Consider This from NPR Folgen

No matter how you measure it, there is a lot of parking in the U.S. According to some estimates there are as many as six parking spaces for every car. Put another way, America devotes more square footage to storing cars than housing people.In this episode, originally published in 2023, journalist Henry Grabar walks through how we got here, and what Americans have sacrificed on the altar of parking. From affordable housing to walkable neighborhoods to untold hours spent circling the block, hunting for a free spot.His book is Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org. This episode was produced by Connor Donevan with audio engineering by Valentina Rodríguez Sánchez. It was edited by Christopher Intagliata and Jeanette Woods. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

From building homes to ushering theater-goers to re-enacting medieval history for middle-schoolers – yes, you read that right – acts of volunteerism have remained vital for communities across the country. And not just for people in need.This year, many volunteers have also reported seeing an increased need for food assistance across the country, as a temporary pause on the federal program known as SNAP left millions of Americans unable to buy food during the recent government shutdown. Ransom Miller, who co-founded a project that distributes food ahead of Thanksgiving for the past three decades, says he received more calls than ever this year.In this episode, Miller and others featured this past year as part of NPR’s Here to Help series explain why they’re motivated to give back to their communities. This episode was produced by Matt Ozug, Jason Fuller and Jonaki Mehta. It was edited by Ashley Brown. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.For sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

By the midpoint of 2025, the U.S. was on track to set a new yearly record in the number of reported data breaches.That’s according to data compiled by the Identity Theft Resource Center.One reason is the proliferation of artificial intelligence, which has made the work of criminal hackers easier, cheaper and scalable.What does that mean for the rest of us?Cooper Katz McKim dove deep into the world of AI-supercharged crime for NPR’s daily economics podcast The Indicator, and introduces us to what he’s found.Listen to the Indicator’s Vice WeekFighting AI with AIWhat’s supercharging data breaches? When cartels start to diversifyHow AI might mess with financial marketsScam compounds, sewing patterns and stolen dimesFor sponsor-free episodes of Consider This, sign up for Consider This+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org. Email us at considerthis@npr.org.This episode was produced by Connor Donevan. It was edited by Kate Concannon and Patrick Jarenwattananon. It features additional reporting by Darien Woods. Our executive producer is Sami Yenigun.Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy