Taking the shine off: albedo and global temperatures

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<p>Fewer clouds, shrinking ice caps, changing pollutants: all result in less of the sun’s energy being reflected back into space. Which is <a href="https://www.economist.com/leaders/2026/07/16/its-too-darn-hot-blame-global-dimming?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">more bad news</a> for a changing climate. Our correspondent explains why so much more of the world’s cocaine is <a href="https://www.economist.com/middle-east-and-africa/2026/07/28/west-africa-has-become-a-huge-cocaine-trading-hub?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">passing through west Africa</a>. And the data that reveal Americans’ discomfort about wives <a href="https://www.economist.com/finance-and-economics/2026/07/13/the-stubborn-scarcity-of-female-breadwinners?utm_campaign=a.io&utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&utm_source=theintelligence&utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">earning more</a> than their husbands.</p><br><p>Guests and host:</p><ul><li>Oliver Morton, planetary-affairs editor</li><li>Ọrẹ Ogunbiyi, Africa correspondent</li><li>Doug Dowson, data journalist</li><li>Rosie Blau, co-host of “The Intelligence”</li><li>Jason Palmer, co-host of “The Intelligence”</li></ul><p><br></p><p>Topics covered: </p><ul><li>climate change, albedo, global temperatures</li><li>Africa, cocaine, smuggling</li><li>wage equality, gender pay gap</li></ul><p><br></p><p><em>Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—</em><a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>subscribe to The Economist</em></a><em>.</em></p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>