Control F

KUOW News and Information
  • 4.9 (18)
  • 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. 1h ago

    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.

  2. Jul 15

    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.

  3. Jul 1

    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.

  4. Jun 17

    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.

  5. 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.

  6. 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.

  7. 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.

  8. 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.

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Trailer

4.9
out of 5
18 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
    2026
  • Episodes
    16
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Show Website
    Control F

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