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.
Facing Fear in the Housing Market
Glenn Kelman is the CEO of the real estate company Redfin. His problem: With the housing market teetering, how do you sell houses online? Redfin has a website where you can look at houses for…
From Hot Money: Playboy vs. Rusty and Edie
This bonus episode is from Hot Money, a new podcast from Pushkin and the Financial Times. When Financial Times reporter Patricia Nilsson started digging into the porn industry, she made a shocking discovery: Nobody knew…
Going to Venus on the Cheap
Peter Beck is the founder and CEO of Rocket Lab. His problem: How do you turn sending stuff into outer space into something that seems as boring and predictable as mailing a package? Later this…
Putting a Car on the Moon
On this bonus episode of What’s Your Problem? Jacob Goldstein talks with Eddie Alterman, former editor of Car and Driver and host of the new podcast Car Show! In this episode, Eddie investigates the Lunar…
Sam Bankman-Fried Wants to Save the World
Sam Bankman-Fried is the founder and CEO of the crypto exchange FTX. His problem: How to spend billions of dollars to save humanity. Sam is one of the most interesting people in crypto — in…
The Quest for the Perfect Avocado
Katherine Sizov is the founder and CEO of Strella Biotech. Her problem: Tons of food is wasted before it ever gets to the consumer. Katherine started working on this problem in 2018, when she was…
Making Electronics Better
Anna Katrina Shedletsky is co-founder and CEO of Instrumental. Her problem: How do you make electronics manufacturing more efficient and less wasteful? Anna started her career as a design engineer at Apple. It was her…
From Slate Money: 37.8% Scammier
Today we’re sharing a preview from another podcast we love, Slate Money. Every week, Felix Salmon of Axios is joined by Emily Peck, also of Axios, and Slate Pay Dirt columnist Elizabeth Spiers to chat…
Turning Cells into Tiny Factories
Reshma Shetty is co-founder and chief operations officer of Ginkgo Bioworks. Her problem: How do you turn cutting-edge science into a sustainable business? Ginkgo is a synthetic biology company. The idea is to make industrial…
Seeing Data From Space
Will Marshall is the co-founder and CEO of Planet, a private company with a fleet of tiny satellites that takes photos of the entire Earth every day. Will’s problem: How do you turn all those…