
The Why? Curve
Each week Phil Dobbie and Roger Hearing get to grips with one issue that impacts our lives. It could be economic, social, technological or geopolitical. Whatever the subject, they'll talk to the experts who can give help explain what's really going on. And Phil and Roger back it up with their own research and opinions. It's half an hour to get across one of the key issues of the time, and they promise, it'll never be boring.
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Latest Episodes
Ukraine - Peace In Our Time?
Is the ceasefire going to happen? Will Moscow sign up? And where will it leave Ukraine - the country that was subject to the largest land war in Europe since 1945? Donald Trump has forced through Kyiv’s cooperation. Can he do the same with Russia? Does he even want to? David Galbreath, Professor of ...
Closing Credits?
Is cinema dying? The Oscars were the usual triumphant mix of glamour, glitz and terrible speeches, but is the film industry what it was? Streaming, video games, Covid and the cost of living have led to a downturn in audience figures in the US and the UK, although there are faint signs of a revival. ...
How To Handle The Donald
Taking over Greenland, turning Gaza into a US resort, switching sides over Ukraine - the world has faced a whirlwind of Trump initiatives in the opening weeks of his presidency, some madcap, some sinister. How are foreign leaders and diplomats supposed to deal with this? Is he serious? Or is he...
New Towns - Old Ideas?
Labour is promising 12 new New Towns across England, to spur growth and provide housing. But those who know Telford, Milton Keynes, Welwyn Garden City and the rest might question the model - concrete social engineering hasn’t always been successful in bringing prosperity, especially if there aren’t ...
Winning The Trade War
Donald Trump wants big tariffs on US imports, and the countries affected are threatening retaliation - it’s the beginning of a trade war, with China, Canada, Mexico, the EU and others weighing in. So how does Britain ride this out? Can Keir Starmer’s government find ways not to get caught in th...
Deeply Seeking - China’s AI Challenge
Have you tried DeepSeek? China’s new, cheap artificial intelligence app has startled Sillicon Valley. It’s wiped billions from the worth of some of big tech’s biggest names - Nvidia, Microsoft, Google - because it seems to be able to do what they can’t, quicker and better. So is this the wake-up cal...
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Reviews
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All ReviewsGetting excited for Thursdays!
Brilliant podcasts, good mix of well-informed, sometimes edgy guests. Great length and balanced in their delivery. Very much look forward to Thursday arriving!
Punchy, well-informed, user-friendly analysis and discussion
I’ve enjoyed the first few editions of the Why? Curve. Phil and Roger are an entertaining duo, have a good nose for what’s topical, pack a lot of information and discussion into the half-hour, and have so far chosen interesting and articulate guests, especially Dominic Nicholls on defence.
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