Latest Stories

Latest Stories

For most U.S. households, buying a home isn't within reach

Aug 20, 2024
The median home buyer's income is higher than the median U.S. household income. And the gap is growing.
Owning a home is increasingly reserved for wealthier Americans.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

A tax deduction business owners love is set to expire at end of 2025

Aug 20, 2024
Policy experts say the benefits of the "pass-through" deduction, part of the 2017 tax law, mostly help wealthy business owners.
In 2017, demonstrators protested the Republicans' Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which made a controversial "pass-through" deduction law.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Here's why the debate over open source AI matters for us humans

Aug 20, 2024
Meta has staked its entire AI strategy upon the open source route, allowing pretty much anyone access to its powerful large language models. Meanwhile, Google and OpenAI are keeping everything walled off.
Meta is planning to spend tens of billions on developing its AI — only to make it open source.
Josh Edelson/AFP via Getty Images

DOT plans to implement V2X technology raise privacy concerns

Aug 20, 2024
It's called "vehicle-to-everything" technology.
Under the Department of Transportation’s roadmap, V2X would be deployed at 40% of the country’s intersections by 2031.
Logan Cyrus/AFP via Getty Images

New Nvidia research shows AI can predict local weather

Aug 20, 2024
Weather forecasting typically relies on costly, large supercomputers to solve equations, but a new model shows that AI can make predictions that are just as good.
New research released this week by Nvidia presents a new model for quickly predicting local weather events, like thunderstorms, down to the kilometer.
David McNew/Getty Images

At the DNC, mayors underscore need for affordable housing

Aug 20, 2024
"[Housing] is the leading issue that American mayors cite when talking about the big challenges facing their cities," said Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther.
Mayors at the Democratic National Convention on Monday.
Nova Safo/Marketplace

Survey suggests consumers are waiting for Fed rate decision before next big financial move

Aug 20, 2024
The Nerd Wallet survey found many respondents are waiting for lower interest rates before borrowing to buy a car or refinance a loan.
Roughly a quarter of NerdWallet survey respondents reported that they're waiting to buy a car until the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates.
Scott Olson/Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

Does lipstick still have economic staying power?

Aug 19, 2024
Historically, when the economy gets rough, sales of lipstick go up. But for luxury beauty brands, that may not still be the case.
Luxury skincare and makeup was doing well a couple years ago. But now, with the price of everything up, consumers are reassessing what counts as a "little luxury" purchase.
Larry French/Getty Images for NYX Professional Makeup

The U.S. electrical grid is getting more gigawatts. But is it enough?

Aug 19, 2024
The U.S. electrical grid added more than 20 gigawatts of capacity the first half of this year, much of it from renewables.
A lot of new electricity-generation projects are being built, like those using solar and wind power. But more transmission lines are also needed.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

As Canadian firm bids for 7-Eleven, convenience stores are having a moment

Aug 19, 2024
They've changed since the days of "smokes and Cokes".
Convenience stores have upped their food offerings lately, partially in response to fewer smokers.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images