The Daily Dive

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Pandemic Impact: Nationwide Exams Show Record Drops in Math and Reading Scores Oct 25, 2022

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Results from the 2022 National Assessment of Educational Progress are showing the largest drop in math scores ever with declines in every state. Reading scores didn’t fare much better with the largest drop in 4th grade reading since 1990. Educators say that the pandemic has exacerbated existing gaps in education and tech issues hampered remote learning. Ben Chapman, education reporter at the WSJ, joins us for the big concern, it could take years for students to recover.

Next, as winter approaches public health officials are warning that other viruses could be coming back with a vengeance. Covid is obviously a concern with new variants always on the horizon, but flu cases are higher than usual for this time of the year, and then there are worries of respiratory syncytial virus or R.S.V. Apoorva Mandavilli, reporter at the NY Times, joins us for how cases are expected to be mild, but the sheer number of them could overwhelm hospitals.

Finally, there’s an army of robot workers coming to fill in during this tight labor market. Better technology and improved cost-effectiveness are hitting at a time when employers are still facing a worker shortage. A half-million industrial robots were installed globally last year, and we’re also seeing a rise the “service” robot industry with everything from autonomous cleaning robots and those that can unload trucks. Christopher Mims, tech columnist at the WSJ, joins us for what to know.

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Xi Claims a Third Term in China and the Rescue of the Envigo Beagles Oct 24, 2022

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Xi Jinping has claimed a third term as the Communist Party leader in China. He will now serve another five-year term overseeing the world’s second largest economy and a growing military continuing to pose threats to the U.S. on multiple fronts. Julia Manchester, national political reporter at The Hill, joins us for the latest in China and more. With the midterm elections just a few weeks away, Democrats are getting more worried about their prospects, and we’ll get a preview of the high-stakes Pennsylvania Senate debate on Tuesday.

Next, it was the largest animal welfare seizure in the Humane Society’s history. Nearly 4,000 beagles were rescued from the Envigo facility in Virginia where they were breeding dogs for research. After USDA investigators found horrible conditions there, an undercover investigation by PETA, and a lawsuit filed by the Justice Department, a judge ruled that the dogs be surrendered to the Humane Society. But that was only the beginning, then came the huge task of retrieving and adopting out the dogs, some of which had health and behavioral problems. Lizzie Johnson, staff writer at the Washington Post, joins us for the rescue of the Envio beagles.

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WEEKEND EDITION- Could an Algorithm Be Behind a Rise in Rents and the Future of AI Art Generators Oct 23, 2022

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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WEEKEND EDITION- Boston University Research Under Scrutiny, OTC Hearing Aids, Immigration Smugglers Recruiting on Social Media Oct 22, 2022

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This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

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Why Labs Keep Making Dangerous Viruses Oct 21, 2022

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Scientists at Boston University recently created in a lab a new Covid virus that had the transmissibility of the Omicron variant and was also more likely to cause severe disease. They called it the Omicron S-bearing virus. The study found that the engineered virus had a mortality rate of 80%. The experiment has once again called into question the purpose of so-called “gain of function” research and also oversight on such projects. Kelsey Piper, senior writer at Vox’s Future Perfect, joins us for why labs keep making dangerous viruses.

Next, AI art generators have just been unleashed on the public. These new text-to-image generators let you type in almost any phrase, and it will return you an image in various art styles. Dall-E 2 by OpenAI and DreamStudio by Stability AI are now open for anyone to use and the result is a lot of fun! The artificial intelligence interprets your words and creates fully original images, but there are still a lot of questions over how it works, copyright and who owns the images? Then there are concerns about real artists and graphic designers. Joanna Stern, senior personal tech columnist at the WSJ, joins us for what the future of AI art may hold.

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Immigrant Smugglers Are Recruiting Drivers Stateside by Advertising on Social Media Apps Oct 20, 2022

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The latest way immigration smugglers are trying to recruit more help is by advertising on social media apps such as TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat. Posts are promising hundreds or thousands of dollars for a few hours of driving. The problem is, the recruits often don’t know what they are in for until they are close, picking up migrants by the border and driving them inland. Alicia Caldwell, immigration reporter at the WSJ, joins us for what to know.

Next, scientists have been very excited after detecting what could be one of the most powerful explosions of its kind ever seen in space. Space telescopes picked up a bright Gamma Ray Burst 2.4 billion light-years away that could have been triggered by a star exploding in a supernova and possibly creating a black hole. Miriam Kramer, space reporter at Axios, joins us for all the latest space news.

Finally, marijuana use is becoming the new normal for young adults. As more states continue to legalize cannabis and the stigma surrounding it wears off, more Americans are lighting up. A big part of the growth is coming from young women as more companies are offering products geared toward them. This November, 5 more states have marijuana on the ballot. Daniel de Visé, reporter at The Hill, joins us for more.

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On Monday, hearing aids became available for people to purchase over the counter without the need to see a doctor first. The FDA cleared the sale of these and is seen as a win for those with hearing loss, but before you go out and buy one, make sure to do your research. There will be a lot of different models at different price points, and you’ll need to choose the best option for you. Nina Keck, senior reporter at Vermont Public, joins us for what to know. Next, this year we have seen close Oct 19, 2022

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Next, this year we have seen close to a record number of poultry die because of the bird flu. More than 47 million have died due to cullings or infection as farmers are battling a different form of the virus which will keep infection threats elevated into 2023. As more birds die, it’s affecting poultry prices heading right into the holiday season coupled with record high inflation. Tom Polansek, reporter at Reuters, joins us for how the bird flu is hitting the U.S.

Finally, are you susceptible to getting a lot of mosquito bites? It might be because of how you smell. Researchers at Rockefeller University have found that people who have a higher level of carboxylic acid on their skin could be up to 100 times more attractive to female mosquitoes. As microorganisms interact with the acid it produces odors that smell like cheese or smelly feet and mosquitoes love it. Teddy Amenabar, reporter at the Washington Post, joins us for why you might be a mosquito magnet.

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Could an Algorithm That Helps Landlords Set Prices Be Responsible for Rising Rents? Oct 18, 2022

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As housing affordability continues to be a problem across many parts of the country, could an algorithm be responsible for apartment rents going up? The software called YieldStar suggests daily prices for open units using data analytics. In some cases, the software suggests double digit price increases. It even goes as far as to suggest that landlords could get more revenue with a lower occupancy rate, but with increased rents. How much is this software being used? In one Seattle neighborhood, 70% of apartments were overseen by 10 property managers, all who used the pricing software. Heather Vogell, reporter at ProPublica, joins us for how this algorithm impacts rising rents.

Next, production was shut down on Bill Murray’s latest project earlier this year when it was alleged that he sexually harassed a member of the production staff. We now know that Murray got on top of the woman and kissed her through their masks, she settled in the amount of about $100,000. Bill Murray has a great reputation with his fans, but since those allegations surfaced, fellow actors and co-workers have come forward with their own negative stories about him. Matt Wilstein, senior writer at the Daily Beast and host of The Last Laugh Podcast, joins us for what to know.

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WEEKEND EDITION- LA City Council President Resigns, American Universities Fall in World Rankings, Ticket to the Metaverse Oct 17, 2022

Show notes

This is a compilation of some of the most compelling stories of the week.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Hot Hollywood Drug Right Now Is a Diabetes Drug Used as a Quick Fix for Weight Loss Oct 17, 2022

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There’s a new Hollywood drug on the scene, but it’s not a party drug, it’s a frug that is used to treat diabetes. People are looking to Ozempic and similar drugs used to treat Type 2 as a quick fix for weight loss. These drugs have an ingredient called semaglutide which stimulates insulin production, but also targets areas of the brain that regulate appetite. Sara Ashley O’Brien, reporter at the WSJ, joins us for how doctors are urging caution as it is gaining in popularity.

Next, scientists have transplanted clumps of cells that resemble the brain into rats with the hopes that it could help study autism, epilepsy, and schizophrenia. The experiments involve a new technique that takes skin cells and changes them into stem cells. These cells where then implanted into the rat brains and they quickly formed connections. Mark Johnson, science reporter at The Washington Post, joins us for how it works and the ethical concerns behind it.

Finally, the housing market has cooled, and crazy bidding wars are over. For those still trying to sell their homes, they are remodeling properties to avoid cutting prices, but not all projects have equal pay off. To get the most bang for your buck, you’ll want to refinish hard-wood flooring, install new wood flooring, or give the home an insulation upgrade. Veronica Dagher, personal finance reporter at the WSJ, joins us for the repairs that will help sell your home.

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