Mutant coronaviruses – they are only being human
The language of mutant viral infection and disease is dark and ominous, yet it is describing something that is essentially human – or perhaps the fact that humans are essentially viral, writes…
Innovation
Reboot manufacturing to safeguard sovereign assets
The neoliberal assumptions that have held sway over economic policymaking for a generation must be abandoned, writes Senator Kim Carr The US and China are at each other’s throats, disrupting global supply…
5G, Huawei and a technology tipping point
The US-China trade war has already seen various skirmishes, around intellectual property, steel and soya. One, however, is shaping up to be a battleground that could define a new world order –…
Maxwell’s Consumer: seeking a sustainable world
The recent uprising of the Gilets Jaunes in France is one idiosyncratic national reaction to a global problem. But global problems demand global answers and Maxwell’s demon offers a possible solution, writes…
Maxwell’s Entrepreneur: finding the edge
If there is a powerful take-home message from last week – for chief-execs and business students alike – the succinct observations of Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, on “thoughtful disagreement” would…
EU overhauls space policies
More than 10 per cent of the European Union’s GDP is already dependent on space-related services and major investments by the EU have enabled progress that no member state could have achieved…
Capitalism blame game: politician vs expert
So it is agreed, capitalism is broken – for many. Can it be fixed to make it more “inclusive and sustainable”? Yes, says a politician and an economist, but their remedies diverge….
Shifting sands of scientific progress
The economic, commercial and geo-political status of nations is derived from their scientific and technological prowess. A new report charts how this balance of power has altered since the turn of the…
Chief-Exec series: The iceberg of intangible capital
From running a business to managing an economy, understanding the value and whereabouts of capital assets is vital. But this isn’t as easy as it sounds, writes John Egan. What are the…
Healthcare & AI: making the black box transparent
Combine two immiscible and complex topics and the outcome is a devil’s amalgam of issues to resolve, as a House of Lords select committee exploring uses of artificial intelligence in healthcare discovered…