Babbage: Chips and blocks

Cutting-edge semiconductors are the most complex objects that humans make. Host Hal Hodson and Tim Cross, The Economist’s technology editor, delve into the secretive science that powers a growing portion of economic activity and the world-leading yet precarious work of TSMC—the company that dominates chipmaking. The pandemic has exposed vulnerabilities in this system, but the race to dominate the world of chips is just beginning.With Dipti Vachani, vice president of automotive and IoT at Arm, Dick Thurston, former chief counsel to TSMC, and Dan Wang of Gavekal Dragonomics.For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at economist.com/podcastoffer and sign up for our new weekly science newsletter at economist.com/simplyscience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.