Wake-up haul: an Ozempic moment for the brain

About this episode

<p>Orexins are peptides involved in the body’s sleep-wake system—and are big pharma’s next big thing. Like multi-purpose GLPs, they may have <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/08/11/the-brain-may-be-about-to-have-its-ozempic-moment?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">far more uses</a> than just regulating shuteye. We ask why Japan’s post-war innovation boom petered out, and what must be done to <a href="https://www.economist.com/business/2026/08/13/japans-downbeat-startups-need-a-lift?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">breed more unicorns</a>. And why procrastination seems to be on the rise, and <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2026/07/31/how-to-stop-procrastinating?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">how to beat it</a>.</p><br><p>Guests and host:</p><ul><li>Shailesh Chitnis, global business correspondent</li><li>Ethan Wu, Asia business and finance editor</li><li>Benjamin Sutherland, science writer</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>orexins, peptides, sleep disorders, pharmaceuticals</li><li>Japan, innovation, startups</li><li>procrastination</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>