x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast

Somewhere on Earth

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast — Tech That Actually MattersIf you’re tired of hype, gadgets-for-gadget’s-sake, and the same recycled tech headlines, welcome to Somewhere on Earth (SOEP) — the weekly global tech podcast that digs way deeper.Hosted by the ex-BBC World Service Digital Planet team (yes, the award-winning crew behind 21+ years of world-leading tech journalism and 1.5M annual downloads), SOEP uncovers the untold stories shaping our digital world.This isn’t a show about the

technology entrepreneurship

All Episodes

26:09

Robobees – could they help solve world hunger?

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2025/01/28

Robobees – could they help solve world hunger? A drone approximately the size of a thumb and weighing less than one gram is currently under development by a team at MIT. This team is focused on creating robotic insects that could serve various purposes, including functioning as pollinators in vertical farms—environments where crops are cultivated within tall structures designed for optimal growth conditions. The engineering challenge of designing such a tiny flying robot is huge. One major obstacle

en

20:54

Robobees – could they help solve world hunger?

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2025/01/28

Robobees – could they help solve world hunger?A drone approximately the size of a thumb and weighing less than one gram is currently under development by a team at MIT. This team is focused on creating robotic insects that could serve various purposes, including functioning as pollinators in vertical farms—environments where crops are cultivated within tall structures designed for optimal growth conditions. The engineering challenge of designing such a tiny flying robot is huge. One major obstacle

en

29:36

Can Kiswahili online content be moderated?

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2025/01/21

Can Kiswahili online content be moderated? It appears that 2025 will see a significant shift in content moderation practices, as Meta plans to eliminate independent fact-checkers on Facebook and Instagram. This change may suggest a decline in standards, particularly in regions that have historically experienced limited online moderation. In many parts of Africa, small content teams have been tasked with overseeing entire countries or regions. Interestingly, while there are numerous content

en

34:51

Can Kiswahili online content be moderated?

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2025/01/21

Can Kiswahili online content be moderated? It appears that 2025 will see a significant shift in content moderation practices, as Meta plans to eliminate independent fact-checkers on Facebook and Instagram. This change may suggest a decline in standards, particularly in regions that have historically experienced limited online moderation. In many parts of Africa, small content teams have been tasked with overseeing entire countries or regions. Interestingly, while there are numerous content

en

33:45

Capturing shooting stars with your doorbell cam

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2025/01/14

Capturing shooting stars with your doorbell camWe’ve had the first meteor shower of 2025 – you may have missed it but your doorbell cam may have recorded it. The Quadrantids shower has captivated both amateur and professional astronomers, some of whom are now working together to find the meteors once they land on the Earth’s surface. When this occurs, there is a strong likelihood that the aptly named UK Fireball Alliance will identify them. This alliance consolidates images and videos from various

en

28:30

Capturing shooting stars with your doorbell cam

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2025/01/14

Capturing shooting stars with your doorbell camWe’ve had the first meteor shower of 2025 – you may have missed it but your doorbell cam may have recorded it. The Quadrantids shower has captivated both amateur and professional astronomers, some of whom are now working together to find the meteors once they land on the Earth’s surface. When this occurs, there is a strong likelihood that the aptly named UK Fireball Alliance will identify them. This alliance consolidates images and videos from various

en

31:59

How to keep your data safe when protesting

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2025/01/07

How to keep your data safe when protestingThe government of Georgia is set to deport 25 foreign nationals who were involved in protests that occurred late last year. This information has been reported by several news outlets referencing the Interior Ministry of Georgia. The demonstrations arose in response to the parliamentary elections held in the country. Considering the protests and the subsequent actions taken by the authorities, the digital rights organisation Access Now has issued a series of

en

37:14

How to keep your data safe when protesting

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2025/01/07

How to keep your data safe when protestingThe government of Georgia is set to deport 25 foreign nationals who were involved in protests that occurred late last year. This information has been reported by several news outlets referencing the Interior Ministry of Georgia. The demonstrations arose in response to the parliamentary elections held in the country. Considering the protests and the subsequent actions taken by the authorities, the digital rights organisation Access Now has issued a series

en

36:00

Your favourite SOEP shows from 2024

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2025/01/01

Your favourite SOEP shows from 2024 Thank you for all your suggestions and comments; we have selected the most popular choices and put them together in our final show of 2024. From our special programme with Jimmy Wales, to the reliability of French language chatbots, we look at what you thought were our best bits of the year. The PodExtra - The Creator Economy This week we have a completely new episode for our paid for subscribers. Angelica Mari hosted a Podcast Live at Web Summit in Lisbon where

en

29:45

Your favourite SOEP shows from 2024

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2025/01/01

Your favourite SOEP shows from 2024Thank you for all your suggestions and comments; we have selected the most popular choices and put them together in our final show of 2024. From our special programme with Jimmy Wales, to the reliability of French language chatbots, we look at what you thought were our best bits of the year. The PodExtra - The Creator EconomyThis week we have a completely new episode for our paid for subscribers. Angelica Mari hosted a Podcast Live at Web Summit in Lisbon where

en

30:47

Biometrics – do we have a choice in who has this data...

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2024/12/25

Biometrics – do we have a choice in who has this data and how they use it? This week we dive deep into the world of biometrics, with a particular focus on facial recognition technology. What is the current state of facial recognition, and why are legal experts and privacy advocates so concerned? Additionally, we’ll explore the realm of health data; is there a necessary compromise between collecting our biometric information for improved health outcomes and safeguarding our privacy? Or can we find a

en

25:32

Biometrics – do we have a choice in who has this data...

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2024/12/25

Biometrics – do we have a choice in who has this data and how they use it?This week we dive deep into the world of biometrics, with a particular focus on facial recognition technology. What is the current state of facial recognition, and why are legal experts and privacy advocates so concerned? Additionally, we’ll explore the realm of health data; is there a necessary compromise between collecting our biometric information for improved health outcomes and safeguarding our privacy? Or can we find a

en

25:32

How technology led to the rise of HTS and the fall of...

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2024/12/17

How technology led to the rise of HTS and the fall of Assad in SyriaHTS presented the removal of a brutal dictatorship that had lasted for five decades as a straightforward task accomplished in a matter of days. Currently, the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has assumed control in Syria, while former president Bashar al-Assad reportedly resides in Russia. Although the narrative often emphasizes the use of armoured vehicles and firearms, many analyses overlook the significant impact of

en

30:47

How technology led to the rise of HTS and the fall of...

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2024/12/17

How technology led to the rise of HTS and the fall of Assad in Syria HTS presented the removal of a brutal dictatorship that had lasted for five decades as a straightforward task accomplished in a matter of days. Currently, the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) has assumed control in Syria, while former president Bashar al-Assad reportedly resides in Russia. Although the narrative often emphasizes the use of armoured vehicles and firearms, many analyses overlook the significant impact of

en

33:50

Protecting submarine cables, how the big players are...

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2024/12/10

Protecting submarine cables, how the big players are now involvedSubmarine fibre optic cables are responsible for carrying 99% of the world's internet traffic yet they are often subject to damage. Therefore, it is fortunate that a coordinated organisation exists to ensure the resilience of these essential cables. Gareth and Ania discuss why this has only been set up recently. Proton – from VPN’s to data encryption – a different approach to other tech companies The company’s website states “A

en

28:35

Protecting submarine cables, how the big players are...

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2024/12/10

Protecting submarine cables, how the big players are now involvedSubmarine fibre optic cables are responsible for carrying 99% of the world's internet traffic yet they are often subject to damage. Therefore, it is fortunate that a coordinated organisation exists to ensure the resilience of these essential cables. Gareth and Ania discuss why this has only been set up recently.Proton – from VPN’s to data encryption – a different approach to other tech companiesThe company’s website states “A better

en

34:50

A new feeding robot could return people’s...

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2024/12/04

A new feeding robot could return people’s independence at mealtimesA group of friends is enjoying lunch together, however one of the friends is unable to use their arms so rely on a carer help them eat. Now a new robot – called FIDI – could return their independence at mealtimes. A robotic arm positioned on the table automatically delivers food to their mouth, using AI and cameras to adapt to the user’s movements and behaviours, ensuring that the food reaches its intended destination—the person’s

en

29:35

A new feeding robot could return people’s...

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2024/12/04

A new feeding robot could return people’s independence at mealtimesA group of friends is enjoying lunch together, however one of the friends is unable to use their arms so rely on a carer help them eat. Now a new robot – called FIDI – could return their independence at mealtimes. A robotic arm positioned on the table automatically delivers food to their mouth, using AI and cameras to adapt to the user’s movements and behaviours, ensuring that the food reaches its intended destination—the person’s

en

40:13

Kyiv – a smart city adapting to war

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2024/11/26

Kyiv – a smart city adapting to war As the full-scale Russian invasion surpasses the thousand-day milestone, Ukrainians are keeping the war on the news agenda. One aspect that was discussed at Web Summit is Kyiv's transformation into a self-proclaimed 'smart city', highlighting the increasing availability of digital municipal services for its citizens. Oleg Polovinko, an advisor on digitalization to the mayor of Kyiv, noted that disruption has been a catalyst for innovation and what started as a

en

35:58

Kyiv – a smart city adapting to war

Somewhere on Earth: The Global Tech Podcast ·

2024/11/26

Kyiv – a smart city adapting to war As the full-scale Russian invasion surpasses the thousand-day milestone, Ukrainians are keeping the war on the news agenda. One aspect that was discussed at Web Summit is Kyiv's transformation into a self-proclaimed 'smart city', highlighting the increasing availability of digital municipal services for its citizens. Oleg Polovinko, an advisor on digitalization to the mayor of Kyiv, noted that disruption has been a catalyst for innovation and what started as a

en

255 results

Similar Podcasts

Lead With AI

Tamara Nall

Linux in the Ham Shack

Black Sparrow Media

Data Engineering Podcast

Tobias Macey

Eye On A.I.

Craig S. Smith

Reflections

Livewire Labs