Keyser, West Virginia, was once known for coal. But the jobs have been disappearing. First because of automation, then cheap natural gas. And now, the urgency to address climate change is one more pressure on this energy source that contributes to global warming.
Now the town, like so much of the country is attempting to transition to renewable energy. The country's first major climate policy, known as the Inflation Reduction Act, gave that transition a boost. It passed with the key vote of West Virginia's own Senator Democrat Joe Manchin.
Keyser represents a national shift in American energy production. And in a town that was defined by coal for generations, change can be difficult.
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California often takes the lead with new legislation to rein in tech. This was true for privacy, social media and now it looks to be playing out the same way for generative AI.
The Department of Defense's proposed budget for 2024 is $842 billion. That is about 3.5% of the U.S.'s GDP. The military buys everything from pens and paper clips to fighter jets and submarines. But the market for military equipment is very different from the commercial market.
On today's episode, we're bringing you two stories from The Indicator's series on defense spending that explore that market. As the U.S. continues to send weapons to Ukraine and Israel, we first look at why defense costs are getting so high. Then, we dive into whether bare-bones manufacturing styles are leaving the U.S. military in a bind.
The original Indicator episodes were produced by Cooper Katz McKim with engineering from Maggie Luthar and James Willetts. It was fact-checked by Sierra Juarez and Angel Carreras. They were edited by Kate Concannon and Paddy Hirsch. Alex Goldmark is Planet Money's executive producer.
New laws will allow automated speed cameras in places where they've long been banned. Advocates say they can save lives, but critics argue they're a financial burden on those least able to pay.
Fears over how AI could be used to mislead voters are escalating in a year that will see hundreds of millions of people around the world cast ballots. As a result, tech giants are pledging action.
Match Group was sued on Wednesday for violating consumer protection laws for allegedly addicting dating app users through "predatory" practices that mislead people searching for romantic partners.
On the 6th anniversary of the mass shooting in Parkland, Fla., gun control advocates experiment with AI-generated audio messages of recreated voices of victims of gun violence pleading for change.
Investors in dating app companies are suffering from heartbreak. As these companies shift gears and try to make a profit, many of their users are heartbroken too.
The White House has stayed away from TikTok because of national security concerns related to its Chinese parent company. But Biden's campaign has now jumped in because that's where young voters are.
A robotic assistant recently arrived at the International Space Station to perform a simulated surgery that will be controlled by a surgeon 250 miles away on Earth.
As AI-generated deepfakes are being used to spread false information in elections in the U.S. and around the world, policymakers, tech platforms and governments are trying to catch up.
Videos of Apple's new mixed-reality headset being used behind the wheel have led to concerns about distracted driving. Experts say they pose dangers since they don't perfectly reproduce human vision.
