The world is becoming increasingly dependent on advanced microchips to power its high-end technology, However, they are made by just one company in Taiwan, TSMC, meaning the rest of the world is largely reliant on the country to produce its microchips. This is no accident and is in fact by Taiwanese design. Over three decades ago Taiwan decided to focus its resources on becoming the most advanced producer of microchips. Not only has this been of great profit for Taiwan’s economy its helped with security too – offering the country protection from its neighbour China by creating what’s been described as the ‘Silicon shield’, in other words, the US is largely dependent on Taiwan to sustain its high-end tech. Given both the USA’s and EU’s recent announcements that they are now heavily investing in and subsidising their own microchip industries, the question becomes is this still sustainable?Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Christopher Blake and Ravi Naik Editor: Tara McDermott

A campaign called “ReBoot Food” was launched at the COP27 climate change conference in Egypt, to ask world governments to support a technology called precision fermentation. They claim it’s possible to produce enough food to feed the whole world in an area the size of London. The process uses genetically-engineered microbes to make cheap, high quality fats and proteins, virtually identical to those produced by animal farming. Its proponents say it will free up huge tracts of farmland and could even help reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A technology research group is even projecting the collapse of dairy and cattle industries by 2030 with animal meat being replaced by food grown using precision fermentation. But what is it, what are the potential pitfalls, and can the public stomach the idea of protein grown in an a bioreactor rather than on a farm? On this week’s Inquiry, we ask: can microbes feed the world? Presented by Tanya Beckett Produced by Ravi Naik Researcher John Cossee Editor Tara McDermott Technical producer Mitch Goodall Broadcast Coordinator Brenda Brown(the world in a petri dish /Getty Images)

Canada is just one of a number of countries with an ageing population and shrinking workforce. The second largest in the world in terms of land mass, and with a population of just 36 million, Canada has announced a plan to invite 1.5 million people to migrate there over the next three years. The ambitious target is not without challenge politically, the most prominent is the housing crisis currently being felt in the country.Canada is not alone in needing more people of working age to bolster its economy, developed nations all around the globe are finding themselves in a similar situation and struggling to find answers. Despite this need, many countries remain reluctant to embrace the notion of inviting larger numbers of immigrants in for a whole host of reasons, from a lack of space to negative media portrayals of migrants. None-the-less, gaps in their skilled trades’ sectors demand resolution, and increased immigration can offer it.Whilst increased migration can help a country like Canada overcome the challenges of a diminishing labour force, it also has the effect of denying a migrant’s home country of expertise. Not only can this have the effect of denying a country their brightest and best, it also comes with a financial cost too, with countries training more than they need in anticipation of losing a high percentage of those workers. So this week on the Inquiry we're asking, should other countries adopt Canada's immigration model?

Misuzulu ka Zwelithini was officially crowned King of the Zulu Nation in October after the death of his father. King Zwelithini died of Covid complications after ruling for fifty years. It has set off a royal feud as members of the large Zulu royal family contest King Misuzulu’s right to the throne. Succession to the Zulu throne has been beset by violence for over a century. This time, the battle is in the courtroom.In this week’s Inquiry we ask, who is the true Zulu King?Presenter: Audrey Brown Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown(Zulu King Misuzulu KaZwelithini at his coronation ceremony in Durban, South Africa. Credit: Darren Stewart/Getty Images)

Small island nations are facing an existential threat. It’s predicted that by 2100, Tuvalu, Kiribati, the Maldives and many others will be underwater, because of rising sea levels and increasingly extreme weather events. At the recent COP27 conference in Egypt. The most polluting industrialised countries agreed in principle to set up a “loss and damage” fund, effectively recognising that low-lying islands are bearing the brunt of climate change. But is their loss inevitable? Could traditional sea wall defences hold back the waters, or are there more effective solutions? Will entire communities need to be moved to higher ground, or even entire nations transplanted to safer locations? This week on the Inquiry, we’re asking: will rising sea levels wipe countries off the map?Presented by Charmaine Cozier Produced by Ravi Naik Researcher Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty Editor Tara McDermott Technical producer Richard Hannaford Broadcast Coordinator Brenda Brown(a woman in a lagoon in the threatened coral atoll nation of Tuvalu. Credit: Mario Tama /Getty Images)

We use digital currency every day whenever we use a credit card, bank online or shop for goods on the internet. We can use our phones as money and transfer cash to family and friends simply by using numbers. It’s not exactly cash we are using, but a digital representation of that cash. Some digital currencies, such as cryptocurrency, even exist outside of the traditional banking system. Recently the cryptocurrency trading exchange FTX collapsed leaving creditors owed billions of dollars. There’s not much chance any of that money can be returned because it wasn’t actually linked to a cash system. If so many of our transactions and speculations are now digital, can we ditch the cash altogether?This week on The Inquiry we’re asking Can digital currency replace the cash system?Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Researcher: John Cossee Editor: Tara McDermott Technical producer: Craig Boardman Production support: Jacqui Johnson(Image: Representations of the Ripple, Bitcoin, Etherum and Litecoin virtual currencies: Dado Ruvic/Reuters)

Somalia is in a state of drought following four failed rainy seasons, and a fifth predicted, with aid agencies declaring the country is in a state of famine. Despite this, the government has yet to declare a famine, insisting that certain thresholds have yet to be met. Instead, Somalia’s government believes that they would be more than able to deal with the current crisis, as well as prevent future episodes, had they been properly compensated by industrious nations for the damage caused by climate change.All this whilst the country continues to fight a near fifteen-year war with the Islamic terrorist group al-Shabab, a militant faction who wish to instil strict sharia law and impose heavy taxes on those who fall under their control. Only six months ago the hard-line Muslim faction were knocking on the door of the capital, Mogadishu. Since then, the different clans and Somalia's military, who all have their own demands and grievances, have put aside their differences and banded together to fight back, driving the terrorist group back. With support for the government currently high, some are fearful that announcing a famine could cause that support to drop away. How long the government can hold for, however, is up for debate as we ask is it too late to avoid a famine in Somalia?Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Ravi Naik & Christopher Blake Editor: Tara McDermott(Image: Somali woman affected by the worsening drought due to failed rain seasons, holds her child as her grandmother looks on: Feisal Omar/Reuters)

The International Energy Agency says that the world is in the middle of the first global energy crisis. The price of natural gas has increased almost five-fold since the summer of 2020, and the main cause is Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Moscow has cut supplies of gas to European countries that oppose the war, causing the wholesale price to shoot up everywhere. Many countries have turned to coal to fuel their power stations, also causing prices to triple in the last year. But as well as being expensive, coal is also the most polluting fossil fuel. The situation has accelerated the push towards renewables, but can they provide the all the power needed by a country – as well as providing energy security? So this week on the Inquiry, we ask: can a country live on renewable energy alone? Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Ravi Naik Researcher: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty Editor Tara McDermott Technical producer Richard Hannaford Broadcast Coordinator Jacqui Johnson (Photo: Offshore wind turbine farm at sunset: Creit: Imaginima/Getty Images)

When we shop online, we don’t often think about what goes on behind the scenes. Clicking “pay now”, sets in motion a slick, computer-controlled chain of events, that ends with a parcel arriving at your home. These online shopping logistics are run by Artificial Intelligence, and there are plans for these systems to move from the warehouse to the wider workplace. “Digital Management” systems in development are able to autonomously hire people and oversee their work on a project from beginning to end. They also have the ability to manage much larger groups of workers than their human counterparts. But can a software boss really understand its human employees? Are managers obsolete? And are some of these systems already here? This week on the Inquiry, we ask: will computers put managers out of work? Presented by David Baker Produced by Jim Frank Editor: Richard Vadon Technical producer: Neil Churchill Broadcast Coordinator: Jacqui Johnson(Image: Artificial intelligence is showing the path: exdez/Getty)

Xi Jinping has begun an unprecedented third term as Chinese president, after securing his position at the Communist Party Congress. But key economic data was delayed until after the congress ended. It was lower than government targets, causing Chinese markets to fall. The Chinese economy is floundering; unemployment is skyrocketing, and the housing market is collapsing. There’s also no sign of an end to COVID lockdowns – which have hamstrung business and manufacturing since the start of the pandemic. Since the start of this century, China’s economic growth was the envy of the world, but in 2022, it’ll be the first year since the 1990s that economic output will fall behind the rest of Asia. President Xi says the economy is now his top priority, but his focus in his first two terms was to consolidate power and increase political control. Will his new term be any different? This week on the Inquiry, we’re asking: Is China’s economy in crisis? Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producers: Ravi Naik and Ben Cooper Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Kelly Young Broadcast Coordinator: Jacqui Johnson(Image: Chinese yuan cash bills and Chinese flag: Javier Ghersi/Getty)

More than 200 years ago French soldiers uncovered a slab of granite in the Nile Delta which became the key to understanding the history of ancient Egypt. The Rosetta Stone is inscribed with ancient Egyptian and Greek text, and hieroglyphs. Before it was translated, no-one realised that hieroglyphs were a form of written language. After the French surrender of Egypt in 1801, the artifact was taken to the UK, and ever since, it’s been one of the main attractions at the British Museum in London. The museum is holding a major exhibition on hieroglyphs, with the stone as its centrepiece, but there are calls from Egyptian scholars for it to be taken back to its place of origin. However, the British Museum says there has been no formal request from the Egyptian government to return the Rosetta Stone.So this week on the Inquiry, we’re asking: Is it time for Britain to return the Rosetta Stone? Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Ravi Naik Researcher: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Broadcast Coordinator: Jacqui Johnson (Image: The Rosetta Stone on display in the Egyptian Sculpture Gallery at the British Museum: BBC Images/European Photopress Agency/Neil Hall)

Women in Iran have been at the forefront of protests that have swept the country for weeks.More than 200 people have lost their lives, and hundreds of others have been detained after demonstrations following the death of 22 year old Mahsa Amini. She died after being arrested by the regime's morality police for not wearing her hijab correctly. Women have been fighting for their basic freedoms and demanding an end to the mandatory headscarf. Many have posted videos on social media, cutting their hair or burning their hijabs in protest.But will their anger lead to reforms in the Islamic Republic?This week on the Inquiry, we ask: will the protests in Iran bring change?Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Ben Henderson and Christopher Blake Researcher: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Broadcast Coordinator: Jacqui Johnson Image: Women burn headscarves during a protest over the death of 22-year-old Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in Iran, in the Kurdish-controlled city of Qamishli, Syria, 26 September 2022 (Credit: Orhan Qereman/Reuters)

The Kerch bridge, a vital supply route for Russian forces in Crimea, has been partially destroyed in a huge blast. It was a symbol of Russia’s annexation of Crimea from Ukraine, and the explosion was equally symbolic, coming just one day after President Putin’s 70th birthday. The Russian president described it as “an act of terrorism”, and he punished Ukraine’s cities with a day of missile strikes, targeting civilian areas. All this comes as Putin’s Special Military Operation is struggling. Ukraine has now seized back more territory than Russia took in the early stages of the war. Hundreds of thousands of Russian army reservists have fled rather than being sent to the front, war deaths and the financial costs of the war are mounting, and winter is approaching. But for President Putin, there is no easy exit from Ukraine. He may have no political choice but to double down, and has even dropped dark hints about using nuclear weapons. So this week on the Inquiry we ask: Is Putin’s war in Ukraine at a turning point? Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Ravi Naik Researcher: Christopher Blake Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Mitch Goodall Broadcast Coordinator: Jacqui Johnson(Image: Huge fire erupts on strategic bridge linking Crimea to Russia: Credit: Anadolu Agency/Getty)

In his first speech as King, Charles III said he would endeavour to serve his subjects, wherever they live “in the UK, the realms and territories across the world”. But following the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, several realms – countries other than the UK that have the British Monarch as head of state – say they may become republics. Barbados became a republic in 2021. Antigua, Belize, Jamaica and Grenada may follow. King Charles III has also just become the elected head of the Commonwealth of Nations. But will any new republics leave because of its roots in Empire, or embrace an organisation that represents nearly a third of the people on Earth? This week on the Inquiry, we ask: what’s the future of the Commonwealth under King Charles III?Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Ravi Naik Researcher: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Broadcast Coordinator: Jacqui Johnson(Image: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales speaks during the formal opening of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting at Buckingham Palace in London on April 19, 2018. (Photo by DOMINIC LIPINSKI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Brazil is voting to elect a new president. On the ballot is the incumbent Jair Bolsonaro and Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, known almost universally as Lula, a fiery leftist who was Brazil’s president from 2002 to 2010.Bolsonaro is a former army officer with solid conservative views. Lula is very left leaning and in favour of protecting the environment. Their contrasting policies on issues such as the economy, law and order, family values, and the environment, have polarised the country. Whoever wins will lead a country with deep divisions. So this week on The Inquiry we are asking: How can Brazil’s next president unite the country?Presented by David Baker Produced by Annabel Deas and Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Researched by Chris Blake Mixed by Nicky Edwards The editor is Tara McDermott and the production co-ordinator is Jacqui Johnson(Image: Towels with images of presidential candidates Lula da Silva and Jair Bolsonaro are displayed in a street stand to be sold in downtown Sao Paulo: Alexandre Schneider/Getty Images)

August 2022. Political tensions in Iraq boil over, and peaceful demonstrations outside the country’s parliament turn violent. The sounds of gun and rocket fire return to Baghdad, and 30 people are killed. The violence ends when populist leader Muqtada al-Sadr tells his followers to lay down their arms and go home. His Sadrist party won the most seats in the previous election, but his inability to form a majority government has led to the political deadlock. Politics in a country as diverse as Iraq is complicated, with Shia, Sunni and Kurdish groups, and well-armed militias. Add oil revenues and political interference by Iraq’s neighbour Iran into the mix, and you have a potentially volatile situation. So this week on the Inquiry we’re asking, How close did Iraq come to civil war?Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producers: Ravi Naik and Christopher Blake Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producers: Richard Hannaford and Mitch Goodall Broadcast Coordinator: Jacqui Johnson(Image: Supporters storm Republican Palace after Iraqi Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr announced retirement from politics, Baghdad, Iraq - 29 Aug 2022: by MURTAJA LATEEF/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Relations between France and Mali have hit a low point, with both countries trading hostile comments in public about what the other is doing. Mali’s military rulers accuse France of supplying arms to anti-government militants. Paris denies this and is unhappy about Mali’s working relationship with Russian mercenaries. Things are so bad that President Emmanuel Macron announces the withdrawal of French troops. They were sent in 9 years ago to help fight Islamist militants, who still pose a threat across the region. On this week’s inquiry, we look at why the French have departed, and what this means for Mali. Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Researcher: Christopher Blake Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Broadcast co-ordinator: Jacqui Johnson(Photo: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)

The former Pakistani prime minister, Imran Khan, is facing terrorism charges in Islamabad. He was charged under Pakistan's stringent anti-terrorism laws for condemning Islamabad’s chief of police and a female judge, after claims his close political aide was arrested and tortured. Since he lost power in April, he’s been addressing huge political rallies, where he’s told the crowds that he was brought down by a conspiracy organised by the current government, state powers, and the USA. Most political analysts believe his rhetoric is a cynical ploy, but tens of thousands of his supporters believe it. It’s the latest twist in his journey from superstar cricketer and socialite, to Islamist, populist statesman. But how did he climb to power, how did he lose it, and what could happen next? Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Ravi Naik Researcher: Christopher Blake Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Broadcast Coordinator: Jacqui Johnson(Photo by SHAHZAIB AKBER/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

Monkeypox is a virus that was first identified in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Nigeria in the 1970s. Since then it has appeared around the world. More concerning is that the virus appears to be evolving and there are some unusual symptoms. The world has known about monkeypox for decades. Why is it spreading again now? How serious is the current outbreak?This week on The Inquiry we ask, are nations doing enough to combat monkeypox?Contributors: Prof Dimie Ogoina, Infectious Disease Physician at the Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, Professor of Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Niger Delta University and Chief Medical Director of the NDUTH and the President of the Nigerian Infectious Diseases SocietyJason Cianciotto, Vice President of Communications and Policy at Gay Men’s Health crisis in New YorkDr Boghuma Titanji, Assistant Professor of medicine at Emory University in Atlanta(Image: multiple monkeypox viruses, Uma Shankar sharma, Getty Images)

It’s nearly a century since it was discovered that the sun and other stars are powered by nuclear fusion. It’s when hydrogen atoms merge to form helium, and release huge amounts of energy. Since then, scientists have dreamed of reproducing the process here on Earth, with one Nobel Laureate calling it “the sun in a box”. It holds the promise of virtually limitless energy, with few emissions and waste. But recreating the conditions where fusion can take place are a vast engineering challenge. So how close are we to having a working reactor powered by fusion? And will the process solve all our energy problems? Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham

This summer, countries across the world have experienced extreme weather events. Flash floods have killed people in South Korea, Uganda, Australia and the US state of Kentucky, and heatwaves have broken records across Western Europe, North America and Japan. However, countries across the world are developing ways to try to tame the weather. China, the UAE and the USA are at the forefront of research into methods of producing rain in drought-stricken areas. And some scientists are thinking even bigger; investigating technologies which could cool the entire planet. This week, the Inquiry asks: Can we control the weather?Contributors: Dr Rob Thompson, University of Reading Professor Katja Friedrich, University of Colorado, Boulder Professor David Keith, Harvard University Professor Elizabeth Chalecki, University of Nebraska OmahaPresenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Ravi Naik Researchers: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty and Christopher Blake Technical producer: Nicky Edwards Broadcast coordinator: Brenda BrownImage: Hands cradling a lightning storm (Credit: Getty Images)

A recent visit to Taiwan by Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, has heightened tensions between the US and China. Their relationship is the worst it’s been in decades. America has accused China of dangerous military provocations in the region. China has warned the US not to play with fire. Add to all that Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and concerns that China could be contemplating something similar in Taiwan, and it’s time to ask the question: Will the US and China go to war over Taiwan?Contributors: James Lin from the University of Washington and expert on Taiwanese historyDr Yu Jie, Senior Research Fellow on China, Chatham House(Photo: China and Taiwan boxing gloves - credit: Getty Images)

Images of queues, huge piles of luggage and even pilots loading their planes with cargo have plagued the media throughout the world. Airports have been in chaos for months as they have attempted to re-emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, with Europe, the UK and the USA all having suffered the worst of the effects so far. Flight cancelations have played havoc with business travellers and holiday makers alike, and the problem only appears to be getting worse as a whole raft of flights have recently been cancelled in the UK. All this begs the question, Why are things so bad right now and how do we fix the situation? So this week on the inquiry we ask, Will air travel ever return to normal?Producer: Ravi Naik and Christopher Blake Editor: Tara McDermott (Photo: Flight boards at the height of the summer rush July 2022 Frankfurt Airport, Germany/credit: BBC images)

Tunisian President Kais Saied has drafted a new constitution for Tunisia that gives him new sweeping powers, including authority over the judiciary and immunity for life from prosecution. Tunisia was a beacon of hope for democracy after the Arab Spring. The country rid itself of dictator Ben Ali after 24 years of rule and moved to a more democratic system. Now the country seems to be sliding back towards the one man rule that it has known for generations. This week on The Inquiry we are asking why Tunisia has turned its back on democracy.Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Researchers: Anoushka Mutanda-Dougherty and Christopher Blake Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford Editor: Tara McDermott(Tunisian presidential Kais Saied in Tunis. BBC Images)

In 2016 Britain voted to leave the European Union. There were warnings that pulling away from the largest trade bloc in the world would be damaging to the UK’s finances. Those that campaigned for Brexit argued it would offer the UK self-determination and the freedom to forge its own trade relationships. Who was right?This week on The Inquiry we attempt to disentangle the numbers from the complications of the global pandemic and the war in Ukraine and ask, what impact has Brexit had on the UK’s economy. Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Researcher: Christopher Blake Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Edited by: Tara McDermott(image: Trade between UK and EU. Getty images)

Sri Lanka is now in the worst economic crisis they have seen in decades, schools are closed, fuel is in short supply, there are power cuts and a shortage of food. The President has been forced to resign and the political future of the country is uncertain. But can the current problems be traced back to a decision to take the country’s food production completely organic?In 2021 the President of Sri Lanka announced a total ban on chemical fertilizer and pesticides. Health concerns were given as a reason, but in the background was the pandemic, loss of tourism and a lack of natural fertilizer available in the country. After protests the ban on chemical fertilizer was reversed, but had it already caused too much damage? This week on The Inquiry we ask, did organic farming cause Sri Lanka’s collapse?Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Researcher: Christopher Blake Technical Producer: Richard Hannaford(Anti government protesters invade the president's office in Colombo, Sri Lanka. 9 July 22 Credit: Tharaka Basnayaka /Getty Images)

A software engineer called Blake Lemoine has been suspended from Google after claiming an AI chatbot called LaMDA is a person with wishes and rights that should be respected. He says the chatbot wants to be seen as a google employee, and not as a product. He also calls it his friend.Google says it's reviewed his concerns and the evidence does not support his claims. But what exactly is Artificial Intelligence? How does LaMDA work - and is AI capable of felt experience?On the Inquiry this week, Charmaine Cozier asks, has AI developed consciousness?Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Produced by: Ravi Naik and Christopher Blake Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown

This year India has experienced its worst heatwave since records began. The heatwave is estimated to have led to dozens of deaths across the region and led to forest fires and damage to wheat crops. Health and livelihoods are threatened by the rising temperatures. How much can India adapt to heat that is rising to the limit of human endurance and what needs to be done to mitigate the effects of climate change? Presenter: Tanya Beckett Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Craig Boardman(A worker stops for water in scorching heat near India Gate, New Delhi. Credit: Arvind Yadav/ Getty Images)

Each year, Ukraine exports enough food to feed 400 million people around the world. But the Russian invasion has disrupted vital trade routes, trapping an estimated 25 million tonnes of grain in silos around the port city of Odesa. The African Union describes the situation as a catastrophic scenario, and the UN Secretary General says the shortages could tip millions of people into food insecurity. But how reliant is the world on Ukrainian – and Russian – grain? What will a shortfall do to the world’s most vulnerable countries? On the Inquiry this week, Charmaine Cozier asks, has the war in Ukraine sparked a global food crisis?Producer: Ravi Naik Researcher: Chris Blake Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Nicky Edwards Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown

Not so long ago the music industry was threatened like it had never been before as online piracy tore into the profit margins of record labels the world over. Often hailed as the saviour, Spotify stepped in and offered audiences a new way of enjoying their favourite artists and without the need to illegally download pirated material. Despite this, musical artists are becoming increasingly vocal about how difficult it is to make a living from streaming, all whilst record labels and Spotify are reporting huge profit margins. This week, Tanya Beckett takes a closer at how online streaming services are affecting the music industry. Produced by: Chris Blake and Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Editor: Tara McDermott Technical Producer: Craig Boardman Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown

There was a time when living to 100 seemed impossible, but not any longer. Can the process of ageing be slowed or even reversed? Do those who have already lived to 100 hold the secrets that will help us all live longer?While science tries to find the answers to living a long and healthy life, societies with ageing populations, such as Japan, are finding new ways to help their older population live active and connected lives. On the Inquiry this week, Charmain Cozier asks, how do we live to 100?Presenter: Charmaine Cozier Produced by: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham and Ravi Naik Editor: Tara McDermott(Chocolate 100th Birthday Cake. Credit: Getty images)

Ever since Hollywood entered the Chinese market in the early '90s, the importance of Chinese audiences was apparent. Over recent years the Chinese market has grown in significance to the point of deciding whether a film is ultimately successful or not. Given the countries importance to the overall profitability of Tinsel Town, it is of little surprise that their censors are able to increasingly demand changes to films that threaten the Chinese narrative. Despite this, the recent Sony/Marvel blockbuster Spider-Man did not appear to challenge Chinese values. Tanya Beckett takes a closer at How China’s increasing influence is affecting the movie-making process in Hollywood. Producer: Christopher Blake Editor: Richard Vadon(Giant billboard screens advertising Spider-man in Hong Kong, China. Dec 2021. Credit: Budrul Chukrut /Getty Images)

The Covid-19 pandemic forced countries all over the world to close entire industries and force the majority of people to stay in their own homes where possible, only leaving for the bare essentials. Following the arrival of a vaccine economies began to open back up, however, restarting the behemoth-like supply chains was not as simple as first hoped and issues began to occur resulting in empty shelves and price-gouging on certain products. Experts believed it was all par for the course and was merely a transitory period whilst global supply chains regained their flow. Then Russia invaded Ukraine. Then China locked down Shanghai, the world's largest shipping port. Tanya Beckett takes a closer look at how these two developments have changed the outlook on global inflation. Producer: Christopher Blake Editor: Richard VadonImage: Shoppers at a market in Istanbul (Credit: Diego Cupolo/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

After two really difficult years living in the grip of Covid-19, restrictions are winding down and international borders are opening up in countries around the world. Striking the right balance between the needs of a population fed up with lockdowns and scientists warning we’ve only reached the end of the beginning is complicated to get right. While it may feel like the worst of Covid-19 has passed, the disease still poses a real threat to us. We ignore this fact at our peril. So, in this week’s Inquiry Sandra Kanthal will be asking how pandemics really end. Produced and presented by Sandra Kanthal Editor: Richard VadonGuests: Dr Margaret Harris, Spokesperson, World Health Organisation Nicholas Christakis, Professor of Social and Natural Science, Yale University Aris Katzourakis, Professor of Evolution and Genomics, University of Oxford Dora Vargha, Professor of History and Medical Humanities, University of Exeter(Covid face mask lying on the ground. Getty images)

A leaked document from America’s highest court suggests that it is ready to strike down a 1973 landmark case that made abortion legal across the US. If that does happen then it will be down to individual states to decide how they react. Charmaine Cozier explores whether this means abortion will be banned across America. Presenter: Charmaine CozierProducer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham(Protesters at a Texas Rally for Abortion Rights in Houston, May 7 2022. Credit: Mark Felix/Getty images)

Three weeks before the 2020 US presidential election a newspaper published contents of a laptop they said belonged to Hunter Biden, son of Joe Biden, who at that time was campaigning against Donald Trump to win the election. The contents allegedly revealed questionable business dealings that implicated Joe Biden, and lurid personal details of Hunter Biden’s life. Some media outlets refused to run the story and social media platforms blocked the content. Since then other newspapers have tried to verify the laptop data and it still remains controversial today with hints there are more revelations to come. Charmaine Cozier asks what is the truth about Hunter Biden’s laptop?Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham(Photo: President Joe Biden embraces his son Hunter Biden at his inauguration in 2020. Credit: Andrew Harnik-Pool/Getty Images)

Since the invasion of Ukraine, European countries have sought alternatives to Russian gas. There are different options. Piped gas from countries such as Algeria and Libya, or liquid natural gas from the US or Qatar. Stepping up the drive towards renewable energy. More controversially, investing in nuclear power or continuing to mine or import coal. How quickly can a solution be found and what are the financial and environmental costs? With Tanya Beckett. Producer Bob Howard(Steam from the cooling towers of German energy giant RWE power AG in Neurath, Germany April 2022. Photo: Ying Tang/Getty Images)

In 2021 the president of Sri Lanka announced a total ban on chemical fertilizer and pesticides. The country’s farms were going to go fully organic. Health concerns were given as a reason, but in the background was the pandemic, loss of tourism and a lack of natural fertilizer available in the country. Sri Lanka is now in the worse economic crisis they have seen in decades and the government has reversed its ban on chemical fertilizer. This week on The Inquiry we explore why Sri Lanka’s organic farming dream failed. Presented by Charmain Cozier Produced by Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Researched by Christopher Blake(Woman picking tea on plantation in Sri Lanka. Credit: Getty images)

Can scientists develop a vaccine which can combat the coronavirus and all its variants? There have been three lethal outbreaks caused by coronaviruses this century: SARS in 2002, MERS in 2012 and now SarsCov2. Scientists predict we will eventually encounter SarsCov3. That’s why the race is on to develop a universal vaccine to combat the coronaviruses and variants we know about, and the ones we have yet to confront. But attempts to create a universal vaccine for viruses such as influenza and HIV have been going on for decades - without success. Before 2020, proposals to create a vaccine against coronaviruses were not thought important enough to pursue since many just cause the common cold. Now that we understand their real threat, can scientists succeed in creating a vaccine to fight this large family of viruses? Produced and presented by Sandra Kanthal(image: Covid vaccines/Getty creative)

Throughout history nations have competed to exert the latest military developments over their enemies, always with the goal of inflicting maximum damage on enemy soldiers whilst preserving their own forces. Drones are the latest in a long line of technological developments to offer military superiority on the battlefield, as demonstrated by the resilient defence of Ukrainian forces in the face of Russian aggression.The use of unmanned aerial vehicles in war is becoming ubiquitous raising the question, are drones the future of warfare? Tanya Beckett takes a closer look at how drones are changing the battlefield landscape. Producer: Christopher Blake Editor: Richard Vadon(The 'Bayraktar TB2' (Armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) in Istanbul, Turkey Feb 22, 2021 Credit: Baykar /Getty Images)

On Wednesday 23 March the US administration declared that Russian troops had committed war crimes in Ukraine. It claims to have evidence showing numerous deliberate attacks on civilians. An unprecedented number of countries have backed an investigation by the International Criminal Court into the allegations. The evidence is being gathered. Tanya Beckett explores whether it’s possible that Vladimir Putin will be held responsible and face trial for war crimes committed by his forces during this war. Producer: Louise Clarke-Rowbotham Researcher: Chris Blake(Banner reads 'Wanted Dead Or Alive Vladimir Putin For Genocide' in Przemysl, Poland. 5 March 2022. Credit: Beata Zawrzel /Getty Images)

Russia's military dwarfs Ukraine's by comparison, so it was expected that Ukraine would fall under Russian occupation quickly. One month later and Russia have made very little progress and Kyiv, the capital, remains under Ukrainian control. Given the overwhelming odds stacked against the Ukrainian military, why has the Russian military failed to conquer Ukraine?Charmaine Cozier takes a closer look at where the Russian military have made their mistakes. Producer: Christopher Blake(Russian tank destroyed by Ukrainian forces on the side of a road in Lugansk. Credit: Anatolii Stepanov /Getty Images)

According to media reports, Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has survived two assassination attempts from the band of mercenaries known as the Wagner Group. Their ruthlessness has earned them a feared reputation from Kyiv to Central Africa. But who are they, and has Putin really entrusted them with taking out a head of state?(Pro-Russian separatists patrol with armoured vehicles in Donetsk, Ukraine 11 March 2022. Getty Images)

Russia’s President Vladimir Putin has offered historical justification for his invasion of Ukraine by claiming its lands have long been part of Russia. The history of Russia and Ukraine may be intertwined, but the identity of Ukraine as a separate nation emerged over centuries, long before it became independent 30 years ago. Tanya Beckett investigates. Contributors: Faith Hillis, Professor of Russian History, University of Chicago Serhii Plokhy, Professor of History, Director Ukrainian Research Institute, Harvard University Margarita Balmaceda, Professor of International Relations, Seton Hall University Sergey Radchenko, Professor, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, visiting Professor Cardiff University Presenter: Tanya Beckett Researcher: Chris Blake Producer: Sheila Cook(Photo: President Putin at the Kremlin Sept 2021 in Moscow, Russia. Credit: Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

As economic sanctions are applied to Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, will they help force it to change course? While they are credited with helping end apartheid in South Africa they have had mixed success when applied to other countries. With Charmaine Cozier.Produced by Bob Howard(Protesters hold up placards in support of Ukraine, Trafalgar Square London UK, 27 Feb 2022. Credit: Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Left wing political parties in France have lost considerable popular support in the last decade. Do they have a future with so many of their voters defecting to president Macron? With Charmaine Cozier Produced by Bob Howard(Jean-Luc Mélenchon party leader of France's leftist movement La France Insoumise, MP and candidate for the 2022 presidential election. 13 Feb 2022 Credit: Pascal Guyot /Getty Images)

One of the world's largest humanitarian crises plagues the people of Yemen who have endured nearly eight years of civil conflict in the country. Over half the population struggles to access food, poverty is rife, and cholera is spreading. Meanwhile, three separate forces compete for control of Yemen. Backed by powerful foreign players, is there anything that can bring these warring factions to the table to find a peaceful resolution?Tanya Beckett takes a closer look at what stands in the way of peace in Yemen.Producer: Christopher Blake(Armed Yemeni supporters of the Iran-backed Houthi movement rally in the capital Sanaa 27/01/2022. Credit Mohammed Huwais /Getty Images)

Elected governments have been overthrown by military coups in Burkina Faso, Mali and Guinea. Each has some popular support as people grow frustrated with their political elites. But will military lead governments perform better than civilians ones in these West African countries and will the soldiers lead a transition back to elections or cling on to power? With Charmaine Cozier. Producer Bob Howard (video screen grab of the military junta in Burkina Faso confirming the coup on state television RTB 24 Jan 2022. Credit: Getty images)

Can we meet the soaring demand for lithium, a vital metal for electric cars and green energy? Mining is concentrated in a limited number of countries such as Australia and Chile. And with China dominating the manufacture of electric car batteries and already accounting for the importation of a high proportion of raw lithium, it may be difficult for Western countries to secure their own supplies. With Tanya Beckett. Producer Bob Howard (A worker checks lithium car batteries at the Xinwangda factory in Nanjing,China on March 12, 2021. AFP via Getty Images)