What does British Cycling have in common with the jet engine?

A man named Frank Whittle, who brought us the world of aviation we know today. The Cambridge engineering lab that bears his name is now the home of the next generation of engineers looking to make flying more sustainable than ever before. But in the face of rapid reversals on climate change commitments, is there still momentum to accelerate the aviation industry towards "jet zero?"

We hear a lot about innovations in green technology, but what is really in the pipeline? Carbon is pitched as enemy number 1, but could we be using it for a cleaner future? And are we anywhere closer to extending the life of the lithium-based battery?

Gillian talks to 2 researchers who are dreaming up the technologies of tomorrow. Shannon Bonke wants to use Lego bricks to attain a carbon negative state, while Zhuangan Li thinks electric vehicles could do with spending more time at a hotsprings.

Carbon capture and sulfur-enfused batteries are the topic of the day on this episode of King's of Curiosity.

You're about to enter a discipline that genuinely has to account for time-travel in its computations. Welcome to the wonderful, if initially bewildering, world of quantum computing.

Gillian's guide through the hypothetical yeses, nos and maybes of quantum is Dr David Arvidsson Shukur, the Senior Researcher of quantum algorithms at the Hitachi Cambridge Laboratory, a Bye-Fellow at King's College and a Fellow at Girton College, Cambridge.

David's work is at the forefront of the race to develop quantum computing which, in itself, should be of interest to many of you. However, even if you're not quite sure quatum is your thing, David's ability to communicate the complexities of quantum in a clear and simple manner really is something else. David would also like it to be known that just because there is a tiny bit of time-travel adjacent thinking involved in quantum computing, this does not mean it will result in timetravel.

Further reading:

Cambridge launches major strategic partnership with IonQ to 'supercharge' quantum research in the UK

Simulating "backwards time travel"

Recorded and Produced by &Friends Content studio (www.andfriends.world)

Each day brings new stories about the possibilities and the threats of AI and the dominance of Silicon Valley. But what if there were other voices and points of view shaping these technologies and their influence on the world? How differently would these tools work for us? Our guests this week come from very different worlds but their work on understanding the impacts of AI and tech intersects in fascinating ways.

Alice Hutchings is a professor of Computer Science and Technology who focuses on cybercrime and how to prevent it. Jude Browne is a political scientist whose most recent book focuses on how society might respond to the rise of technologies from AI to robotics to genetic engineering.

Jude Browne on AI and Political Responsibility

Alice Hutchings on the risks of war in Iran triggering a cyber insurgency

Since recording this episode, Action Fraud has been replaced by Report Fraud. UK residents who experience cybercrime can report it here: https://www.reportfraud.police.uk/

Recorded and Produced by &Friends Content studio (www.andfriends.world)

This week we welcome historian Peter Frankopan and anthropologist Professor Dame Caroline Humphrey to the show. Both work on very different aspects of areas across Asia now described as the Silk Roads; Peter has written a bestselling history of the Silk Roads, which recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, and Carrie has spent several decades as an anthropologist in Mongolia, China and Russia.

Gillian recalls her days of anthropological field work in Tajikistan as the Soviet Union began to break up, and Carrie reveals a new way of looking at the Great Wall of China. All are involved with the Silk Roads Programme at King's, which brings together researchers who work on the past and present of a part of the world which continues to shape global trade and cultures today.

The Silk Roads Programme at King's College Cambridge

Peter Frankopan

Caroline Humphrey

Recorded and Produced by &Friends Content studio (www.andfriends.world)

To kick off the series, historian Marcus Boïck looks back at the last 30 years to trace the resurgence of the far right in post-reunification Germany and beyond. He and Gillian discuss the often devastating economic and social impacts of reunification on the former East Germany, why he rates Goodbye Lenin! above The Lives of Others and consider the AfD party's prospects for future elections.

Marcus Boïck

Recorded and Produced by &Friends Content studio (www.andfriends.world)

Welcome to King's of Curiosity – a podcast for curious minds.

Each episode takes you on a journey through some of the bright ideas and breakthroughs coming out of King's College Cambridge. Presented by Gillian Tett, financial journalist and Provost of King's, we dive into topics from populism to quantum computing and almost everything in between.

Come and get curious with us! New episodes every Tuesday