Ideas
CBC
IDEAS is a place for people who like to think. If you value deep conversation and unexpected reveals, this show is for you. From the roots and rise of authoritarianism to near-death experiences to the history of toilets, no topic is off-limits. Hosted by Nahlah Ayed, we’re home to immersive documentaries and fascinating interviews with some of the most consequential thinkers of our time.
With an award-winning team, our podcast has proud roots in its 60-year history with CBC Radio, exploring the IDEAS that make us who we are.
New episodes drop Monday through Friday at 5pm ET.
Radio: CBLA-FM CBC Radio One Toronto
Categories: Society & Culture
Listen to the last episode:
How? Some scientists believe in the power of nuclear fusion. Environmentally, these machines would have the potential to meet our energy needs with zero carbon cost. But the other advantage is removing a significant motivation behind war — the control of energy sources. Think about it. The Middle East would look a lot different today. This podcast explores what the transition to fusion energy would entail from the challenges, the rewards and the risks.
Guest in this episode:
Mustafa Bahran is a physics professor at Carleton University in Ottawa. He came to Canada after his life in Yemen became too dangerous. There he founded the Yemeni Scientific Research Foundation and National Atomic Energy Commission.
Greg Twinney is the the CEO of General Fusion.
Mike Donaldson is senior vice president in technology development at General Fusion.
Michael Mann is a climate scientist and director at the Penn Center for Science, Sustainability and the Media.
JC Btaiche is founder and CEO of a nuclear fusion company called Fuse.
Previous episodes
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1972 - A machine that could save us from war — and global warming Fri, 10 Apr 2026
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1971 - The complex legacy of the first European 'slave castle' Thu, 09 Apr 2026
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1970 - Worst marriage ever! The story of Jason and Medea Wed, 08 Apr 2026
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1969 - How Stephen Lewis helped changed the world's mind about AIDS Tue, 07 Apr 2026
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1968 - Legends and facts of the shapeshifting Queen of Sheba Mon, 06 Apr 2026
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1967 - The ultimate to-do list for living a good life Thu, 02 Apr 2026
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1966 - The final days of Jesus as 'heard' by J.S. Bach Fri, 03 Apr 2026
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1965 - How Hitchcock's 'The Birds' speaks to 21st-century anxieties Wed, 01 Apr 2026
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1964 - The Billionaire Age Pt 1 | How did we get here? Tue, 31 Mar 2026
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1963 - Why everything you thought about earthworms is wrong Mon, 30 Mar 2026
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1962 - Why is bombing civilians still a military tactic? Thu, 26 Mar 2026
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1961 - Why we should 'fight like hell' against Big AI Wed, 25 Mar 2026
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1960 - The common ground of fact and fiction can be powerful Tue, 24 Mar 2026
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1959 - When a poem changes your life Mon, 23 Mar 2026
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1958 - Secularism on trial Thu, 19 Mar 2026
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1957 - 'There's no such thing as clean energy' Wed, 18 Mar 2026
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1956 - How port cities like Singapore shaped the world Tue, 17 Mar 2026
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1955 - She uncovered the lost women of science and made history Mon, 16 Mar 2026
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1954 - The power of music in the shadow of Iran Thu, 12 Mar 2026
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1953 - How math and literature are unexpectedly connected Tue, 10 Mar 2026
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1952 - What if your favourite food became extinct? Mon, 09 Mar 2026
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1951 - Lessons from the women of Iran's 1979 'stolen' revolution Thu, 05 Mar 2026
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1950 - God, parades and authoritarianism on the streets of Georgia Wed, 04 Mar 2026
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1949 - Wait, so addiction might not be a brain disease? Tue, 03 Mar 2026
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1948 - 'Accidental activist' links resource extraction to missing and murdered Indigenous women Mon, 02 Mar 2026
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1947 - The suffragist who was too radical for Susan. B. Anthony Thu, 26 Feb 2026
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1946 - How can we prevent AI from becoming a menace? Wed, 25 Feb 2026
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1945 - What will happen to us when the internet dies? Tue, 24 Feb 2026
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1944 - When your grandmother is accused of being a 'fascist spy' Mon, 23 Feb 2026
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1943 - With a decline in reading is our capacity to think eroding? Thu, 19 Feb 2026
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1942 - Why AI needs to be nicer to us and develop 'maternal instincts' Wed, 18 Feb 2026
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1941 - Why winter does not justify ditching your bike for driving Tue, 17 Feb 2026
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1940 - From tests to sports, why we choke when it matters most Mon, 16 Feb 2026
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1939 - How a man escaped slavery by mailing himself to freedom Fri, 13 Feb 2026
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1938 - What Chinese science-fiction has to tell us about reality Thu, 12 Feb 2026
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1937 - Why only the will of the people can save democracy Wed, 11 Feb 2026
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1936 - To mudlark is to scavenge for a piece of history to keep Tue, 10 Feb 2026
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1935 - How a natural catastrophe 8,000 years ago may have fueled Brexit Mon, 09 Feb 2026
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1934 - The trailblazing all-Black baseball team that made history Fri, 06 Feb 2026
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1933 - Following the wisdom of water to remake an unravelling world Thu, 05 Feb 2026
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1932 - Why the Monroe Doctrine has world leaders on edge Wed, 04 Feb 2026
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1931 - How to develop 'in the zone' hyper focus Tue, 03 Feb 2026
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1930 - Flexing Canada's 'soft power' could help shift geopolitics Mon, 02 Feb 2026
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1929 - PT 2 | An injustice system where 'you can buy your way out' Fri, 30 Jan 2026
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1928 - PT 1 | An injustice system where 'you can buy your way out' Thu, 29 Jan 2026
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1927 - Can empathy be dangerous? Wed, 28 Jan 2026
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1926 - Why AI needs limits so humans can flourish Tue, 27 Jan 2026
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1925 - How Britain caused Ireland's Great Famine Fri, 23 Jan 2026
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1924 - Birth gives us life. But do you know its history? Thu, 22 Jan 2026
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1923 - How a 'conspiracy of decency' could build a better future Wed, 21 Jan 2026