What is the metaverse and can it replace the real world?

What is the metaverse and can it replace the real world?

The idea of a virtual world existing in parallel to the real one was once the stuff of science fiction. But today, millions of people are already spending hours a day in virtual spaces and spending billions of dollars on things that simply don’t exist in a physical environment.

When Facebook changed its name to Meta last year and rebranded itself as a “metaverse company”, what was once a controversial idea among tech enthusiasts came crashing into the mainstream. Now, the company and others like it are betting big that we will all be spending more and more time in the metaverse - doing everything from socialising and playing games with friends, to exercising and working remotely. On this week's Beyond The Headlines, host Arthur Scott-Geddes asks: what is the metaverse and is it really about to replace the real world?

Episoder(490)

Ramadan in Gaza: Living under threat, fighting for food and longing for peace

Ramadan in Gaza: Living under threat, fighting for food and longing for peace

Ramadan this year will be different for the people of Gaza with Israel continuing an air and ground assault that has gone on for five months now. The threat of famine looms due to the limited supply o...

8 Mar 202412min

Egypt’s struggle in the Rafah crisis

Egypt’s struggle in the Rafah crisis

Egypt is the only country other than Israel with a border with Gaza, which means the area between the city of Al Arish and the Palestinian territory bears witness to what is unfolding in Rafah. Tensi...

1 Mar 202425min

How the Russia-Ukraine war changed the world after two years

How the Russia-Ukraine war changed the world after two years

Tens of thousands of lives have been lost among Ukrainians and Russians, countless buildings are in ruin, the landscape of eastern Ukraine has been ravaged by destruction and there is no end in sight....

23 Feb 202412min

45 years on - How Iran’s Islamic revolution reshaped the region

45 years on - How Iran’s Islamic revolution reshaped the region

A series of protests escalated into a full-blown revolution in Iran and became a turning point in the history of the Middle East. On February 11, 1979, the rule of the US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pah...

16 Feb 202415min

The Middle East’s escalating conflict – and what it means

The Middle East’s escalating conflict – and what it means

The US has stepped up its involvement in the Middle East conflict with a barrage of strikes against Iran-allied targets in various locations in Iraq, Syria and Yemen. The strikes are in response to a ...

9 Feb 202418min

Drone attacks, a court ruling and defunding: How the Israel-Gaza conflict is expanding globally

Drone attacks, a court ruling and defunding: How the Israel-Gaza conflict is expanding globally

The Israel-Gaza conflict is evolving into a complex web, transcending the borders of the region to the international community. The week started with the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the UN’s...

2 Feb 202418min

What’s next for Israel after the blow of its deadliest day in Gaza?

What’s next for Israel after the blow of its deadliest day in Gaza?

This week saw the biggest single loss of life for Israel in Gaza since the war began with 24 soldiers killed on January 22 in two separate attacks, bringing its total military deaths to more than 200 ...

26 Jan 202416min

What have we learnt from Davos 2024?

What have we learnt from Davos 2024?

Every year, political and business leaders from around the world come together in the quaint ski resort of Davos nestled in the Swiss Alps for dialogue on the pressing global issues, including not jus...

19 Jan 202424min

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