President Trump has an opportunity both to defeat the novel coronavirus and to gain advantage for the United States in its struggle with China. The competition between the U.S. and China for global influence predates both the coronavirus crisis and the Trump administration. It flared earlier in this presidency during trade negotiations. 

Building America's electricity system was one of the great achievements of the twentieth century, providing inexpensive energy to homes and businesses throughout the country. But in the twenty-first century, two crises occurred. In 2001, California experienced massive electricity shortages, leading to rolling blackouts and skyrocketing electrical bills. And in 2003, a blackout swept across eight states in the Midwest and Northeast, leaving tens of millions in the dark. Why did these problems arise now, after a century of progress? Were they the result of ill-advised attempts to deregulate the utility industry? Or is more deregulation actually the solution?

In January 2004, President George W. Bush announced a plan for a manned mission to Mars in the first half of the twenty-first century. Is NASA up to the task? Given the recent failures of NASA's manned space program, from Space Shuttle disasters to the overbudget and barely functional International Space Station, should NASA even be running a manned space program? If so, what can be done to revitalize NASA and restore both its sense of purpose and the public's excitement for space exploration that has been missing for twenty years? Peter Robinson speaks with Sean O'Keefe.

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Matt Ridley discusses his new book is How Innovation Works, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the world’s economies, the real story of Thomas Edison and why he was one of the greatest innovators in human history, why China may not be the threat it appears to be (at least not technologically), and some predictions as to what the world may look like in 2050. 

The space program used to mean one thing: the effort to put American astronauts on the moon. That effort is becoming ancient history. We haven't sent anyone to the moon in thirty years. So what is NASA's mission today? What sort of space exploration is worth pursuing today and tomorrow? And is NASA the right institution for the job?

In this episode of Uncommon Knowledge, guest Peter Thiel, one of Silicon Valley’s leading investors and thinkers, discusses his new book Zero to One.

The Hoover Institution hosted "Cardinal Conversations: Reid Hoffman and Peter Thiel on 'Technology and Politics' moderated by Niall Ferguson" on Wednesday, January 31, 2018 from 7:00pm - 8:30pm PST.

Peter Theil believes that there is 50-80% chance that the prices of Bitcoin will go down. The prices, Thiel claims, can go down to such an extent that it will make the Bitcoin useless for all intent and purpose. But he also claimed that there is 20-50% chance that the prices can go up in the near future. Theil was surely betting against the Bitcoin this time. He said that he was not sure that he would suggest people to run out right now and buy these cryptocurrencies.