What’s Your Problem?
Rare earth elements are inside pretty much everything with an on-off switch: Phones, laptops, cars. Even missiles. And China controls the world’s supply of components made from rare earths.
David Abraham is the author of the book “The Elements of Power: Gadgets, Guns, and the Struggle for a Sustainable Future in the Rare Metal Age.” David’s problem is this: What should the US do about China’s chokehold on the rare earth supply chain?
According to Abraham, the current US strategy could wind up costing billions of dollars without solving the problem. And he has a big idea for what we should do instead.
In this episode, David explains:
- How China quietly built a monopoly on rare earth materials
- Why the 2010 Japan crisis was a preview of today’s trade war
- China’s export restriction strategy
- Why the problem goes deeper than billions in spending can solve
- Why electric vehicles are the key to reinvigorating the U.S. rare earth industry
Learn more:
- Find David at his website
- Buy the Elements of Power
- Check out David’s article in the new Republic
Connect with us:
- Follow Jacob Goldstein on LinkedIn, X and Instagram
- Email us at problem@pushkin.fm
- Follow Pushkin on Instagram, LinkedIn or X
- Listen to Jacob’s other show, Business History
To listen to the show early and ad free, sign up for Pushkin+
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Can the US Break China’s Grip on Rare Earths?
Rare earth elements are inside pretty much everything with an on-off switch: Phones, laptops, cars. Even missiles. And China controls the world’s supply of components made from rare earths. David Abraham is the author of…
How Quantum Computers Could Change the World
Ben Bloom is the co-founder and CEO of Atom Computing, a company building quantum computers out of individual atoms. Ben’s problem is this: How do you build a quantum computer that is actually useful for…
Fighting Wildfires from Space
Jonny Dyer is the founder and CEO of a satellite company called Muon Space. The company’s first big project is a satellite constellation called FireSat. Jonny’s problem is this: How do you capture data from…
The Killer We Refused to See
After bacteria were discovered, it took scientists 200 years to figure out that they cause disease. If scientists had made the link sooner, hundreds of millions of lives could have been saved. In his recent…
The Startup Run by AI Agents
Evan Ratliff co-founded a publishing startup in 2011. Now he hosts a podcast called Shell Game. In the latest season of the show, Evan creates a company run by AI agents. The project is absurdly…
Can AI Help Solve Alzheimer’s?
Patrick Hsu is the co-founder of Arc Institute, which is integrating AI models and biological research. Patrick’s problem is this: How can you use AI to make biological research more efficient – and ultimately to…
The New Science of Preventing Heart Attacks
In recent decades, medical research has fundamentally changed how we think about heart disease. This fresh understanding has opened up new ways to prevent heart attacks. Eric Topol is a cardiologist and the founder of…
From Solar Pumps to Everything: Building a Market from Scratch
Samir Ibrahim is the co-founder and CEO of SunCulture. When he started the company, he thought he was solving a simple problem: How do you sell solar-powered pumps to help poor farmers irrigate their land?…
Mass-Producing Stem Cells to Cure Disease
Nabiha Saklayen is the co-founder and CEO of Cellino. Nabiha’s problem is this: How can you make personalized stem cell therapies quickly and cheaply? Induced pluripotent stem cells, or IPSCs, have shown tremendous promise as…
From Kill Switch: The Glassholes Are Back
Today, we’re sharing an episode of a show that explores the problems that new technology is creating and how we navigate living in the future. It’s called Kill Switch, and it’s hosted by Pulitzer Prize-winning…