Control F

KUOW News and Information
  • 4.9 (16)
  • News Commentary
  • Updated Biweekly

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.

  1. 3d ago

    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.

    32 min

  2. Jun 3

    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.

    21 min

  3. May 20

    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.

    27 min

  4. May 6

    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.

    31 min

  5. Apr 22

    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.

    34 min

  6. Apr 8

    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.

    39 min

  7. Mar 25

    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.

    28 min

  8. Mar 11

    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.

    32 min
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4.9
out of 5
16 Ratings

About

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.

Information

  • Creator
    KUOW News and Information
  • Years Active
    2K
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Control F

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