Dan Novak and Ashley Thompson host today's Learning English show.

Dan Novak starts with a story about the growing market for labcreated diamonds. Some manufacturers declare their products are ethical and environmentally sustainable, unlike natural diamonds. But do we really know if that is true?

Then: A new government report says wealth inequality by race increased in the United States during the COVID19 pandemic. The New York Federal Reserve Bank report partly blames the rise on strong performance in financial markets and large gains in the stock market in 2021. Caty Waver reports.

Next: The US space agency NASA has launched a private company's lander spacecraft to the moon using a private company's rocket. The goal is to reach and land on the moon next week. Dan Friedell reports.

Then: Generative artificial intelligence (AI) has led to more companion chatbots. As a result, some peopel are developing closer connections with chatbots to get support and deal with loneliness. Jill Robbins tells about the use and effects of this new technology.

And finally: John Russell present the LE report Everyday Grammar. John explores the word 'popular' with a focus on its differences from a related word: population. Then, John joins Ashley in the studio, and reveals how he came up with the idea for today's lesson.

Dan and Ashley close the show.

Are Labgrown Diamonds Sustainable? https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a...
Wealth Inequality by Race Grew during Pandemic https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a...
Another Private US Company Aims for the Moon https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a...
Humans Seek Connections with AI Chatbots https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a...
What Is Popular in Your Country? https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a...