Babbage: The red planet

<p>As China becomes the second country to land a rover successfully on the surface of Mars, what does the <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/05/15/china-lands-a-rover-on-mars?utm_campaign=babbage&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Tianwen-1 mission</a> aim to achieve? Also, our innovation editor explores the challenge of <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/05/13/old-electric-cars-are-a-raw-material-of-the-future?utm_campaign=babbage&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">recycling old electric vehicles</a>, and how does <a href="https://www.economist.com/graphic-detail/2021/05/08/the-legacy-of-victorian-era-pollution-still-shapes-english-cities?utm_campaign=babbage&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Victorian-era pollution still shape England’s cities</a>? Kenneth Cukier hosts&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><p><br></p><p>For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastoffer?utm_campaign=babbage&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economist.com/podcastoffer</a> and sign up for our new weekly science newsletter at <a href="http://www.economist.com/simplyscience?utm_campaign=babbage&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economist.com/simplyscience</a>.</p> &#10;&nbsp;<br /><hr><p style='color: grey; font - size: 0.75em; '>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>