On November 1, daylight saving time ends in the United States. That means most of us will “fall back” to standard time for the following four months. But many states want to stop this twice-yearly clock change and instead stay on daylight saving time all year. One question is at the center of this proposed change: What would permanent daylight saving time do to our health? Clare interviews Dr. Katie Sharkey, professor at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, to find out – digging into the data on time changes, the body clock, and how proposed changes to the time system could affect our well-being. 

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.

Further reading:
Ending clock changes. But which direction should we reset the clock?

On November 1, daylight saving time ends in the United States. That means most of us will &ldquo;fall back&rdquo; to standard time for the following four months. But many states want to stop this twice-yearly clock change and instead stay on daylight saving time all year. One question is at the center of this proposed change: What would permanent daylight saving time do to our health? Clare interviews Dr. Katie Sharkey, professor at the Wake Forest University School of Medicine, to find out &ndash; digging into the data on time changes, the body clock, and how proposed changes to the time system could affect our well-being.&nbsp;
Have a question we should answer on the show? <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML">Click here</a> to tell us using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org
Support the show by supporting our home, <a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes">KUOW Public Radio</a> in Seattle.
Further reading:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://yourlocalepidemiologist.substack.com/p/ending-clock-changes-but-which-direction">Ending clock changes. But which direction should we reset the clock?</a></li>
</ul>

The data tells us to stop flipping our clocks back and forth twice a year. But what should we pick? Standard Time, or Daylight Saving Time?

Should we ditch daylight saving time?

In this episode we unpack what makes a poll reliable or not and how us regular people should be reading poll data, especially with the midterms coming up. Our guest is Scott Greenstone, politics reporter and host of KUOW's Sound Politics. He gives us some tips and tricks to make sure we're interpreting poll results correctly. 

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:
Sound Politics
Strength in Numbers Substack
Real Clear Polling
FiftyPlusOne

In this episode we unpack what makes a poll reliable or not and how us regular people should be reading poll data, especially with the midterms coming up. Our guest is Scott Greenstone, politics reporter and host of KUOW's Sound Politics. He gives us some tips and tricks to make sure we're interpreting poll results correctly.&nbsp;
Have a question we should answer on the show? <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML">Click here</a> to tell us using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org
Support the show by supporting our home, <a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes">KUOW Public Radio</a> in Seattle.
Sources in this episode:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.kuow.org/podcast/sound-politics">Sound Politics</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.gelliottmorris.com/">Strength in Numbers Substack</a></li>
<li><a href="https://www.realclearpolling.com/">Real Clear Polling</a></li>
<li><a href="https://fiftyplusone.news/">FiftyPlusOne</a></li>
</ul>

What makes a political poll reliable, and how to interpret poll data with midterm elections coming up.

Can you trust political polls?

We've all been there: Staring at a screen that prompts you to "leave a tip," and three options to press. How much should you tip for a meal these days? How about a coffee or a hot dog at a baseball game? In this episode, Clare and guest host Brandi Fullwood dig into the data on tipping, and how it impacts workers in restaurants of all shapes and sizes. 

Listen to Brandi's podcast Seattle Eats wherever you're listening to this episode. 

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 Land of the Fee (2021), Throughline from NPR, 2021
Tipping Culture in America: Public Sees a Changed Landscape, Pew Research Center, 2022
Average Restaurant Tip Percentages & Tipping Trends in the U.S. (2026), Toast, 2026
Square Food & Beverage Data Reveals Higher Tipping Rates and Growing "High-Low" Spending Pattern, Square, 2026
A Critical Exploration of Tipping Practices in the American Hospitality Landscape from a Qualitative Approach, 2024

We've all been there: Staring at a screen that prompts you to "leave a tip," and three options to press. How much should you tip for a meal these days? How about a coffee or a hot dog at a baseball game? In this episode, Clare and guest host Brandi Fullwood dig into the data on tipping, and how it impacts workers in restaurants of all shapes and sizes.&nbsp;
Listen to Brandi's podcast Seattle Eats wherever you're listening to this episode.&nbsp;
Have a question we should answer on the show? <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML">Click here</a> to tell us using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org
Support the show by supporting our home,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes">KUOW Public Radio</a> in Seattle.
Sources in this episode:
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/03/29/1089587173/the-land-of-the-fee-2021">The Land of the Fee (2021)</a>, Throughline from NPR, 2021</li>
<li><a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/2023/11/09/tipping-culture-in-america-public-sees-a-changed-landscape/">Tipping Culture in America: Public Sees a Changed Landscape</a>, Pew Research Center, 2022</li>
<li><a href="https://pos.toasttab.com/blog/data/restaurant-tipping-trends?srsltid=AfmBOoq6_qA3hWMRiD6SJ-Fv9tOSHJbs81M8j5Z2RZHLFLBAo6lsZUoc">Average Restaurant Tip Percentages &amp; Tipping Trends in the U.S. (2026)</a>, Toast, 2026</li>
<li><a href="https://squareup.com/us/en/press/food-beverage-q1-2026-data">Square Food &amp; Beverage Data&nbsp;Reveals Higher Tipping Rates and&nbsp;Growing "High-Low" Spending Pattern</a>, Square, 2026</li>
<li><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/1528008X.2024.2443762">A Critical Exploration of Tipping Practices in the American Hospitality Landscape from a Qualitative Approach</a>, 2024</li>
</ul>

A podcast combo with KUOW's Seattle Eats to explain the data behind tipping, plus a side of advice.

How much should you tip?

When someone says “reading is dead,” is that really true? Reading for fun has taken a big hit, but what’s really going on here? Teo and guest co-host Katie Campbell look at the data on American reading habits to find the answer, and provide tips for aspiring book nerds to get more pages in. Katie Campbell is KUOW’s book club curator. She has read over 51 books this year so far, but who’s counting?

Correction, 9/8/2026: In this episode, we incorrectly state that adult American gamers spend roughly 90 minutes gaming daily. The correct average time per day for gamers is two hours.

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:
American Time Use Survey, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2003-2026
American Time Use Survey Report, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
The decline in reading for pleasure over 20 years of the American Time Use Survey, iScience, 2025
A chapter a day: Association of book reading with longevity, Social Science & Medicine Journal, 2016
Who doesn’t read books in America?, Pew Research Center, 2021
Book reading habits in the U.S. vary by education, age and other factors, Pew Research Center, 2026

When someone says &ldquo;reading is dead,&rdquo; is that really true? Reading for fun has taken a big hit, but what&rsquo;s really going on here? Teo and guest co-host Katie Campbell look at the data on American reading habits to find the answer, and provide tips for aspiring book nerds to get more pages in. Katie Campbell is KUOW&rsquo;s book club curator. She has read over 51 books this year so far, but who&rsquo;s counting? Correction, 9/8/2026: In this episode, we incorrectly state that adult American gamers spend roughly 90 minutes gaming daily. The correct average time per day for gamers is two hours.
Have a question we should answer on the show? <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML">Click here</a> to tell us using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org
Support the show by supporting our home, <a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes">KUOW Public Radio</a> in Seattle.
Sources in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bls.gov/tus/database.htm">American Time Use Survey</a>, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2003-2026</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/atus.pdf">American Time Use Survey Report</a>, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025</li>
<li aria-level="1">The decline in reading for pleasure over 20 years of the American Time Use Survey, iScience, 2025</li>
<li aria-level="1">A chapter a day: Association of book reading with longevity, Social Science &amp; Medicine Journal, 2016</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2021/09/21/who-doesnt-read-books-in-america/">Who doesn&rsquo;t read books in America?</a>, Pew Research Center, 2021</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/chart/book-reading-habits-in-the-u-s-vary-by-education-age-and-other-factors/">Book reading habits in the U.S. vary by education, age and other factors</a>, Pew Research Center, 2026</li>
</ul>

Teo and guest co-host Katie Campbell look at the data on American reading habits to find the answer, and provide tips for aspiring book nerds to get more pages in.

Do Americans read books anymore?

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

Getting a college degree is a lot more expensive than it used to be&ndash;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.&nbsp;
Have a question we should answer on the show? <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML">Click here</a> to tell us using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org.
Support the show by supporting our home, <a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes">KUOW Public Radio</a> in Seattle.
Sources in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://research.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/Trends-in-College-Pricing-and-Student-Aid-2025-final_1.pdf">Trends in College Pricing and Student Aid 2025</a>, College Board</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://cew.georgetown.edu/cew-reports/collegepayoff2021/#resources">The College Payoff</a>, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 2021</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/">College Scorecard</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.newamerica.org/insights/decoding-cost-college-2/">Decoding the Cost of College</a>, New America, 2018</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.npr.org/2026/07/01/nx-s1-5876467/student-loans-debt-bennett-hypothesis-tuition">Can the Trump administration make college cheaper?</a>, Planet Money, 2026</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://sfs.harvard.edu/changes-federal-student-loans">Key Changes to Federal Student Loans Made in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act</a>, Harvard University</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Beth Akers, American Enterprise Institute&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Judith Scott-Clayton, Columbia University</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Chris Ruhl, Purdue University</li>
<li aria-level="1">Tuition data from: <a href="https://admit.washington.edu/costs/coa/">University of Washington</a>; <a href="https://admissions.wwu.edu/cost">Western Washington University</a>; <a href="https://admissions.dartmouth.edu/estimate-your-cost/cost-attendance">Dartmouth College</a>; <a href="https://financialaid.usc.edu/undergraduate-financial-aid/cost-of-attendance/">University of Southern California</a></li>
</ul>

College costs are rising every year, and there are many theories about why prices are so high. Four theories explain the fast increase in prices and point to potential solutions. 

How did college get so expensive?

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

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.&nbsp;
We want to answer your questions about how our world works!<a href="https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML"> Click here</a> to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org
Support the show by supporting our home,<a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes"> KUOW Public Radio</a> in Seattle.
Sources in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Angela Giacchetti, Eaton Fire survivor, 2026&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Jeffrey Callen, Washington state homeowner, 2026</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Aaron VanTuyl, communications and media manager, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, 2026</li>
<li aria-level="1">Proprietary data, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, 2026</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/6792c245599ed84703227b1e/t/6a60ec825c62c877b0a8e4be/1784736898126/Department+of+Angels+Survey+Memo_July+2026.pdf">Community voices: LA fire recovery report</a>, Department of Angels, 2026</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nber.org/papers/w32579">Property insurance and disaster risk: New evidence from mortgage escrow data</a>, National Bureau of Economic Research, 2024</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.budget.senate.gov/hearings/next-to-fall-the-climate-driven-insurance-crisis-is-here_and-getting-worse">Next to fall: The climate-driven insurance crisis is here &mdash; and getting worse</a>, Senate Budget Committee staff report, 2024</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://embed.documentcloud.org/documents/4368239-Earthquake-Data-Call-Report-EMBARGO/">Earthquake data call report</a>, Washington State Office of the Insurance Commissioner, 2017</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.lendingtree.com/insurance/homes-uninsured-study/">Study of American homeowners</a>, LendingTree, 2026</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_rsl_national-flood-insurance-manual_06032025.pdf">Flood insurance manual, </a>National Flood Insurance Program of FEMA, 2025</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/07/08/climate/home-insurance-climate-change.html">Home insurance rates in America are wildly distorted. Here&rsquo;s why</a>, New York Times, 2024</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/12/18/climate/insurance-nonrenewal-rates-policies-state-map.html">See where home insurance policies were dropped in your state</a>, New York Times, 2024</li>
</ul>

Americans who've fled their homes in a natural disaster rely on insurance to recover financially. Does it work?

Is home insurance worth it in the age of wildfires?

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

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.&nbsp;
Have a question we should answer on the show? <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML">Click here</a> to tell us using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org
Support the show by supporting our home, <a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes">KUOW Public Radio</a> in Seattle.
&nbsp;
Sources in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://culturenow.org/site/dc33c32c-2696-434f-bf1a-b1b64037ac13/preview/ef276fe9-13c8-48d6-af51-d3e5909f5ab7#ef276fe9-13c8-48d6-af51-d3e5909f5ab7-image">The first speed limit passed in the United States</a>, cultureNOW</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://connecticuthistory.org/setting-speed-limits-today-in-history-may-21/">The first state-wide speed limit</a>, <a href="http://connecticuthistory.org">ConnecticutHistory.org</a></li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/statement-signing-the-emergency-highway-energy-conservation-act">Statement on Signing the Emergency Highway Energy Conservation Act</a>, The American Presidency Project, 1974</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvV3nn_de2k">I Can&rsquo;t Drive 55</a>, Sammy Hagar&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22935347/">Impact speed and a pedestrian's risk of severe injury or death</a>, 2011</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0001457510001077">Literature review of pedestrian fatality risk as a function of car impact speed</a>, 2011</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.seattle.gov/transportation/projects-and-programs/safety-first/vision-zero/speedlimits">Speed Limit Information</a>, Seattle Department of Transportation</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/SDOT/VisionZero/SpeedLimit_CaseStudies_Report.pdf">Speed Limit Case Studies Report</a>, Seattle Department of Transportation</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://home.urbanlogiq.us/public/sdot-crash-analysis?c=47.560911345114505%2C-122.2903744917744&amp;z=14.081031554754803">Crash Analysis Database</a>, Seattle Department of Transportation</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://home.urbanlogiq.us/public/sdot-road-segments?c=47.56494803522651%2C-122.28602006208229&amp;z=10.786192912249993">Road Segment Counts Database</a>, Seattle Department of Transportation</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Yinhai Wang, University of Washington</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Venu Nemani, Seattle Department of Transportation</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Clara Cantor, Seattle Streets Alliance</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Michael Smith, Seattle Streets Alliance</li>
</ul>

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.

How are speed limits calculated? 

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

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!&nbsp;<a href="https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML">Click here</a> to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org
Support the show by supporting our home, <a href="https://kuow.org/controlf">KUOW Public Radio</a> in Seattle.
Sources in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Interview: Aran Ryan, Tourism Economics, 2026</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview: John David, Sports Events and Tourism Association, 2026</li>
</ul>

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?

How do you predict how many visitors will travel for the FIFA World Cup?

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

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! <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML">Click here</a> to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org
Support the show by supporting our home, <a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes">KUOW Public Radio</a> in Seattle.
Sources in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.facs.org/about-acs/statements/statement-on-electric-bicycle-safety-and-injury-prevention/">Safety and Injury Prevention Statement</a>, American College of Surgeons, 2025&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kXReW3O5_MA">Bike helmet protects a young boy&rsquo;s brain</a>, UW Medicine, 2025</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10882498/">Electric Bicycle Injuries and Hospitalizations</a>, JAMA Surgery, 2024</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Research--Statistics/NEISS-Injury-Data">National Electronic Injury Surveillance System</a>, 2024</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://wtsc.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Exec-Summary_Bike-Injury-in-Seattle_Oct2024.pdf">Bicycle Injury at UW Medicine</a>, Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center, 2024&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/default/files/2423-Agrawal-Electric-Bicycle-Safety-Data-Policy.pdf">Exploring Electric Bicycle Safety Performance Data and Policy Options for California</a>, San Jose State University, 2025</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://highwaysafety.utah.gov/ebikes/">E-Bikes are vehicles, not toys: What parents need to know</a>, Utah Department of Public Safety, 2026</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SR1801.pdf">Select Risk Factors Associated with Causes of Motorcycle Crashs</a>, National Transportation Safety Board, 2018</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/safety-studies/Documents/SRR2201.pdf">Micromobility: Data Challenges Associated with Assessing the Prevalence and Risk of Electric Scooter and Electric Bicycle Fatalities and Injuries</a>, National Transportation Safety Board, 2022&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813732">Traffic Safety Facts: Motorcycles</a>, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2025&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/813739">Traffic Safety Facts: Pedalcycles</a>, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2025&nbsp;</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/fatality-analysis-reporting-system-fars">Fatality Analysis Reporting System</a>, 2024</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40854205/">Injury patterns and safety implications for electric bikes compared to mopeds in the United States</a>, Traffic Injury Prevention, 2025</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview: Stephen J. Mooney, Ph.D., University of Washington Department of Epidemiology, 2026</li>
</ul>

Every year, millions of Americans choose to hop on e-bikes because of their affordability, convenience and speed. They also have a safer reputation than motorcycles. But are they actually safer?

Are e-bikes safer than motorcycles?

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

Plastic is extremely useful: lightweight, cheap, and flexible enough to make almost anything. That&rsquo;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&rsquo;t be good for us&hellip;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! <a href="https://forms.office.com/r/4nGSfCuAML">Click here</a> to submit a question using our online form, or email the team at ControlF@kuow.org
Support the show by supporting our home, <a href="https://www.kuow.org/donate/control-f-notes">KUOW Public Radio</a> in Seattle.
Sources in this episode:
<ul>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/the-human-brain-may-contain-as-much-as-a-spoons-worth-of-microplastics-new-research-suggests-180985995/">The Human Brain May Contain as Much as a Spoon&rsquo;s Worth of Microplastics, New Research Suggests</a>, Smithsonian Magazine, 2025</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-024-03453-1">Bioaccumulation of microplastics in decedent human brains</a>, Nature Medicine, 2025</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-025-04045-3">Challenges in studying microplastics in human brain</a>, Nature Medicine, 2025</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2309822">Microplastics and Nanoplastics in Atheromas and Cardiovascular Events</a>, The New England Journal of Medicine, 2024</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.lastbeachcleanup.org/_files/ugd/dba7d7_9450ed6b848d4db098de1090df1f9e99.pdf">The Real Truth About the U.S. Plastics Recycling Rate</a>, Beyond Plastics / The Last Beach Cleanup, 2022</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/897692090/how-big-oil-misled-the-public-into-believing-plastic-would-be-recycled">How Big Oil Misled The Public Into Believing Plastic Would Be Recycled</a>, NPR, 2020</li>
<li aria-level="1"><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/jan/13/microplastics-human-body-doubt">&lsquo;A bombshell&rsquo;: doubt cast on discovery of microplastics throughout human body</a>, The Guardian, 2026</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Marcus Garcia and Dr. Elaine Bearer, University of New Mexico</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Fazel Monikh, University of Padua</li>
<li aria-level="1">Interview with Tracey Woodruff, Stanford University</li>
</ul>

Plastic is extremely useful, but it’s also making its way into our bodies. Here’s what we know so far about the microplastics inside us, and why the science is more complicated than you might think.

Should I worry about microplastics?

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 is a podcast about data &mdash; hard, fuzzy, surprising, and sometimes unreliable data &mdash; 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 is a podcast about data — hard, fuzzy, surprising, and sometimes unreliable data — and all the ways it influences our daily lives. 

Control F

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