Years ending: notable lives lost in 2025

<p>Today’s show is a tribute to those whose lives we remembered this year. From <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2025/04/21/pope-francis-changed-the-catholic-church-but-not-as-much-as-he-hoped?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Pope Francis</a>, the most open-minded pontiff for decades, and controversial vice-president <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2025/11/06/dick-cheney-divided-americans?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Dick Cheney</a>, to champ of the chimpanzees <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2025/10/09/jane-goodall-spent-her-life-telling-humans-to-honour-animals?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Jane Goodall</a>, bubblegum pop star <a href="https://www.economist.com/culture/2025/06/12/brian-wilson-and-the-bliss-of-bubble-gum-pop?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Brian Wilson</a> and <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2025/05/08/alice-tan-ridley-knew-how-to-make-new-yorks-subways-ring?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Alice Tan Ridley</a>, a New York subway busker who became a superstar.<strong> </strong>&nbsp;</p><br /><p><em>Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—</em><a href="https://subscribenow.economist.com/podcasts-plus" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+</em></a></p><br /><p><em>For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our </em><a href="https://myaccount.economist.com/s/article/What-is-Economist-Podcasts" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>FAQs page</em></a><em> or watch </em><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gczo71bg1uY" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>our video</em></a><em> explaining how to link your account.</em></p><hr /><p style="color: grey; font-size: 0.75em;"> Hosted on Acast. See <a href="https://acast.com/privacy" rel="noopener noreferrer" style="color: grey;" target="_blank">acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>