Best Plate Tectonics Podcasts (2024)

1
The shifting tectonic plates of UK politics 11:55

15m ago11:55

11:55

Credit agencies have misrated more than $100bn of commercial real estate debt, new election polls suggest the UK could be in for a seismic political shift, and the Philippines has been secretly reinforcing a dilapidated warship marooned on a South China Sea reef. Plus, drilling for naturally occurring hydrogen gas was deemed unfeasible, but prospec…

1
Swamp Notes: Biden’s climate agenda runs out of steam 14:36

12m ago14:36

14:36

Americans have inflation and foreign policy on their minds this election. That means that President Joe Biden’s ambitious climate achievements aren’t resonating with voters – especially young voters – the way his administration expected. The FT’s US climate reporter, Aime Williams, and Washington bureau chief, James Politi, join this week’s Swamp N…

1
Sæmundur the Wise Outsmarts the Devil – Folklore Friday 6:41

3h ago6:41

6:41

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. Who Was Sæmundur the Learned? Back in the 1100s, Sæmundur Sigfusson was the pastor at the well known ancient manor of Oddi in South Iceland. What was different about Sæmundur is that he had an interesting past with the Devil. It is said that …

1
5 Fascinating Facts About the Icelandic Horse 12:27

1h ago12:27

12:27

The Icelandic horse is a breed like no other, with a history that is deeply intertwined with the island nation itself. Brought to Iceland by Norse settlers in the 9th and 10th centuries, these horses have remained a pure breed for over a thousand years. The isolation of Iceland has played a significant role in maintaining the purity of the Icelandi…

1
Making the Longest Cave in the World 39:34

3h ago39:34

39:34

By Chris and Jesse

1
Bank robberies in Gaza 11:03

8h ago11:03

11:03

Hamas-backed militants orchestrate bank heists, the ECB raises alarm over Eurozone debt, Malaysia courts Chinese investment, and Softbank debuts “EmotionCancelling” AI. Mentioned in this podcast: Premier Li Qiang’s visit has Malaysia wanting more from China pivot Armed gangs stage bank heists in Gaza This episode of FT News Briefing was produced by…

1
Nvidia claims top spot 11:45

1d ago11:45

11:45

Nvidia capitalises on investor excitement over artificial intelligence, Japan’s TDK is claiming a breakthrough in materials used in its small solid-state batteries, and Silicon Valley companies are screening their staff for Chinese spying. Plus, the FT’s Saffeya Ahmed unpacks Shein’s tumultuous journey to go public. Mentioned in this podcast: Nvidi…

1
Mr OpenAI goes to Washington 11:22

2d ago11:22

11:22

French business leaders are warming up to France’s far-right and Dubai is trying to optimise a cluster of unique, abandoned islands. Plus, the FT’s Cristina Criddle explains why OpenAI is expanding its global affairs unit. Mentioned in this podcast: French businesses court Marine Le Pen after taking fright at left’s policies OpenAI expands lobbying…

1
Defence sector goes on a hiring spree 11:20

4d ago11:20

11:20

Major defence companies are recruiting workers at the fastest rate since the end of the cold war, global leaders were able to reach a consensus on major issues during the G7 summit, and big Chinese companies are turning to the convertible bond market. Plus, investors are flocking to the local currency bonds of one-time emerging market pariahs. Ment…

1
Martin Wolf and Raghuram Rajan on democracy’s year of peril 42:47

4d ago42:47

42:47

Across the world, billions of citizens are being asked to cast their vote in elections taking place in more than 50 countries and in many places, populist, illiberal and far-right parties are either growing in support or consolidating gains they have already made. But India, the world’s biggest democracy, bucked the trend with Narendra Modi’s relat…

1
Swamp Notes: Elections across the Atlantic 13:50

5d ago13:50

13:50

Margaret Thatcher’s election in 1979 foreshadowed Ronald Reagan’s a year later, and the Brexit vote in 2016 took place just months before Donald Trump’s stunning presidential victory. The FT’s Whitehall editor, Lucy Fisher, and US politics news editor, Derek Brower, join this week’s Swamp Notes to explain why British and American politics often rhy…

1
Hallbera the Trickster Ghost – Folklore Friday 5:53

6d ago5:53

5:53

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. Who is Hallbera the Icelandic Ghost? There is an old Icelandic folklore tale about a ghost named Hallbera. It is said that she resides in the Scouts Cabin. She specifically occupies one of the bunks. Hallbera is known for her mischievous natu…

1
The target painted on Chinese EVs 11:26

6d ago11:26

11:26

Chinese electric vehicle makers look like they will survive the latest tariffs the EU announced this week, and UK Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer laid out his party’s manifesto. Plus, Toyota is caught up in a scandal. Will it matter during next week’s shareholder meeting? Mentioned in this podcast: Japan’s top carmakers caught in widening testing sc…

1
The Geology of Clay 38:02

9d ago38:02

38:02

By Chris and Jesse

1
Fed lays out rate cut plans 8:57

7d ago8:57

8:57

The Federal Reserve held borrowing costs at a 23-year high yesterday, and Terraform Labs has agreed to pay $4.47bn in a case brought by the US Securities and Exchange Commission. Plus, tech companies launch a fight against a proposed California law to introduce a ‘kill switch’ on AI models. Mentioned in this podcast: Fed officials signal just one i…

1
Central banks are scooping up the US dollar 11:12

8d ago11:12

11:12

Shari Redstone has ended talks with Skydance Media over a deal to control Paramount, the number of central banks seeking to increase their exposure to the US dollar has increased sharply this year, the EU plans to put hefty tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, and the UK Tories' manifesto lays out billions in tax cuts. Plus, the FT’s Christine Mur…

1
Can Apple catch up in the AI race? 10:55

9d ago10:55

10:55

Apple on Monday said it has partnered with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into its devices, and private equity groups are snapping up US accounting firms. Plus, President Emmanuel Macron stunned France on Sunday when he called snap parliamentary elections. The FT’s Leila Abboud unpacks what happens next for the country. Mentioned in this podcast: Appl…

1
Far right makes big gains in Europe 11:31

10d ago11:31

11:31

Far right parties make significant gains in the European Union elections, opposition politician Benny Gantz has resigned from Israel’s emergency government, and Iranian authorities have disqualified prominent moderates as candidates in the snap presidential election. Plus, global investors are turning their backs on sustainability-focused stock fun…

1
Martin Wolf and Anne Applebaum on democracy’s year of peril 36:09

11d ago36:09

36:09

Across the world, billions of citizens are being asked to cast their vote in elections taking place in more than 50 countries, making this a pivotal year for democracy. But these polls come as populist, illiberal and far-right parties are either growing in support or consolidating gains they have already made. In the second of this five-part series…

1
Swamp Notes: Silicon Valley warms to Trump 13:23

14d ago13:23

13:23

Few of Silicon Valley’s biggest names supported Donald Trump in 2016 or 2020. Now, some of them are holding multimillion- dollar fundraisers for him. The FT’s US business and politics correspondent, Alex Rogers, and tech correspondent, Hannah Murphy, join this week’s Swamp Notes to explain why Big Tech is abandoning Joe Biden. Mentioned in this pod…

1
The Man with 18 Children Among the Elves – Folklore Friday 9:26

13d ago9:26

9:26

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. The Toddler’s Transformation One summer on a farm when everyone else where collecting hay, a woman and her child, a toddler, were in the house because she was doing chores. The child was well behaved, spoke fluently and, in general, didn’t ma…

1
The European Central Bank’s cautious first step 11:05

13d ago11:05

11:05

The European Central Bank has cut interest rates for the first time in nearly five years, and the European Commission will recommend the start of EU accession talks with Ukraine this month. Plus, the FT’s Katie Martin explains how optimistic we should be about a revival of the London Stock Exchange. Mentioned in this podcast: ECB cuts interest rate…

1
The Longest Cave System in the World 37:05

14d ago37:05

37:05

This is the first episode in a series of 3 on the world's longest cave system - Mammoth Cave in Kentucky. In this episode, Chris and Jesse talk a little about Mammoth and some of its impressive statistics. The focus however, is more about the necessary ingredients for cave development in general. We talk about the 4 general ingredients: suitable ro…

1
The split road for South Africa 11:51

14d ago11:51

11:51

Nvidia’s market value briefly rose past $3tn to overtake Apple as the world’s second-most valuable company, South Africa’s African National Congress party is considering the formation of a national unity government with rival parties, and UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was accused on Wednesday by Sir Keir Starmer of “resorting to lies” over Labour’s…

1
Opec+’s production conundrum 9:18

15d ago9:18

9:18

Gazprom is unlikely to recover gas sales lost as a result of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine for at least a decade, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to win a historic third term, job openings, vacancies and quits data provided more evidence of a cooling labour market in the US. Plus, Opec+ might be losing ground in its fi…

1
Investors to delivery apps: where’s my profit? 10:50

17d ago10:50

10:50

US President Joe Biden is moving to sharply tighten immigration rules at the southern border with Mexico, Indian markets hit record highs after exit polls forecast a landslide election win for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, food delivery apps put new focus on profits despite slower growth following the coronavirus pandemic, and a new podcast from th…

1
Russia-China pipeline deal stalls 9:59

17d ago9:59

9:59

Russia and China are deadlocked over a deal to build a gas pipeline connecting the two countries, far-right parties in Europe are gaining ground with younger voters, technical trouble could hamper Tesla’s upcoming shareholder election, and disagreement at OpenAI over safety and leadership has led to top level resignations. Mentioned in this podcast…

1
Martin Wolf on democracy’s year of peril: 2024 44:59

18d ago44:59

44:59

Across the world, billions of citizens are being asked to cast their vote in elections taking place in more than 50 countries, making this a pivotal year for democracy. But these polls come as populist, illiberal and far-right parties are either growing in support or consolidating gains they have already made. In the first of this five-part series,…

1
Swamp Notes: The Trump verdict is in 14:04

20d ago14:04

14:04

Former US president Donald Trump was found guilty on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records on Thursday, a first for any current or former American president. However, with the Republican nomination all but secured, the conviction may do little to knock Trump’s reelection campaign off course. The FT’s US managing editor, Peter Spiegel, an…

1
Nykur – A Deadly Icelandic Water Horse – Folklore Friday

20d ago

—

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. What Makes a Nykur Different than a Normal Icelandic Horse? Nykur is a water horse that is a gray color but it can shape shift into other things, living or dead. However, it’s said that it can’t take the shape of lambswool or peeled barley. I…

1
Donald Trump guilty on all counts 10:56

21d ago10:56

10:56

Donald Trump has been found guilty of conspiring to buy the silence of a porn actor and Saudi Arabia is selling roughly $12bn worth of shares in its national oil company Saudi Aramco. Plus, European oil majors are left at a disadvantage in several areas when it comes to M&A. Mentioned in this podcast: Donald Trump found guilty on all counts in ‘hus…

1
Ask Jewells Anything About Iceland – Response Episode 4 27:58

21d ago27:58

27:58

This is the fourth episode for my segment “Ask Jewells Anything About Iceland”. Thank you to everyone who sent in questions. If you want to submit a question, you can do it here. You can check out previous Ask Jewells Anything About Iceland episodes here. Answers to the Questions That Were Submitted 1. Stephanie J. asked: “What is the tipping cultu…

1
The Uniqueness of Iceland 31:45

21d ago31:45

31:45

In this episode, Jesse and Chris talk about the geology of Iceland - although we keep it at a high level. We're going to come back to this - Iceland - later after Chris returns from his trip. Then, we'll get into some of detail that makes Iceland so unique. Here, we discuss how Iceland might be a prototype for the formation of continents and also t…

1
Private equity now says sharing is caring 11:13

22d ago11:13

11:13

Europe has only a fraction of the air defence capabilities needed to protect its eastern flank, BHP’s £39bn takeover bid for Anglo American has collapsed, and Israel bonds are a hot commodity in US municipalities. Plus, the FT’s Brooke Masters explains why private equity firms are pivoting towards profit sharing. Mentioned in this podcast: Nato has…

1
A pivotal election for South Africa 11:54

23d ago11:54

11:54

Hess shareholders approved a controversial takeover bid from Chevron, and South Africans vote today in the most contested election since the end of apartheid,Plus, the FT’s James Kynge argues that China is winning the tech war with the US. Mentioned in this podcast: South Africa’s ‘lost leader’ faces the end game Georgia adopts Russian-inspired ‘fo…

1
Behind the Money: Berkshire after Buffett 10:39

24d ago10:39

10:39

This episode features a truncated version of a recent Behind the Money podcast as it travels to Omaha, Nebraska for Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholder meeting. At this year’s event, there’s a lingering question over what will happen once Warren Buffett is no longer at the helm. Buffett has a successor in mind, and we explore the challenges the…

1
The ECB readies for rate cuts 10:57

25d ago10:57

10:57

The European Central Bank looks almost certain to be one of the first major central banks to cut rates, a tense dispute over Guyana is casting a shadow over Chevron’s bid to takeover Hess, and Thames Water pumped 14.2bn litres of sewage into the river Thames last year. Plus, the nuclear power industry is seeking to lure back thousands of retired en…

1
Swamp Notes: Can you trust the polls? 14:11

27d ago14:11

14:11

American voters still say the economy is their most important electoral issue, and a growing number are less than pleased with Joe Biden’s economic management. The FT’s deputy Washington bureau chief, Lauren Fedor, and the vice-president of North Star Opinion Research, Jon McHenry, join this week’s Swamp Notes to break down the results of the most …

1
The Man & The Polar Bear – Folklore Friday 10:00

27d ago10:00

10:00

This episode is part of my Folklore Friday series where I am sharing a folklore story every Friday in 2024. A Tale from Grímsey Island I’m sharing about a man and a polar bear in Grímsey, which is the northernmost inhabited island in Iceland. It is the only part of Iceland that is the Arctic circle. I’ve not been there yet, but I have heard it is b…

1
Ukraine’s ‘Rosie the Riveter’ moment 11:21

28d ago11:21

11:21

Elon Musk’s xAI has secured new backing from three Silicon Valley venture capital giants, women in Ukraine have increasingly stepped into roles men used to perform before Russia’s full-scale invasion, and the FT’s Soumaya Keynes explains why the UK’s Labour party benefits from being boring. Mentioned in this podcast: Elon Musk’s xAI secures new bac…

1
Tough Soil - The Geology of Hardpan 35:45

28d ago35:45

35:45

Hardpan! Where did this idea for an episode come from? Chris has been doing a ton of yard work lately and it’s not uncommon come across a layer when digging a hole that is next to impossible to penetrate. He has to bust out my pick axe to get through it. It's Called Hardpan. Really dense layer that often occurs below the topsoil. Problems: Roots ca…

1
Sunak’s early election gamble 9:37

1M ago9:37

9:37

Rishi Sunak has taken a huge gamble by announcing a July 4 election, record sales of artificial intelligence chips sent Nvidia’s revenue soaring 262 per cent in the past quarter Adani Group passed off low-quality coal as far more expensive cleaner fuel in transactions with an Indian state power utility, according to evidence seen by the Financial T…

1
Iceland Will Require a Visa Waiver Fee Starting in 2025 13:10

29d ago13:10

13:10

At the beginning of 2025, a new travel authorization system called ETIAS (European Travel Information and Authorization System) will come into effect. This new requirement aims to bolster security across Europe, addressing concerns related to terrorism and the influx of migrants and refugees. Non-EU visitors who previously didn’t need a visa will n…

1
PwC’s Evergrande audit comes back to bite 11:52

1M ago11:52

11:52

UK deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden went on a secret trip to the UAE, PwC is bracing for penalties over its audit of collapsed Chinese property developer Evergrande, and traders are anticipating huge swings in Nvidia shares after the company reports earnings on Wednesday. Mentioned in this podcast: UK launches charm offensive with UAE after rela…

1
ICC weighs stepping into Gaza conflict 11:49

1M ago11:49

11:49

The death of Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has dealt a shocking blow to the Islamic regime, and the public mood in advanced countries remains low as the cost of living crisis keeps households under pressure. Plus, the decision by the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court to apply for arrest warrants against Benjamin Netanyahu and Y…

1
Niger’s first oil exports 11:16

1M ago11:16

11:16

A helicopter carrying Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi crashed on Sunday, Niger is on the verge of becoming a regional oil major, and western countries are trying to replace a UN body that monitors compliance with international sanctions on North Korea. Mentioned in this podcast: Helicopter carrying Iran’s president crashes Border dispute hinders Ni…

1
සලාදෙ 2.0 ft. Vishvaya 1:11:38

1M ago1:11:38

1:11:38

Boom! We are back with our latest episode! Aaandd ladies and gentlemen, make an applause for our guest, the man, the myth, the legend, Vishva Lakshapathiarachchi!! Today's topics: කබරගොයි, පොල් කඩන රිලවු, පූසො එක්ක de-extinction --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/wildfreaks/support…

1
FTNB Live! News Trivia at FT Weekend Fest 20:25

1M ago20:25

20:25

A special live recording of the FT News Briefing at the FT Weekend Festival in Washington, DC on May 4, 2024. Our wonderful colleagues played a friendly game of news trivia. How does your knowledge stack up? The FT News Briefing is produced by Fiona Symon, Sonja Hutson, Kasia Broussalian and Marc Filippino. Additional help by Breen Turner, Sam Giov…

1
Swamp Notes: Trading tariffs for votes 12:24

1M ago12:24

12:24

Joe Biden once criticised Donald Trump’s trade war with China, but things look a lot different in an election year. The FT’s US climate reporter, Aime Williams, and US financial editor, Brooke Masters, join Swamp Notes to explain why the president announced such sweeping tariffs on Chinese goods this week, and how it could help him win votes. Menti…

1
The Four Protectors of Iceland – Folklore Friday 8:12

1M ago8:12

8:12

This is part of my Folklore Friday Series, where I am sharing an Icelandic folklore story every Friday in 2024. A King’s Decree Leads To Iceland’s Land Spirits Being Discovered In the Heimskringla saga of King Olaf Tryggvason, there is a captivating tale of King Harald Bluetooth’s failed attempt to invade Iceland. According to the saga, Harald task…

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