Babbage: Finger on the pulse of bias

<p>Hospitals routinely measure patients' blood-oxygen levels to determine the severity of covid-19. Why do these and other medical devices and treatments <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/04/07/how-medicine-discriminates-against-non-white-people-and-women?utm_campaign=babbage&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">work less well for non-white people and women</a>? Also, if you can have microwave ovens—why not microwave boilers for central heating? And, we explore <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2021/03/18/honeybees-run-vaccination-programmes-too?utm_campaign=babbage&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">how bees run vaccination campaigns too</a>. Kenneth Cukier hosts</p><p><br></p><p>For full access to The Economist’s print, digital and audio editions subscribe at <a href="http://www.economist.com/podcastoffer?utm_campaign=babbage&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economist.com/podcastoffer</a> and sign up for our new weekly science newsletter at <a href="http://www.economist.com/simplyscience?utm_campaign=babbage&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_source=third-party-host&amp;utm_content=show-notes" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economist.com/simplyscience</a>.</p> &#10;&nbsp;<br /><hr><p style='color: grey; font - size: 0.75em; '>See <a style='color: grey; ' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for privacy and opt-out information.</p>