The Indicator from Planet Money

From drones to body armor to bulletproof whiteboards, companies are offering schools a multitude of products to try to deter or protect against the next school shooting. But does any of this stuff work? On today’s show, a look inside the school shooting industry. What's for sale and the psychology behind the growing industry. Related episodes:   Why are so many public schools closing? [https://www.npr.org/2025/09/24/nx-s1-5551077/why-are-so-many-public-schools-closing]   For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org/]. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez [https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez]. Music by Drop Electric [https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/]. Find us: TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney], Newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money].   Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

For most of human history, economic growth was, well, pretty bleak. But around the Enlightenment, things started clicking. This year's Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences went to a trio of researchers whose work focuses on how technological progress led to this sustained economic growth. Today we hear from one of them, Joel Mokyr, about his work on European economic history.  Related episodes:  Why are some nations richer? [https://www.npr.org/2024/10/15/1211165443/the-indicator-from-planet-money-nobel-economics-prize-institutions-10-15-2024] (2024 Economics Nobel)  A conversation with Nobel laureate Claudia Goldin [https://www.npr.org/2023/10/10/1197954680/the-indicator-from-planet-money-10-10-2023] (2023 Economics Nobel) When Luddites attack (Update) [https://www.npr.org/2021/09/24/1040606747/when-luddites-attack-classic] (Featuring Joel Mokyr)  For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org/]. Music by Drop Electric [https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/]. Find us: TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney], Newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money].   Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

As Vice Week wraps up here at The Indicator, we wanted to take a slightly different perspective on the evolving business of crime and take a look at TRUE crime. As in the genre. Because look, people are obsessed with it! Today on the show, our hosts favorite pieces of true crime content.  Darian Woods: The Economist’s Scam Inc [https://www.economist.com/audio/podcasts/scam-inc]. Wailin Wong: Wednesday Journal’s A tangled mess [https://www.oakpark.com/2017/07/25/a-tangled-mess/]  Adrian Ma: Philadelphia Inquirer’s Dime Heist story [https://www.inquirer.com/crime/dime-theft-philadelphia-suspect-court-hearing-20250225.html]  Related episodes: Fighting AI with AI [https://www.npr.org/2025/10/06/nx-s1-5561881/fighting-ai-with-ai] What’s supercharging data breaches? [https://www.npr.org/2025/10/07/nx-s1-5563884/whats-supercharging-data-breaches]  When cartels start to diversify [https://www.npr.org/2025/10/08/nx-s1-5553663/when-cartels-start-to-diversify] For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org/]. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez [https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez]. Music by Drop Electric [https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/]. Find us: TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney], Newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money]. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

Market manipulation is an age-old issue. People trying to make money off unsuspecting investors by artificially influencing the price of a stock, say. But what happens when the one manipulating markets isn't human?  This week on The Indicator from Planet Money, we bring you five episodes digging into the evolving business of crime. Today on the show, we hear how AI could spell mischief for the markets, and why the law is already behind in preventing it. Related episodes: How much is AI actually affecting the workforce? [https://www.npr.org/2025/09/04/nx-s1-5527315/how-much-is-ai-actually-affecting-the-workforce]  Shorters Gonna Short [https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2015/03/06/391023353/episode-608-shorters-gonna-short] For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org/]. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez [https://www.npr.org/people/1268825622/sierra-juarez]. Music by Drop Electric [https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/]. Find us: TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney], Newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money].   Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]

The Sinaloa Cartel made the bulk of its money on cocaine. But cartels are diversifying into new operations including things like wildlife trafficking. Think sharks, jaguars, capybaras. The result is something called “narco-degradation.” On today’s show, we look at what’s driving cartels beyond drugs and how this is wreaking havoc on ecosystems in Central America. Related episodes:  Can breaking the law be good for business? [https://www.npr.org/2024/04/01/1197963517/dupont-chemours-chemicals-cows]  Waste Land [https://www.npr.org/2020/09/11/912150085/waste-land]  Will Economic Growth Destroy the Planet? [https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/10/25/141701559/the-tuesday-podcast-will-economic-growth-destroy-the-planet] For sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org [http://plus.npr.org/]. Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez [https://www.npr.org/people/g-s1-26724/sierra-juarez]. Music by Drop Electric [https://dropelectric.bandcamp.com/]. Find us: TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@planetmoney], Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/planetmoney/], Facebook [https://www.facebook.com/planetmoney], Newsletter [https://www.npr.org/newsletter/money].   Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices] NPR Privacy Policy [https://www.npr.org/about-npr/179878450/privacy-policy]