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Control F

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Control F is a podcast about data — hard, fuzzy, surprising, and sometimes unreliable data — and all the ways it influences our daily lives. In each episode, we dig deep on a topic and search through research, algorithms, and assumptions to bring you insights on how stuff works. In a world ruled by numbers, Control F reads between the (spreadsheet) lines to find the bigger story.

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Wednesday · 34 min
How did college get so expensive?
Getting a college degree is a lot more expensive than it used to be–30% more, after inflation. Everyone has a theory about why that is (Fancy amenities! Lack of state funding! Student loans!) but what does the data say? In this episode, Clare schools Teo on the forces driving college tuition higher, and explains what could bring prices back down to earth. Have a question we should answer on the show? Click here to tell us using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org. Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2025, College Board The College Payoff, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 2021 College Scorecard Decoding the Cost of College, New America, 2018 Can the Trump administration make college cheaper?, Planet Money, 2026 Key Changes to Federal Student Loans Made in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Harvard University Interview with Beth Akers, American Enterprise Institute Interview with Judith Scott-Clayton, Columbia University Interview with Chris Ruhl, Purdue University Tuition data from: University of Washington; Western Washington University; Dartmouth College; University of Southern California See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
August 12 · 31 min
Is home insurance worth it in the age of wildfires?
Over 2.5 million Americans were forced out of their homes by natural disasters in 2023. As wildfires, hurricanes, and windstorms become routine across the country, homeowners are seeing their insurance premiums skyrocket. This has left many wondering: Is homeowners insurance even worth it anymore? Teo explains to Clare what homeowners insurance actually covers and whether the data says it pays off. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: Interview with Angela Giacchetti, Eaton Fire survivor, 2026 Interview with Jeffrey Callen, Washington state homeowner, 2026 Interview with Aaron VanTuyl, communications and media manager, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, 2026 Proprietary data, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, 2026 Community voices: LA fire recovery report, Department of Angels, 2026 Property insurance and disaster risk: New evidence from mortgage escrow data, National Bureau of Economic Research, 2024 Next to fall: The climate-driven insurance crisis is here — and getting worse, Senate Budget Committee staff report, 2024 Earthquake data call report, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, 2017 Study of American homeowners, LendingTree, 2026 Flood insurance manual, National Flood Insurance Program of FEMA, 2025 Home insurance rates in America are wildly distorted. Here’s why, New York Times, 2024 See where home insurance policies were dropped in your state, New York Times, 2024 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 29 · 32 min
How are speed limits calculated?
Every road in the United States has a speed limit, but where do these numbers come from? Do they actually make people slow down? And do lower speed limits make roads safer? In this episode, Clare tells Teo about the origins of speed limits, the science and engineering behind them, and how they fit into the bigger picture of staying safe on American roadways. Have a question we should answer on the show? Click here to tell us using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: The first speed limit passed in the United States, cultureNOW The first state-wide speed limit, ConnecticutHistory.org Statement on Signing the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act, The American Presidency Project, 1974 I Can’t Drive 55, Sammy Hagar Impact speed and a pedestrian's risk of severe injury or death, 2011 Literature review of pedestrian fatality risk as a function of car impact speed, 2011 Speed Limit Information, Seattle Department of Transportation Speed Limit Case Studies Report, Seattle Department of Transportation Crash Analysis Database, Seattle Department of Transportation Road Segment Counts Database, Seattle Department of Transportation Interview with Yinhai Wang, University of Washington Interview with Venu Nemani, Seattle Department of Transportation Interview with Clara Cantor, Seattle Streets Alliance Interview with Michael Smith, Seattle Streets Alliance See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 15 · 25 min
How do you predict how many visitors will travel for the FIFA World Cup?
Over a million international visitors were expected to come to the U.S. during the 2026 FIFA World Cup. But how did forecasters come up with that number almost a year ago? Teo tells Clare about the surprisingly straightforward math and how businesses use that information to (try to) prepare enough beer when the Scots come to town. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: Interview: Aran Ryan, Tourism Economics, 2026 Interview: John David, Sports Events and Tourism Association, 2026 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
July 1 · 32 min
Are e-bikes safer than motorcycles?
Every year, millions of Americans choose to hop on e-bikes because of their affordability, convenience and speed. Motorcycles can take you farther, faster, and have been around longer; so has their dangerous reputation. When you look at the numbers, which is actually more dangerous? Teo explains to Clare what the data says about the unique and shared risks of the two rides. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: Safety and Injury Prevention Statement, American College of Surgeons, 2025 Bike helmet protects a young boy’s brain, UW Medicine, 2025 Electric Bicycle Injuries and Hospitalizations, JAMA Surgery, 2024 National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, 2024 Bicycle Injury at UW Medicine, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, 2024 Exploring Electric Bicycle Safety Performance Data and Policy Options for California, San Jose State University, 2025 E-Bikes are vehicles, not toys: What parents need to know, Utah Department of Public Safety, 2026 Select Risk Factors Associated with Causes of Motorcycle Crashs, National Transportation Safety Board, 2018 Micromobility: Data Challenges Associated with Assessing the Prevalence and Risk of Electric Scooter and Electric Bicycle Fatalities and Injuries, National Transportation Safety Board, 2022 Traffic Safety Facts: Motorcycles, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2025 Traffic Safety Facts: Pedalcycles, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2025 Fatality Analysis Reporting System, 2024 Injury patterns and safety implications for electric bikes compared to mopeds in the United States, Traffic Injury Prevention, 2025 Interview: Stephen J. Mooney, Ph.D., University of Washington Department of Epidemiology, 2026 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
June 17 · 31 min
Should I worry about microplastics?
Plastic is extremely useful: lightweight, cheap, and flexible enough to make almost anything. That’s why global plastic production has been climbing for decades. All that plastic is making its way into our bodies via tiny particles, and that can’t be good for us…right? Clare tells Teo what we know so far about microplastics in our bodies, and why the science is more complicated than you might think. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: The Human Brain May Contain as Much as a Spoon’s Worth of Microplastics, New Research Suggests, Smithsonian Magazine, 2025 Bioaccumulation of microplastics in decedent human brains, Nature Medicine, 2025 Challenges in studying microplastics in human brain, Nature Medicine, 2025 Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events, The New England Journal of Medicine, 2024 The Real Truth About the U.S. Plastics Recycling Rate, Beyond Plastics / The Last Beach Cleanup, 2022 How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled, NPR, 2020 ‘A bombshell’: doubt cast on discovery of microplastics throughout human body, The Guardian, 2026 Interview with Marcus Garcia and Dr. Elaine Bearer, University of New Mexico Interview with Fazel Monikh, University of Padua Interview with Tracey Woodruff, Stanford University See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
June 3 · 20 min
From Booming: Is “millionaire flight” real?
Taxes on the wealthy are increasingly popular across the political spectrum in the United States. Democrats in particular have pursued taxes on the country’s highest income earners, including a tax on millionaires passed in Washington State earlier this year. But do high earners simply move to avoid paying those taxes? Booming host and KUOW economy reporter Monica Nickelsburg wanted to find out. So, she interviewed Cristobal Young: A professor of sociology at Cornell University who researches how wealthy people move, and how much of it is due to taxes. Listen to more episodes of Booming in the KUOW app, or wherever you get podcasts. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 20 · 27 min
Can Americans afford a Disney vacation?
Many Americans will take on debt this summer for a family trip to a Disney theme park. So why is the happiest place on earth breaking their bank accounts? Teo takes Clare on a fantasy trip to Disneyworld to find out, and see if Clare can have a truly magical experience on a budget. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: Disney’s Magic Kingdom Raises Prices, CNN News Room, 2014 Disney and the Decline of America’s Middle Class, New York Times, 2025 Can America Afford Disney?, Disney Tourist Blog, 2025 How Much Disney Can America’s Middle Class Afford in 2025?, Touring Plans Blog, 2025 The U.S. Economy Depends More Than Ever on Rich People, Wall Street Journal, 2025 Even Disney Is Worried About the High Cost of a Disney Vacation, Wall Street Journal, 2025 Why do people keep coming back?, USA Today, 2026 Consumer Expenditure Surveys, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2023 How Do People Afford Disney?, Reddit, 2026 Earnings Report, Walt Disney Report, 2024 Summer Travel Survey, Bankrate, 2025 Disney Survey, LendingTree, 2024 Global Attractions Attendance Report, AECOM, 2023 The Walt Disney Company, 2026 What’s The Current Disney Commission Rate For Travel Agents?, Mainstreet Agency Travel, 2026 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
May 6 · 30 min
Does shopping at Costco actually save you money?
Costco is a beloved brand, famous for its bulk deals and $1.50 hot dog lunch meal. But can shopping there really save you money? Clare tells Teo about her quest to find out, and the surprising ways that some people work the system of wholesale retailers. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org You help make Control F a reality by supporting the show. Donate to KUOW at this link to keep us in your feed and free for everyone. Sources in this episode: Consumer Price Index data, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Most and Least Expensive Supermarkets, Consumer Reports Cost of Living Index (COLI) data, The Council for Community Economic research Interview with David and Susan Schwartz, authors of The Joy of Costco Interview with Jordan Page Interview with Tan Vinh and Chris Solomon See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 22 · 33 min
Does immigration enforcement reduce crime?
President Donald Trump has turbo-powered immigration enforcement efforts in the U.S. As of March 2026, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was detaining approximately 60,000 people. The agency is now the best-funded law enforcement organization in the country. The Trump administration claims that expanded immigration enforcement will reduce crime. But does the data support that? Teo tells Clare about the recent history of immigration enforcement in the U.S. and explains what information we have on its relationship to crime. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: ICE Detention and Deportation by the Numbers, Austin Kocher, Substack, 2026 Deportation Data Project, University of California, Berkeley, 2026 The Human and Financial Costs Rack Up as Immigration Detention Expands, Martin Kaste, NPR, 2026 Rethinking Immigration Enforcement, Charis E. Kubrin, Scholars Strategy Network, 2025 Immigration Enforcement and Public Safety, Felipe M. Gonçalves, Elisa Jácome, Emily K. Weisburst, National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper, 2024 Immigration and Crime: Taking Stock, Charis E. Kubrin and Graham C. Ousey, SpringerBriefs in Criminology, 2023 Immigrant Organizations and Neighborhood Crime, Young-An Kim, John R. Hipp, Charis E. Kubrin, Sage Journal, 2022 Effects of Immigrant Legalization on Crime, Scott R. Baker, American Economic Review, 2015 7 Reasons to Abandon the Secure Communities Program, Charis E. Kubrin, Criminology and Public Policy, 2014 Does Immigration Enforcement Reduce Crime? Evidence from Secure Communities, Thomas J. Miles and Adam B. Cox, The Journal of Law and Economics, 2014 Interview with Professor Charis E. Kubrin, University of California, Irvine, 2026 Interview with Phil Neff, University of Washington Center for Human Rights, 2026 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
April 8 · 38 min
Why am I seeing so many sports gambling ads? (a.k.a. The Kalshi Question)
Sports gambling ads are proliferating: In stadiums, on TV broadcasts and on apps across the internet. The multi-billion dollar industry has exploded in the past five years. So what happens when that momentum is translated into gambling on politics, culture, and even war? Clare tells Teo about the meteoric rise of sports gambling, and the way it’s changing norms about betting on real world events. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: US Sports Betting Revenue & Handle, Legal Sports Report #Sponsored: A Systematic Literature Review and Theoretical Framework of Gambling Sponsorship Research, Journal of Advertising The effect of television advertising on gambling behaviour: a quasi-experimental study during the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup, Addictive Behavior Reports The Financial Consequences of Legalized Sports Gambling, Conference on Economics and Computation Sports betting legalization: How we got here, ESPN Attorney General Mayes Charges Kalshi With Illegal Gambling Operation, Election Wagering in Arizona, Arizona office of the Attorney General Nevada Gaming Control Board Granted TRO Against Kalshi, Nevada Gaming Control Board Interview with Luke Burbank, co-host of TBTL Interview with Victor Matheson, professor of economics, editor of the Journal of Sports Economics Interview with Chris Louis, professor at the Boston University School of Public Health Superbowl advertisement for Fanatics Sportsbook, featuring Kendall Jenner Fans were stunned by this NFL wild card weekend, a breakdown, Jomboy Media See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 25 · 27 min
Who decided my dog is ‘too big’ for my home?
Only 11 percent of rental units in the United States allow “big” dogs – but what does that mean? Is a labrador a big dog? How about a pit bull? And why does your landlord care so much, anyway? Inspired by the story of one dog who ran afoul of an HOA rule, Clare tells Teo why so many dogs end up booted from loving homes to shelters and how advocates are trying to stop it. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: Data on dog weights from Washington State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital Data analysis on pet restrictions in housing from the Pet Inclusive Housing Initiative, based on Smart Apartment Data 2025 State of Shelter Pet Adoption Report, The Association for Animal Welfare Advancement Pets & Housing Data 2025 Edition, Pet-Inclusive Housing Initiative Interview with Dr. Jessica Bell, Veterinarian and professor at Washington State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine Interview with Alexandra Alvarado, American Apartment Owner’s Association Interview with Ross Barker, lead of the Pet Inclusive Housing Initiative Interview with Tor Berg, Poochie’s dad See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
March 11 · 31 min
Can we get better at measuring homelessness?
Someone who has to survive without a regular place to sleep at night is vulnerable to danger, illness, and the more insidious harm of being shunned. One way to quantify the harm caused by homelessness is to understand how many people are experiencing it. How do we do that? We try to count them, and one city is leading the charge on a new approach. Teo tells Clare how it could change our view of our unhoused neighbors. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2024 Full Point-in-Time Counts, Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities Canada Point-in-Time Count Underway, King County Regional Homelessness Authority Point-in-Time Count presentation, King County Regional Homelessness Authority Evaluation of Respondent-Driven Sampling prevalence estimators using real-world reported network degree, Lisa Avery and Michael Rotondi, Sage Journal Point-in-Time Count: Volunteer training, Texas Homeless Network, 2020 Point-in-Time Count standards and methodologies training, Department of Housing and Urban Development, 2018 Interview with Maria Arnes, PIT volunteer, 2026 Interview with Jack Almquist, University of Washington, 2026 Interview with William Towey, King County Regional Homelessness Authority, 2026 Interview with Ann Oliva, National Alliance to End Homelessness, 2025 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
February 25 · 28 min
What is the poverty line? And why does it matter?
In 1964, then-President Lyndon B. Johnson declared war on poverty. Johnson wanted to lift the nation’s poor into a better life, via programs like food stamps, Medicare and Medicaid. But more than 60 years later, our country is still grappling with how to alleviate the challenges of poverty – including how we measure it. In this episode, Teo explains how the Federal Poverty Line is calculated and what it has to do with Jello. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: U.S. Census Bureau Timeline of Poverty Measure, 2014 How the U.S. Census Bureau Measures Poverty, 2022 What does living at the poverty line look like?, USA Facts, 2023 Poverty Guidelines vs Poverty Thresholds, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Poverty Line Matrix, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2026 Remembering Mollie Orshansky — The Developer of the Poverty Thresholds, Society Security Administration, 2008 Relatively Deprived, New Yorker, 2006 Mollie Orshansky, Statistician, Dies at 91, The New York Times, 2007 Mollie Orshansky: Inventor of the Poverty Line, NPR, 2007 Thrifty Food Plan, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2021 Thrifty Food Plan: Better planning and accountability could help ensure quality of future reevaluations, U.S. Government Accountability Office Report to Congressional Requesters, 2022 Family Food Plans and Food Costs, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1962 The Indians in the Lobby, Season 3, Episode 8, The West Wing, 2001 NPR audience call out on SNAP benefits, 2025 Legacies of the War on Poverty, The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political & Social Science, 2024 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
February 11 · 29 min
Why does health care cost so much in the United States?
The United States spends more on health care than any other country on earth. Most health care products in the U.S. cost at least twice what other countries pay, sometimes up to ten times as much. And everyday Americans are often left footing the bill, grappling with sky-high premiums and medical debt. Clare tells Teo how the forces in our health care system keep costs high, and what you can do about the (possibly giant) number at the bottom of your next medical bill. We want to answer your questions about how our world works! Click here to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: The Insane Things Hospitals Can Charge You for When you Give Birth, Vice, 2018 Health Care Costs and Affordability, Kaiser Family Foundation, 2025 Health costs associated with pregnancy, childbirth, and infant care, Peterson-KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation) Health System Tracker, 2025 Utah Dad Posts Hospital Bill With Nearly $40 Fee for Skin-to-Skin Contact After Son's Birth, ABC News, 2016 As Americans Struggled, Health Insurers Made a Record-Breaking $71.3 Billion in Profits, Wendell Potter on Substack, 2025 Health Care Debt In The U.S.: The Broad Consequences Of Medical And Dental Bills, Kaiser Family Foundation, 2022 The Marshall Allen Project Cost Data from the British Columbia Ministry of Health Interview with Gerard Anderson, Johns Hopkins Professor of Health Policy and Management Trump struck deals with 16 drug companies. But they're still raising prices this year, NPR, 2026 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
January 28 · 24 min
How did we get so good at predicting the weather?
When a storm rolls through your area, odds are you’ll have days of warning and hour-by-hour information about what to expect. That accuracy is thanks to a global data network that turns real-time measurements into forecasts that can stretch weeks. But it wasn’t always this way. Clare tells Teo how weather went from a guessing game to a precise science, saving lives in the process. Have a question about how our world works? Want to know more about weather forecasting? Email the Control F team at controlf@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: Archival copies of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer on October 12 and October 13, 1962 Why an ‘exact date’ weather forecast headline isn’t what it seems, Met Office of the United Kingdom, 2023 How Reliable Are Weather Forecasts?, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Operational Weather Forecasting, Peter Michael Inness and Steve Dorling, 2013 A Deadly Wind: The 1962 Columbus Day Storm, John Dodge, 2018 Interview with Reid Wolcott, warning coordination meteorologist at the National Weather Service, Seattle Interview with Ted Buehner (a.k.a. Tornado Ted), meteorologist at the National Weather Service (retired) Interview with Cliff Mass, meteorologist and forecasting researcher at the University of Washington See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
January 14 · 27 min
What does your credit score really say about you?
Your credit score is your economic destiny. It determines where you can live, what you can buy, and sometimes even what job you can get. But how do credit bureaus come up with these all-encompassing numbers? Teo tells Clare about the data that credit scores feed on, and how little we really know about how they're calculated. Have a question about how our world works? Want to know more about credit scores? Email the Control F team at controlf@kuow.org Support the show by supporting our home, KUOW Public Radio in Seattle. Sources in this episode: Creditworthy: A history of consumer surveillance and financial identity in America, Josh Lauer, 2024 Credit Access in the U.S., U.S. Census Bureau, 2025 Affordable credit poised to save consumers billions, Alex Horowitz, Pew Charitable Trusts, 2023 WA’s new ban on medical debt in credit reports at risk of federal override, Jake Goldstein-Street, Washington State Standard, 2025 Interview with Josh Lauer, Author of Creditworthy Interview with Alex Horowitz, Project Director at Pew Charitable Trusts Interview with Maya Lau, Host of Other People’s Pockets Interview with Jazmin, founder of Budget with Jazmin See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
January 2 · 2 min
Introducing Control F, a podcast about the hidden data that influences our lives
Control F is a podcast about data — hard, fuzzy, surprising, and sometimes unreliable data — and all the ways it influences our daily lives. In each episode, we dig deep on a topic and search through research, algorithms, and assumptions to bring you insights on how stuff works. In a world ruled by numbers, Control F reads between the (spreadsheet) lines to find the bigger story. Control F launches on January 14, with new episodes every other week. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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