The Week Unwrapped
Olly Mann and The Week delve behind the headlines and debate what really matters from the past seven days
Pensions, elephants and middle-class drugs 

Pensions, elephants and middle-class drugs
Why is the government changing pension rules? How did a herd of elephants cross China? And will well-heeled drug users be named and shamed?
20 Aug 2021
Mercenaries, climate angst and the right to repair

Mercenaries, climate angst and the right to repair
What are Russian soldiers doing in Libya? Are doom-laden climate headlines bad for our mental health? And are DIY gadget fixers about to get a break?
13 Aug 2021
Pay cheques, sporting pressure and ancient plants

Pay cheques, sporting pressure and ancient plants
Should we all know what our colleagues are paid? How will Olympic athletes cope with social media scrutiny? And could a strange desert plant unlock hu…
6 Aug 2021
Flash floods, Tunisian turmoil and rich racing

Flash floods, Tunisian turmoil and rich racing
Are cities ready for a rise in extreme weather? Why has Tunisia’s president sacked the prime minister? And is the ‘most expensive race on earth’ worth…
30 Jul 2021
Health data, green banking and flawed maps

Health data, green banking and flawed maps
How will we deal with knowing so much more about our health? Should central banks seek to fight climate change? And is Google Maps leading us astray?
23 Jul 2021
Cuba, friendship and office dogs

Cuba, friendship and office dogs
What’s behind the latest Cuban protests? Can dating apps help us make friends? And should we welcome animals at work?
16 Jul 2021
Strict schools, swimming caps and four-day weeks

Strict schools, swimming caps and four-day weeks
Do more rules make for a better education? Is a ban on “Afro caps” a blow to sporting diversity? And will Covid boost calls for a four-day working wee…
9 Jul 2021

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Hazardous heat, nuclear fusion and divisive dieting

Hazardous heat, nuclear fusion and divisive dieting
What does a Pakistani city hitting temperatures too hot for the human body tell us about climate change? Could a new nuclear project provide a breakth…
2 Jul 2021
Kibbutzniks, quitters and patriotism

Kibbutzniks, quitters and patriotism
What does a row about a kibbutz say about modern Israel? Are record numbers of people about to give up their jobs? And why can’t we work out how to ce…
25 Jun 2021
The Week Unwrapped: Pride flags, Denmark and animal magic

The Week Unwrapped: Pride flags, Denmark and animal magic
Why won’t the Pentagon fly the flag for gay pride? What led Denmark to deport Syrian refugees? And how do birds see through magicians’ tricks?
11 Jun 2021
Fuel protest, Danish spying and living to 150

Fuel protest, Danish spying and living to 150
How are oil shareholders changing the climate debate? Is Copenhagen a US stooge? And could we really double human lifespans?
4 Jun 2021
Fashion for rent, a chip shortage and euthanasia

Fashion for rent, a chip shortage and euthanasia
Will we start borrowing clothes instead of buying them? Why has the world’s supply of microchips dried up? And has the tide turned on assisted dying?
28 May 2021
Toxins, abortions and rectal breathing

Toxins, abortions and rectal breathing
What should we know about ‘forever chemicals’? Are abortion rights at risk in Northern Ireland? And can we breathe through our bottoms?
21 May 2021
France in revolt, junior networks and digital emotions

France in revolt, junior networks and digital emotions
Why are French soldiers up in arms? Is Instagram the right place for children? And can computers recognise emotions?
14 May 2021
Psychedelics, peacekeeping and office productivity

Psychedelics, peacekeeping and office productivity
Could hallucinogenics replace antidepressants? How can peacekeepers be more effective? And what can Google tell us about the post-pandemic workplace?
7 May 2021
Catfishing, malaria and timelessness

Catfishing, malaria and timelessness
Why are dating scams on the rise? Have scientists made a breakthrough in the battle against malaria? And can humans live without a sense of time?
30 Apr 2021
Greens, investments and space privateers

Greens, investments and space privateers
Are the world’s environmentalists about to take power? Is financial advice getting cheaper? And why are private citizens leading the space race?
23 Apr 2021
Human rights, Russian troops and rude town names

Human rights, Russian troops and rude town names
Are human rights going backwards? Is Russia squaring up to Ukraine again? And why are we censoring maps?
16 Apr 2021
Rare earths, Jordan and dishonour

Rare earths, Jordan and dishonour
What has Greenland’s general election got to do with China? Why has Jordan’s royal family split? And who has been stripped of their honours in secret?
9 Apr 2021
Votes, Cuban vaccines and empty churches

Votes, Cuban vaccines and empty churches
Are the Democrats falling into a hypocrisy trap? How did Cuba develop such a strong biotech industry? And will anything reverse religious decline?
2 Apr 2021
Scams, shares and male skirts

Scams, shares and male skirts
Why has Covid caused a surge in scams? What’s got into the world’s stock markets? And will men really start wearing skirts?
26 Mar 2021
Ireland, Wombo and laser vision

Ireland, Wombo and laser vision
Is the Good Friday Agreement unravelling? How much of a threat are AI deepfakes? And can we really now see round corners?
19 Mar 2021
Business Unwrapped - Navigating China

Business Unwrapped - Navigating China
The cultural, legal and ethical questions for British companies working in China
16 Mar 2021
Nuclear testing, flat-hunting and the other megxit

Nuclear testing, flat-hunting and the other megxit
Why are we only now learning about France’s atomic legacy? Is social networking changing the rental market. And why are migrants leaving the UK?
12 Mar 2021
Business Unwrapped - China’s legal system

Business Unwrapped - China’s legal system
The cultural, legal and ethical questions for British companies working in China
9 Mar 2021
Missiles, ransoms and awe

Missiles, ransoms and awe
Does the US still need ballistic missiles? Why is Boko Haram releasing schoolgirl hostages? And do we need to experience more awe?
5 Mar 2021
Business Unwrapped - China’s culture and customs

Business Unwrapped - China’s culture and customs
The cultural, legal and ethical questions for British companies working in China
2 Mar 2021
Carbon apps, super shoes and VR art

Carbon apps, super shoes and VR art
Can phones measure our carbon footprint? Is tech more important than sporting talent? And could we turn our homes into virtual art galleries?
26 Feb 2021
New news, equality in space and small talk

New news, equality in space and small talk
Will new TV news channels threaten impartiality? Is space the final frontier for disability? And do we really need lessons in chit-chat?
19 Feb 2021
Martial monks, high living and Turks in space

Martial monks, high living and Turks in space
What links monks and Myanmar’s military? Are we past peak skyscraper? And why is Turkey joining the space race?
12 Feb 2021
Culture Unwrapped - art in the age of Covid

Culture Unwrapped - art in the age of Covid
Covid has made the art market more local, inclusive, and socially responsible. But how many of these changes will remain after the pandemic eases?
8 Feb 2021
Snake robots, farm protests and pet food

Snake robots, farm protests and pet food
What can we learn from the skin of sidewinders? Why are farmers descending on Delhi? And would your cat eat lab-grown mouse protein?
5 Feb 2021
Culture Unwrapped - owning digital culture

Culture Unwrapped - owning digital culture
The online age has given rise to new kinds of assets – digital possessions, but do they have any real-world value and what will happen to them when we…
26 Jan 2021
Australia, Egypt and the British Virgin Islands

Australia, Egypt and the British Virgin Islands
Are the BVIs as corrupt as their former governor claims? Is Egypt any closer to democracy? And will the sun set on Australia Day?
22 Jan 2021

