Works in Progress Podcast

Works in Progress

Works in Progress is an online magazine devoted to new and underrated ideas about economic growth, scientific progress, and technology. Subscribe to listen to the Works in Progress podcast, plus Hard Drugs by Saloni Dattani and Jacob Trefethen.

  1. The triumph of logical English

    HACE 1 D

    The triumph of logical English

    English prose has become much easier to read. But shorter sentences had little to do with it. You can see the images, graphs and read the article at https://worksinprogress.co/issue/the-logical-triumph-of-english/ And you can find the rest of Works in Progress at worksinprogress.co Words by Henry Oliver Read by Stuart Ritchie Music by David Hackett

    41 min

  2. HACE 3 D

    How to speed up clinical trials

    Drug development has never been more expensive, in terms of output per dollar spent.  This trend, called Eroom's law, is surprising, considering incredible technological advances. Ben and Saloni talk to Ruxandra Teslo about why this has happened and what can be done about it. How can we reform clinical trials to make them more efficient and abundant? Why are so many pharma companies moving early trials to Australia? What's wrong with ethics boards and how can we fix them without compromising on safety?

    56 min
  3. How to spot a monopoly: Measuring competition

    17 ABR

    How to spot a monopoly: Measuring competition

    Competition makes capitalism work. A new method for measuring it may be the holy grail of economic regulation.  You can see the images, graphs and read the article at https://worksinprogress.co/issue/how-to-spot-a-monopoly/ And you can find the rest of Works in Progress at worksinprogress.co Words by Brian Albrecht Read by Stuart Ritchie Music by David Hackett

    25 min
  4. The death rays that guard life: We can use ultraviolet light to disinfect public spaces

    10 ABR

    The death rays that guard life: We can use ultraviolet light to disinfect public spaces

    We disinfect water before we drink it. Germicidal ultraviolet could make airborne disease as rare as those carried by water. You can see the images, graphs and read the article at https://worksinprogress.co/issue/the-death-rays-that-guard-life/ And you can find the rest of Works in Progress at worksinprogress.co Words by Gavriel Kleinwaks & Karam ElabdRead by Stuart Ritchie Music by David Hackett

    25 min

  5. 8 ABR

    Issue 23: Egg freezing, Australian refugee policy and ASML

    You should freeze your eggs. Contrary to popular myth, egg freezing works very well and if you freeze your eggs in your twenties or early thirties, you have a very good chance of having a child. European leaders are looking to copy Australia's example and cut migration from boat-bound refugees but they are in danger of learning the wrong lessons. Offshore detention was the most widely publicized aspect of their refugee policy but it didn't work. Turnbacks were much cheaper and more effective. Ben, Aria and Pieter discuss different articles in the new issue of Works in Progress. They discuss how Britain lost its position as the world leader in nuclear power, why ASML is so successful, how envy killed the first bus, and how cool neo-traditional temples are. Buy your copy here: https://worksinprogress.co/print/

    1 h 6 min
  6. Inflatable space stations: Creating artificial gravity so we can live in space

    3 ABR

    Inflatable space stations: Creating artificial gravity so we can live in space

    If we ever want to live in space, we need to work out a way of creating artificial gravity. You can see the images, graphs and read the article at https://worksinprogress.co/issue/inflatable-space-stations/ And you can find the rest of Works in Progress at worksinprogress.co Words by Angadh Nanjangud Read by Stuart Ritchie Music by David Hackett

    19 min
  7. The algorithm will see you now: Why radiologists haven't been replaced by AI

    27 MAR

    The algorithm will see you now: Why radiologists haven't been replaced by AI

    Radiology combines digital images, clear benchmarks, and repeatable tasks. But replacing humans with AI is harder than it seems. You can see the images, graphs and read the article at https://worksinprogress.co/issue/the-algorithm-will-see-you-now/ And you can find the rest of Works in Progress at worksinprogress.co Words by Deena Mousa Read by Stuart Ritchie Music by David Hackett

    22 min

  8. 25 MAR

    Did status signaling ruin architecture?

    There are basically no ugly buildings from before 1930. There are definitely none from before 1830. Why? Is it survivorship bias? Have we demolished all the ugly old buildings and only kept the most beautiful and prestigious buildings? Is it just a matter of taste? Perhaps we haven't come round to liking modern buildings yet but we will. Is it because ornament is too expensive to reproduce now labor costs are too high? Is it because ornament is too cheap because of mass manufacturing and elites want to signal distinction from poor people who can now afford to cover their buildings with ornament too? Samuel, Ben and Aria discuss the merits of these different theories and what actually makes some architecture beautiful.  If you enjoyed this episode, you'll enjoy Samuels many essays on beauty in architecture.Cheap ornament and status games: https://worksinprogress.co/issue/cheap-ornament-and-status-games/The beauty of concrete: https://worksinprogress.co/issue/the-beauty-of-concrete/Making architecture easy: https://worksinprogress.co/issue/making-architecture-easy/Against the survival of the prettiest: https://worksinprogress.co/issue/against-the-survival-of-the-prettiest/

    1 h 28 min
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Información

Works in Progress is an online magazine devoted to new and underrated ideas about economic growth, scientific progress, and technology. Subscribe to listen to the Works in Progress podcast, plus Hard Drugs by Saloni Dattani and Jacob Trefethen.

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