How to Be Hopeful: Caitlin Moran and New Scientist Look to the Future

Episode 401 Anxiety is everywhere. Climate change, political turmoil and a constant stream of alarming headlines can make optimism feel impossible. But to be hopeful you don’t need to ignore reality. What if it’s about paying attention to the breakthroughs that are already changing the world? In this special episode Penny Sarchet and Rowan Hooper are joined by bestselling author Caitlin Moran, who spent a year chasing hope. Prompted by her new book How to Be Hopeful, the New Scientist team shares eight recent developments that genuinely make them optimistic about the future. From the explosive growth of solar energy and the possibility of crops that make their own fertiliser, to new classes of medicines, AI-assisted scientific discovery, and even the search for life beyond Earth, this episode is a celebration of progress, curiosity and human ingenuity.  Also on the panel are Madeleine Cuff, Catherine de Lange, and Michael Le Page. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices