cover of episode 12/8/2024: Boeing’s Whistleblowers, Big Crypto, A Tutor for Every Student, Thai Elephants

12/8/2024: Boeing’s Whistleblowers, Big Crypto, A Tutor for Every Student, Thai Elephants

2024/12/9
logo of podcast 60 Minutes

60 Minutes
Key Insights

Why are Boeing whistleblowers coming forward with safety concerns?

Boeing whistleblowers are coming forward due to serious safety and quality concerns, including mismanagement of parts, poor manufacturing, and sloppy inspections. They claim that the company prioritizes production speed over safety, leading to potential risks in commercial airplanes.

What role did the cryptocurrency industry play in the last U.S. election?

The cryptocurrency industry spent $144 million to support pro-crypto candidates in the last U.S. election, with 85% of the backed candidates winning. This investment aimed to influence regulation and legitimacy for the industry under the new administration.

How is AI being used to enhance education through Khanmigo?

Khanmigo, an AI-powered online tutor developed by Khan Academy in collaboration with OpenAI, helps teachers create detailed lesson plans quickly and provides students with personalized learning support. It is being piloted in 266 U.S. school districts to improve teacher efficiency and student learning.

What is causing the growing human-elephant conflict in Thailand?

Deforestation and overdevelopment have reduced the natural habitat of wild Asian elephants in Thailand, forcing them into farms and villages in search of food. This has led to dangerous encounters, with at least 135 people killed by elephants in the last six years.

What are the key safety issues raised by Boeing whistleblower Sam Mohawk?

Sam Mohawk, a Boeing whistleblower, raised concerns about faulty parts being reused on airplanes, including missing bolts and non-conforming rudders. He warned that these practices could lead to catastrophic events, as the parts may not last the expected 30-year lifespan of the jets.

What is the significance of the puzzle box experiment in understanding elephant behavior?

The puzzle box experiment, conducted by researchers in Thailand, demonstrates the problem-solving abilities of Asian elephants. It revealed that elephants exhibit a range of innovation and persistence, which could help develop targeted strategies to deter them from raiding farms and villages.

Shownotes Transcript

 Less than a year after a panel blew off a 737-9 MAX airplane carrying 177 people thousands of feet above the ground, Boeing has faced four new federal investigations and appointed a new CEO to “restore trust.” Yet that has not slowed down the steady stream of Boeing whistleblowers coming forward with safety and quality concerns. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi meets with several of those whistleblowers in Washington, including one who is speaking out in his first television interview. Alfonsi hears about their serious concerns for commercial airplanes leaving their factories and why they weren’t surprised when that panel blew off the side of a Boeing airplane in the Oregon sky.

Rarely in American politics has a new industry spent so much money, with such apparent impact, as the cryptocurrency business did in the last election. With the price of Bitcoin reaching record highs after the election, Margaret Brennan** **examines how much money the crypto industry spent, how effective it was, and what it hopes to get from the new “pro-crypto” Trump administration and Congress.

Correspondent Anderson Cooper explores AI in the classroom and learns how the education nonprofit Khan Academy teamed up with the AI company OpenAI to enhance teacher efficiency and deepen student learning. Cooper previews a new voice and vision technology from OpenAI, and test-drives a pioneering online tutor named "Khanmigo" from Khan Academy to experience firsthand how the two companies are hoping to help shape the future of education.

For centuries, the people of Thailand have held a deep reverence for their national animal - the Asian elephant. Today that reverence and co-existent relationship is being tested. Deforestation and overdevelopment are driving these 10-thousand-pound animals out of the wild and into farms and villages in search of food - creating a growing (and sometimes dangerous) human-elephant conflict. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi** **travels into the forests of Thailand to meet with villagers who are dealing with weekly elephant incursions and talks to American and Thai scientists who are developing novel solutions to combat the problem. This is a double length segment. 

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