A bomb that killed hundreds of thousands of people.

A scientist who wanted it made, but then didn't want it to be used.

My own grandfather and a picture of a mushroom cloud.

The bomb, a brand new podcast from the BBC World Service, available now.

Hello and welcome to Business Daily on the BBC World Service. I'm Jane Wakefield. Today we are asking,

How do you run a conference when people can't meet? Organizers have been trying to get creative

to recreate the magic of meeting in the real world. From virtual reality avatars to idea online speed

dating, we hear how it's gone. Giving a TED talk was the most terrifying experience of my entire

life. And I say that as someone who has literally been attacked by a shark. And just so much fun.

Actually, as soon as I stepped on that carpet and felt the energy of the audience, it was amazing.

And that is something that I don't think

we have been successful in replicating.

But if conferences are all about networking,

can this ever work if we are stuck at home staring at a screen?

No one can devote the same level of attention virtually. You can't expect someone to sit

in front of a screen all day. We're kind of doing that already and we hate it. Business Daily from the BBC.

As a technology journalist, I've been lucky enough to attend some of the industry's biggest events.

And as well as digging out some pretty interesting stories, these conferences have created contacts that have been vital in my work, as well as memories that I will treasure forever.

But 2020 appears to be the year that conferences died, at least temporarily.

So can a virtual conference ever work?

Will people take the time to tune in or will the prospect of hours in front of a screen

prove too much for many who already spend all day staring at a monitor?

...