The podcast explains the historical and modern processes of papal elections, commonly known as conclaves. It details the roles of the College of Cardinals, the seclusion of electors, and the voting procedures within the Sistine Chapel. This also covers the announcement of a new pope with Habemus Papam and the smoke symbolizing the election's outcome. Furthermore, it also touches upon the eligibility requirements for becoming pope and the governance of the Church during the sede vacante.

Recent announcements from Microsoft regarding their Majorana 1 quantum processor have generated significant discussion within the scientific community. Based on topological qubits utilizing Majorana Zero Modes, Microsoft published papers and a press release outlining their advancements and a roadmap toward fault-tolerant quantum computing. This news, including the Nature paper's findings and peer review, along with a blueprint on arXiv, details their approach to qubit creation, control, and error correction. However, these claims have been met with skepticism and criticism from many physicists.

Ever wonder how prices of stuff you buy get decided? This episode breaks down why some of Donald Trump's ideas about tariffs (taxes on things from other countries) didn't quite add up. We'll explore the economic arguments and why experts said his approach could hurt the economy.