Next gen: humanity's newest generation has just arrived

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  The Economist. Hi there, it's Jason Palmer here,

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  co-host of The Intelligence, our daily news and current affairs podcast.

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  This is Editor's Picks.

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  You're about to hear an article from the latest edition of The Economist read aloud.

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  Enjoy.

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  What comes after Z?

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  Lots of names have been pitched for the world's youngest generation,

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  born roughly since 2010.

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  Some are predictable, such as iPad Kids and Generation AI.

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  Others are perplexing, as with Polars,

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  which nods both to growing polarisation and shrinking ice caps.

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  One name is caught on in the English-speaking West, Generation Alpha.

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  It symbolizes a fresh chapter, says Mark McCrindle, the Australian demographer behind it.

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  He canvassed people for ideas nearly 20 years ago.

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  Many suggested the name Gen A. But rather than go back to the start of the Latin alphabet,

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  he pivoted to the Greek one.

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  Alpha has recently become a buzzword.

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  A slew of reports and surveys have been published about these youngsters,

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  revealing things they are interested in, video games,

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  sports, and not, recycling, the news.

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