focuses on scaling lab-grown muscle tissue from stem cells, Brown employs plant-based extraction to engineer sensory profiles that mimic animal fat and texture for mass adoption. Despite facing distinct technical hurdles in texture, flavor, and price, both leaders aim to execute a food revolution comparable to the shift from horse-drawn carriages to automobiles.
- The Economist14 min
Space Invaders: the entrepreneurs taking humans into space
Stu Witt, Enrico Palermo, Ben, Ellen, Sean Mahoney, Jeremy Voigt
Mojave Air and Space Port has evolved from a civilian airfield into the United States' first commercial spaceport, hosting a dense cluster of pioneering firms like Virgin Galactic, Masten Space Systems, and X-Core Aerospace. These entities are driving a rapidly expanding industry by developing reusable vertical-landing technology and radical rocket engines to enable high-risk flight testing and sustainable space access without reliance on traditional government contracts. While Virgin Galactic secures millions in pre-revenue bookings following a fatal 2014 accident, the collective focus remains on establishing a private sector capable of transporting thousands of people to space by 2030.
- The Economist17 min
E-Sports Superstars: gamers earning millions
Big Daddy, Conrad Janzen, Jack, Seth, Alan
Joining the elite esports scene just months prior to "The International," Danish prodigy Johan "Big Daddy" entered the $18 million tournament as part of the newly formed Cloud9 squad, which faced intense scrutiny and high expectations for victory. Despite boasting significant individual talent, the team struggled with internal cohesion and trust during critical preparation, leading to a decisive opening defeat against the more unified Chinese team CDEC. This loss exposed the fragility of their synergy, forcing Cloud9 into the lower bracket while highlighting that emotional intelligence and team unity are just as vital as raw gaming skill in the highest levels of competition.
- The Economist12 min
Drone Rangers: how the technology can catch poachers and save lives
Rob Hannaford, Dr. Robin Murphy, Peter Blake
The commercial drone industry is rapidly expanding from military origins into civilian sectors like anti-poaching, construction, and disaster rescue, driven by high-resolution data collection that costs significantly less than traditional methods. In South Africa, thermal-equipped drones have successfully deterred rhino poaching by relaying real-time coordinates to rangers, while in the United States, they accelerate disaster response times by up to 90% in hazardous zones. As specialized startups professionalize the workforce by connecting freelance pilots with industrial projects, experts project the sector will generate over 100,000 new careers and contribute billions to the U.S. economy within the next few years.
- The Economist7 min
Look inside China’s secretive Olympic training camps
Gao Lei, Jinwen Shi, Shen Chen
China is executing a targeted strategy to surpass the United States on the Rio Olympic medal table by recruiting 400,000 children from specialized training schools based on strict physiological and psychological criteria. While this system filters out most candidates, it produces elite athletes like trampoline contender Gao Lei who are prepared to compete for gold through intense, early-stage training. Success in this high-risk pipeline offers significant financial bonuses and government positions, motivating the rare few who overcome the low statistical probability of reaching the Games.
- The Economist13 min
Solar technology that will shape the future
Elon Musk, Alison Archambault, Chuck Boggs
Earthspark International and Tesla are deploying off-grid solar microgrids and battery storage to address the global energy crisis, as demonstrated by Les Anglais' 100% renewable transition and Appel Steel's industrial independence. Innovations in perovskite cells promise to drastically increase efficiency and enable building-integrated power, while Richard Branson's Carbon War Room advocates for this decentralized shift to bypass fossil fuel dependence. Although currently representing only 1% of global supply, these scalable solutions aim to meet an 80% projected demand surge and eventually achieve financial viability without subsidies.
- The Economist15 min
Prison: how to break the cycle of reoffending?
Olly Matthews, Hans Petter Hansen, Bobby Frances, Bill Kleiber, Alex Garcia
A comparative analysis of the United States and Norway's justice systems reveals that while American reentry programs face high recidivism due to inadequate resources and harsh decision-making transitions, Norway's Bastøy Prison achieves a 16% recidivism rate by fostering inmate autonomy and self-sufficiency. Retired Texas Judge Bobby Francis exemplifies a shift in the U.S. toward specialized reentry courts that balance strict accountability with rehabilitation, contributing to a 16% reduction in state incarceration rates since 2001. Despite these reforms, experts warn that without prioritizing rehabilitation over punitive measures, the current system remains insufficient to prepare the millions of inmates for sustainable reintegration into society.