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(488)

Why US action in Venezuela is causing so much anxiety in Middle East

Why US action in Venezuela is causing so much anxiety in Middle East

Even though Caracas sits across the ocean, thousands of kilometres from the Middle East, the US attack on Venezuela and capture of its leader Nicolas Maduro has been unsettling. For Venezuelans who fe...

8 Jan 22min

How serious is the ISIS threat in Syria?

How serious is the ISIS threat in Syria?

After the US struck ISIS targets in Syria in late December, President Ahmad Al Shara’s government stepped up its own operations, carrying out weapons raids and arrests across the country. It came afte...

2 Jan 20min

The year in impact: Our episodes that resonated the most in 2025

The year in impact: Our episodes that resonated the most in 2025

The profound transformations in the Middle East this past year have rippled far beyond the region, reshaping politics and alliances around the world. The US has taken a new interest in Syria. Lebanon ...

26 Des 202528min

How Yemen’s power balance is shifting again

How Yemen’s power balance is shifting again

Political power in Yemen is shifting once again, reigniting questions about who truly holds authority in the country and whether it is heading towards another fundamental rupture. The Southern Transit...

19 Des 202515min

What’s stalling phase two of the Gaza ceasefire?

What’s stalling phase two of the Gaza ceasefire?

Two months have passed since a ceasefire was announced in Gaza, but the second phase of US President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan has yet to materialise. The uncertainty has left Gazans anxious that t...

12 Des 202520min

One year since Assad’s fall: Where is Syria today?

One year since Assad’s fall: Where is Syria today?

A year has passed since Bashar Al Assad’s government fell in Syria, marking the end of a brutal civil war that lasted for almost 14 years. In the end, it took less than two weeks last December for an ...

5 Des 202533min

Is US pressure finally forcing Israel to address settler violence?

Is US pressure finally forcing Israel to address settler violence?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called a cabinet meeting this month to discuss settler violence, but this sudden interest stands in stark contrast to years of inaction by the state. Settler ...

28 Nov 202516min

How Israel is obstructing reconstruction in Lebanon

How Israel is obstructing reconstruction in Lebanon

Israel has bombed Lebanon on an almost daily basis over the past year, despite a ceasefire being in place. Its army claims to be attacking Hezbollah, accusing the group of re-arming. But civilian infr...

21 Nov 202521min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
stopp-verden
popradet
forklart
lydartikler-fra-aftenposten
rss-ness
nokon-ma-ga
det-store-bildet
dine-penger-pengeradet
rss-gukild-johaug
hanna-de-heldige
aftenbla-bla
fotballpodden-2
rss-dannet-uten-piano
rss-utenrikskomiteen-med-bogen-og-grasvik
e24-podden
bt-dokumentar-2
rss-garne-damer