The Economist Radio (All audio)

We assess Elon Musk's ambitious intentions to make humans a multiplanetary species. As the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission ends, Dr Matt Taylor explains what information the probe will gather on its final descent and we discuss the consequences of voice-activated computers becoming integrated into our lives

It might be hard to make sense of the first debate between presidential hopefuls Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, but in a special edition of the podcast recorded the morning after the debate in the Mic studio at One World Trade Center, Celeste and John try to do just that. This episode was produced by Alan Haburchak.

Our economics editor John O'Sullivan reflects on the future of globalisation in a world increasingly hostile to free trade. Soumaya Keynes discusses the merits of cash transfers over food aid for Syrian refugees. And our South-East Asia bureau chief unpacks the business of mixed martial arts. Simon Long hosts.

This week: The surprising success of landlocked Paraguay, Portland pops up in Tokyo and the joys of grammar that people all know, but don’t even know that they know

Jonathan Rosenthal says Syria's turmoil will deepen if John Kerry fails to salvage a ceasefire with Russia. John Prideaux previews the Clinton-Trump clash in the first presidential debate. And Matthew Valencia talks about Azerbaijan's reputation management through caviar diplomacy. Anne McElvoy hosts.

Ahead of showdown #1 at Hofstra University in New York, Celeste and John preview the upcoming trio of presidential debates between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Presidential debates are a big part of American political culture, and they've given us plenty of memorable moments — even if their ultimate effect on the outcomes of elections are, well, debatable. They're also fairly unique on the world stage. Former Sen. and New Hampshire Gov. Judd Clegg shares an insider's take he earned by virtue of having played both John Kerry and Al Gore in Republican debate prep sessions. And Jeremy Cliffe of The Economist speaks about the relatively new phenomenon of televised prime ministerial debates in the U.K. and how they stack up with the way America handles these face-offs. This episode was produced by Alan Haburchak.

Anne McElvoy heads to Potsdam to look into Angela Merkel's future with some of Germany's foremost analysts and thinkers. Together, they ask whether the the three-times Chancellor can weather the recent storms of poor election results and fallout from Brexit - and whether she can once again secure the top job

Our environment correspondent, Miranda Johnson, assesses the latest efforts to curb climate change as the UN General Assembly gets underway. Dr Brent Seales explains how we can now read an ancient, burnt scroll without unrolling it. And Ananyo Bhattacharya explains why bad science may be hereditary

Simon Long hosts as Money talks investigates why British Prime Minister Theresa May decided to go ahead with a new nuclear power plant. Also: the great pensions reckoning facing economies worldwide and how a tech paper tiger is breaking new ground for innovators in Berlin

This week: Canada’s proposals for peacekeeping come under fire, Communist-era beers are back in fashion and why staff at India’s banks have been putting their own money into customers' bank accounts

Protectionists stage protests across Germany. Andreas Kluth, our Berlin bureau chief, explains why anti-Americanism and a fear of globalisation are at the heart of the demonstrations. Also on the show: al-Qaeda's pragmatic comeback; and what are the odds that a party-less outsider could become France's next president? Helen Joyce hosts.

Hillary Clinton has been fighting off questions about her health throughout the 2016 presidential election, but the topic returned to the fore after she nearly fainted at a 9/11 commemoration ceremony and then revealed she'd contracted pneumonia. Clinton, 68 -- or Donald Trump, 70, who has released scant detail about his own medical history -- would be among the oldest presidents ever elected. This week, Celeste and John speak with distinguished historian and presidential biographer Robert Dallek of Stanford University about the astoundingly secretive culture surrounding the wellness of our leaders and ask a simple question: How much do voters have a right to know about their health? This episode was produced by Alan Haburchak.

Anne McElvoy hosts a response to the Economist Intelligence Unit's recent survey of the world's cities, which ranks them by liveability. Talking to ten Economist correspondents scattered across the globe, she investigates cities in crisis, new destinations for Brexit refugees and the poisoned chalice of urban perfection

Should disease-bearing mosquitoes be made extinct? Natasha Loder lays out the arguments for using gene drives to do so. We hear an update on the known unknowns of the Zika virus from Slavea Chankova and whether “feed a fever, starve a cold” is sound advice. Jason Palmer hosts.

Adrian Wooldridge, our Schumpeter columnist, discusses the perils of global mega-companies. In an era where more firms are dying than are being born, are giant incumbents stifling competition? Also on the show: why African cities disappoint when it comes to living standards, and Venezuela's multinational nightmare. Andrew Palmer hosts.