Hello and welcome to the Intelligence on Economist Radio. I'm your host, Jason Palmer.

Every weekday we provide a fresh perspective on the events shaping your world.

Think of a robot. Now think smaller, much smaller. Researchers in America have figured out

how to turn stem cells from a frog into reliable little machines, blurring the line between

biological and mechanical. Big things might come from this small start.

And Moe-Tai boxing is a relative newcomer to the sport scene in Thailand. But this grappling,

kicking, elbowing sport has become wildly popular. Now a recent tragedy suggests the competitors

are starting far too young.

But first, pundits and pollsters were all set for a night of political intrigue, as Democrats

in Iowa voted for the party's presidential nominee. Instead, they got a delay. Something

went wrong with the transmission of the precinct level results, and as of this morning London

time, no one knows who won. That's not to say the chaos itself doesn't have political

consequences. It may shape the early part of the race. But it will also add fuel to

the argument that the Iowa caucuses, the first in America and the most watched, but not

the most representative, should be overhauled.

By and large, the evening went very smoothly to start off with. Adam Roberts is our Midwest

correspondent. There were lots of people caucusing in the main school hall. It was good nature.

There were farmers and factory workers and retirees and students all getting on in a pretty

good mood and huddling and caucusing as they've done every year since 1972.

And then things began to go wrong. And so, even while in the hall towards the end of the

evening, it was becoming clear that the people running the show and there were five caucuses

going on in the same school, were finding it difficult to communicate with headquarters

...