Episode Details

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Today's topics:

HPV vaccine drives deaths to zero - A UK Lancet study finds cervical cancer deaths fell to zero in highly vaccinated young women, highlighting HPV vaccination, early protection, and the 9‑valent vaccine’s broad coverage.

Embryo gene editing and ethics - Cambridge researchers used base editing to disable the NANOG gene in donated human embryos, revealing human-specific development differences and renewing debate over heritable genome editing and safety risks like mosaicism.

Ancient Herculaneum scrolls decoded - Using particle-accelerator imaging and AI “virtual unwrapping,” scientists digitally opened Herculaneum scrolls, recovering large sections of text and uncovering previously unknown works tied to Philodemus and Epicurean philosophy.

IBM sub‑1nm chip milestone - IBM demonstrated a working sub‑1 nanometer prototype chip using a stacked transistor approach, suggesting a route to higher performance and lower energy use as data centers and AI demand grows.

Drone training reshapes South Korea military - South Korea will train hundreds of thousands of troops in drone operation, reflecting lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East and urgency driven by North Korea’s expanding drone capabilities.

Global under‑16 social media bans - After Australia’s under‑16 social media ban, countries from Indonesia to the UK are moving toward similar limits, fueled by child-safety concerns, lawsuits over addictive design, and disputes over enforcement and rights.

Robotaxis without pedals proposed in US - The US Department of Transportation proposes rules that would no longer require brake pedals for vehicles built exclusively for automated driving, potentially accelerating robotaxi deployment while raising new safety questions.

Religious Liberty Commission stirs debate - A Trump administration draft report urges closer ties between religion and public life, calling for expanded religious exemptions and repeal of the Johnson Amendment, setting up a major legal and political fight.

Episode Transcript

HPV vaccine drives deaths to zero
Let’s start with public health, and a result that’s hard to ignore. A new UK observational study published in The Lancet reports that HPV vaccination has driven cervical cancer deaths to zero among highly vaccinated young women.

Using national data spanning 2001 through 2024, researchers found no cervical cancer deaths among women aged 20 to 24 for five straight years, in a group where vaccination coverage is around 90 percent. The pattern also showed up in the 25 to 29 age group. Meanwhile, deaths fell sharply—about 63 percent—in women aged 30 to 34, who had less access to the vaccine when they were younger.

Why it matters: it’s a real-world sign that vaccinating before exposure to HPV can prevent not just pre-cancer, but the worst outcomes. Experts also point to