Stuff Matters with Ed Conway

Latest episodes

Showing 9 · updated from the feed

Will the West ever be able to produce stuff again? (And other Qs answered by Ed)

What’s next after decades of relentless globalisation? It’s top of mind for you - the Stuff Matters listeners - and most Western politicians. In this Q&A episode, Ed has

Aug 16
24 min

Trainers: An old pair of Nikes that altered history

Ed has a theory. Did an unbranded pair of trainers from the '70s help trigger Western deindustrialisation and pave the way for Trump, Farage and - ultimately - China's ec

Jul 26
1 h 11 min

Howitzers: Medieval cannons and the supply chains of modern war

Ed uncovers the surprising story of the howitzer – the artillery weapon that has dominated battlefields for hundreds of years, from Napoleon to Ukraine and forever change

Jul 20
1 h 01 min

More Stuff Matters: If fertility is falling, who is having children?

We're unlocking an episode of More Stuff Matters before coming back with more new episodes! In the main episode, Ed explored the mystery of falling birth rates through c

Jul 13
23 min

Car seats: The mystery of our depopulating planet

What if bulky children’s car safety seats are a clue to one of the biggest changes in human history – the reason people aren't having kids anymore? Ed Conway investigates

Jul 5
57 min

Bananas: Is it the end of our favourite fruit?

It's a story that spans continents and centuries, taking in corporate empires and CIA-backed coups and it's all about bananas. Could Britain's favourite fruit be wiped ou

Jun 28
56 min

AirPods: Why's everyone fighting over the mysterious elements inside?

That satisfying snap when you close an AirPods case is powered by one of the most important materials in the modern world. To listen without ads, get new episodes a week

Jun 21
1 h 00 min

LEDs: How a little blue light changed the world

A flashing wristband at an NFL game sends Ed Conway down an unexpected economic rabbit hole. To listen without ads, get new episodes a week early, exclusive bonus episod

Jun 14
54 min

What is Stuff Matters?

In Stuff Matters, Ed Conway takes an object, cracks it open and reveals the world shaping forces hidden inside. Each episode follows a trail of ideas that stretches beyo

May 27
1 min