Can breast milk be replicated in a lab?
Our podcast on science and technology. Researchers have only recently learned how complex breast milk is. Can their discoveries help improve infant formula?
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/content-assets/images/20240706_PDP506.jpg)
Milk is a baby’s first source of water and nutrients, providing everything that’s needed to grow for the first six months of life. Mothers can provide this milk themselves, through breastfeeding, or by giving their babies carefully-curated formula milk. But it’s only recently that scientists have started to discover that human breast milk is way more complex than previously thought. And that’s prompted researchers to find ways to improve formula milk too.
Host: Alok Jha, The Economist’s science and technology editor. Contributors: Emilie Steinmark, science correspondent at The Economist; Cat Bohannon, author of “Eve”; Sharon Donovan, a professor of paediatric nutrition at the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign; Laura Katz, founder and CEO of the company Helaina; Victoria Slaughter of the company BIOMILQ; Shyam Sharan of the National Cancer Institute in Maryland; Emily Winup, midwife and mother of Alex; Esme, mother of Tallulah.
Transcript
AI GeneratedMore from Podcasts
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240706_PDP513.jpg)
Checks and Balance
How is the Supreme Court changing America?
Our weekly podcast on democracy in America. This week, we look back at a momentous term for the Supreme Court
47:53
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240706_PDP510.jpg)
The Intelligence
Starming victory: Britain’s Labour Party sweeps to power
Also on the daily podcast: the splitting of Britain’s right and Labour’s to-do list
29:36
![](https://cdn.statically.io/img/www.economist.com/cdn-cgi/image/width=1424,quality=80,format=auto/media-assets/image/20240706_PDP507.jpg)
Money Talks
The Bangalore model
Our podcast on markets, the economy and business. This week, we ask whether developing countries could get rich by exporting services
41:05