How does election day work? This episode was hosted by Justin Webb (Today Programme host and Americast host) alongside Anthony Zurcher (BBC North America correspondent) and Mary Frances Berry (Professor of American Social Thought, History and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania). Producers: Dan Gordon and Alix Pickles Production coordinator: Sabine Schereck Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

How important is it for a candidate to "win" the live TV debate? This episode was hosted by Justin Webb (Today Programme host and Americast host) alongside Sarah Smith (BBC North America editor and Americast host) and Margaret O’Mara (Chair of American History at the University of Washington). Producers: Dan Gordon and Alix Pickles Production coordinator: Sabine Schereck Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

What happens on the road and who actually pays for it all? This episode was hosted by Justin Webb (Today Programme host and Americast host) alongside Anthony Zurcher (BBC North America correspondent) and Mary Frances Berry (Professor of American Social Thought, History and Africana Studies at the University of Pennsylvania). Producers: Dan Gordon and Alix Pickles Production coordinator: Sabine Schereck Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

How do the parties select their presidential candidates? This episode was hosted by Justin Webb (Today Programme host and Americast host) alongside Sarah Smith (BBC North America editor and Americast host) and Ned Foley (director of the election law program at Ohio State University). Producers: Dan Gordon and Alix Pickles Production coordinator: Sabine Schereck Senior News Editor: Sam Bonham

What role have the USA and Iran played in the region? Where do we stand on the 'two-state solution'? Katya Adler and guests explain the history and context of the decades long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and assess what happened to the peace process. In this episode we set out how global players have tried to influence the region at times of peace and at times of war.

How do Lebanon, Hezbollah, Egypt and Jordan view Israel and the Palestinians? Katya Adler explains the history of the formation of Hezbollah and the role it plays in the region. The US, UK and EU have designated Hezbollah's military wing as a terrorist organisation but how is it viewed in Lebanon and the region? We take a tour of this Middle Eastern neighbourhood to set out the relationships that could determine the future of the conflict.

What is Hamas, what do they stand for and what do they want now? As part of our series explaining the context of today’s conflict, Katya Adler and guests take a closer look at the group responsible for orchestrating the recent attacks on Israel. They are regarded as a terrorist organisation by Israel, the US and the UK, but how are they seen by Palestinians? As well as being a militant group and an Islamist movement, they are in charge of governing more than two million people in the Gaza...

Katya Adler and guests explain the context of the conflict, exploring issues and history that will help you get to grips with what’s going on today. In this episode we'll look at what’s shaped modern Israel.

Katya Adler and guests explain the history and context of the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians. In this episode we focus on life in the Palestinian territories of the Gaza strip and the West Bank and explore the history of how the state of Israel was created.

When so-called "generative" Artificial Intelligences like Chat GPT and Google's Bard were made available to the public, they made headlines around the world and raised fears about how fast this type of AI was developing. But realistically, what harm could AI do to people? Is it an existential threat, or could it become one? And if things got really bad, couldn't we just switch it off or smash it up with a hammer? Technology has already completely altered our lives, and Artificial...

AI is now able to do some types of work faster and cheaper than human beings, and some workers have already found themselves out of a job. Earlier this year, a report from Goldman Sachs said that AI could potentially replace the equivalent of 300 million full-time jobs, and a different survey of 12 thousand people suggested that a third were worried their bosses would replace them with AI. So is AI coming for your job? What type of workers are most at risk, and if you aren't replaced,...

At its simplest, an algorithm is a sequence of step-by-step instructions designed to give a result. They are the building blocks of every computer program and are there to ensure every digital device gives the right results on request. For example, when we type a search query into Google, its algorithms try to give us the result we're seeking. In the case of Social Media, the algorithm's job is to keep followers on a platform, by showing engaging, interesting, and relevant posts. But over the...

Artificial Intelligence is already here. It's being used in products and services you already use, and is working behind the scenes in medicine, transportation, robotics, science, education, the military, surveillance, finance , agriculture, entertainment, retail, customer service, and manufacturing. How is is AI being used in these sectors, and for what purpose? And with the release of chatbots that can emulate human writing, we're now seeing websites that say they're "powered by Chat...

Artificial Intelligence has been in the news constantly this year, from a chatbot that can write anything you can imagine, in any style, to scientists and world leaders warning that AI needs to be controlled. With the big tech firms all rushing to make their AI products available to the public, it looks like AI is likely to be part of our lives from now on. But what is it? What are the different types of AI we should know about? Are they intelligent, in a way we would recognise, and are...

Big data is vast, unwieldy information that is so huge that normal software traditionally used to analyse it just can't cope. It's not new. Ever since humans organised ourselves, we've been keeping records, and gathering information, from scrolls, to bank ledgers and now your internet browsing history. But his information is now flowing into organisations at a faster rate and in greater volume than ever before. Taking a good look at it could provide meaningful insights. But how can you...

You might be wary of using digital currencies, but you probably already do. Salaries, benefits and pensions are now paid direct to banks, and when you buy a coffee, you may well use a contactless card to pay, without a flutter of a 5 pound note in sight. So what are online cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, and why won't some people touch those with a barge pole? And when you hear about them, another word always pops up - Blockchain. What does it do? And how could both become important when...

Just by putting on a headset, Virtual Reality promises to immerse you in another world, and Augmented Reality takes that world and brings it into your living room. How do they work? It's a type of technology that seems to have been "the next big thing" for at least a decade. But are they just expensive toys, or do they have a use beyond gaming? In a similar vein, you may have seen adverts for the Metaverse, and that Facebook's parent company is pumping huge amounts of money into it. But...

We all get that sinking feeling when we accidentally delete a valuable photo or document, but there's now a good chance you can find a backup copy - thanks to the Cloud. Cloud computing has drifted into our lives without many people even realising - apart from those irritating emails, offering to sell you ever greater amounts of storage space. Some laptops now have very little memory built-in, and rely on the Cloud to store files. But where does it all that information go? What does the...

You're probably reading this on a device connected to the internet, while listening to this episode. But how did the digital files that make up this description, and the digital sound files that you can hear, appear, on demand, on your phone, tablet or other device? How are you connected to the internet? In this episode, we'll explain how 4G and 5G, work, Broadband through cables and satellites, and the final connection inside your home - Wi-Fi. Technology has already completely...

Do you know your Blockchain from your Bitcoin, or your Virtual reality from your Augmented Reality? Are you clueless about AI but are worried it might take your job? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Welcome to Understand: Tech and AI. The pace of change in technology is daunting - and new developments are happening all the time. Artificial Intelligence has exploded into the public consciousness. So it’s ever-more important for us to understand where these technological enhancements...

From the team behind the hit Radio 4 series Sliced Bread, this is Toast. You can find more episodes in the Sliced Bread feed only on BBC Sounds, or by searching for Toast on BBC Sounds. BBC business journalist Sean Farrington investigates wonder products and businesses which promised so much to consumers... but ultimately ended up as toast. Sean is joined by the self-made millionaire and serial entrepreneur, Sam White, to conclude what went wrong. Together they look at why a product or...

The rising cost of living really brought home how those big, global economic shocks can mean some pretty bad bumps for our individual finances. Probably the most obvious, immediate and, painful way that global economic events hit our household budgets is through the price of energy. In 2022 we saw our bills almost double - causing the government to step in and guarantee energy prices, with the Treasury picking up the rest of the tab. Even with that support, many people are struggling and...

The cost of living crisis is putting more pressure on more people - but what happens when that pressure becomes too much, and is bankruptcy always a bad thing? Professor Diane Coyle explains the processes and wider economic impact of bankruptcy, and Dr Victoria Bateman takes us back to the very beginning of the idea in the time of Henry VIII. Everything you need to know about the economy and what it means for you. This podcast will cut through the jargon to bring you clarity and ensure you...