In the past few months, the price of gold has gone way up – even hitting a new high last month at just over $2,400 per troy ounce.

Gold has long had a shiny quality to it, literally and in the marketplace. And we wondered, why is that?

Today on the show, we revisit a Planet Money classic episode: Why Gold? Jacob Goldstein and David Kestenbaum will peruse the periodic table of the elements with one goal in mind: to learn which element would really make the best money.

This classic Planet Money episode was part of the Planet Money Buys Gold series, and was hosted by Jacob Goldstein and David Kestenbaum.

This rerun was hosted by Sally Helm, produced by Willa Rubin, edited by Keith Romer, and fact-checked by Sierra Juarez. Alex Goldmark is our executive producer.

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We've lived amongst Elon Musk headlines for so long now that it's easy to forget just how much he sounds like a sci-fi character. He runs a space company and wants to colonize mars. He also runs a company that just implanted a computer chip into a human brain. And he believes there's a pretty high probability everything is a simulation and we are living inside of it.

But the latest Elon Musk headline-grabbing drama is less something out of sci-fi, and more something pulled from HBO's "Succession."

Elon Musk helped take Tesla from the brink of bankruptcy to one of the biggest companies in the world. And his compensation for that was an unprecedentedly large pay package that turned him into the richest person on Earth. But a judge made a decision about that pay package that set off a chain of events resulting in quite possibly the most expensive, highest stakes vote in publicly traded company history.

The ensuing battle over Musk's compensation is not just another wild Elon tale. It's a lesson in how to motivate the people running the biggest companies that – like it or not – are shaping our world. It's a classic economics problem with a very 2024 twist.

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As StoryCorps' 20th anniversary approaches, we'll be looking back at important moments both in our history and the country's. This week — one more short story from our Military Voices Initiative. Sergeant Ocean Subiono tells his father, Russell Subiono, about what happened when he tried to enlist.

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As communities across the Southern United States set about recovering from one of the most devastating hurricane seasons ever, we're doing what Mr. Rogers always told us to do when the news is scary: we're looking for the helpers. In this episode, two stories about people who have stepped up for their neighbors, despite their differences.

Leave us a voicemail at 702-706-TALK, or email us at podcast@storycorps.org.

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In the last century, human life expectancy has doubled. This hour, we talk with writer Steven Johnson on the many breakthroughs that made this possible — and where we go from here.

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For decades, Rosanne Cash has soared through the ranks of music with her powerhouse poetic skills and wistful reflections on her past. This hour, we explore Rosanne's life and legacy through her music.

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Original broadcast date: March 22, 2022. In the last century, human life expectancy has doubled. This hour, we talk with writer Steven Johnson on the many breakthroughs that made this possible — and where we go from here.

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Original broadcast date: July 29, 2022. For decades, Rosanne Cash has soared through the ranks of music with her powerhouse poetic skills and wistful reflections on her past. This hour, we explore Rosanne's life and legacy through her music.

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In part three: host Manoush Zomorodi explores how our tech habits are causing our eyes to change shape—to elongate—which causes nearsightedness. She investigates why rates of myopia among kids are soaring. She speaks with Maria Liu, an optometrist with a quest to slow down the progression of myopia in children by opening the first ever myopia control clinic in the United States.

Later in the episode, we hear from a team of employees who tried incorporating "movement snacks" into their days for one week.

Click here to find out more about the project: npr.org/bodyelectric

Are you signed up for Columbia's study, or following along with the series? We want to hear your thoughts! Send us a voice memo at bodyelectric@npr.org. Talk to us on Instagram @ManoushZ, and on Facebook @tedradiohour.

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Original broadcast date: Friday, December 3, 2021. Admitting we're wrong is painful — even seen as a sign of weakness. But what if we take a more flexible approach? This hour: how rethinking ideas can be good for our brains and our relationships. Guests include former GOP congressman Bob Inglis, organizational psychologist Adam Grant, and civil rights activist Loretta J. Ross.

TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at plus.npr.org/ted.

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Scott Schieman, a professor of sociology at the University of Toronto explains why earning more money — beyond a certain level — doesn't make us feel even happier and more satisfied.

Discovery that confirms theory of relativity makes headlines around the world “We see today that black holes exist in the universe and they do collide!” Associate Professor Harald Pfeiffer says (image courtesy NASA) For the first time, scientists have observed gravitational waves – ripples in the fabric of spacetime from a cataclysmic event in the […]

Toronto, ON – When one atom first meets another, the precise nature of that interaction can determine much about what kinds of physical properties and behaviours will emerge. In a paper published today in Nature Physics, a team led by U of T physicist Joseph Thywissen reported their discovery of a new set of rules […]

Toronto, ON – University of Toronto Professor Giovanni Grasselli, of the Department of Civil Engineering, has been named the inaugural holder of the Foundation CMG Industrial Research Chair in Fundamental Petroleum Rock Physics and Rock Mechanics. Professor Grasselli is joining 12 chairs at 12 universities, including Penn State and the University of Texas in Austin, […]

Compositions provide a soundtrack for the Cassini probe’s final plunge into planetToronto, ON –After centuries of looking with awe and wonder at the beauty of Saturn and its rings, we can now listen to them, thanks to the efforts of astrophysicists at the University of Toronto (U of T). “To celebrate the Grand Finale of […]

University of Toronto among extensive list of global collaboratorsTORONTO, ON – International high-energy physics research project IceCube has been named the 2013 Breakthrough of the Year by British magazine Physics World. The Antarctic observatory has been selected for making the first observation of cosmic neutrinos, but also for overcoming the many challenges of creating and […]

A quantum change in our understanding of how much of Earth’s crust may be habitableTORONTO, ON — A team of scientists, led by the University of Toronto’s Barbara Sherwood Lollar, has mapped the location of hydrogen-rich waters found trapped kilometres beneath Earth’s surface in rock fractures in Canada, South Africa and Scandinavia. Common in Precambrian […]

Team led by U of T Engineering designs world’s most efficient catalyst for storing energy as hydrogen by splitting water moleculesToronto, ON — We can’t control when the wind blows and when the sun shines, so finding efficient ways to store energy from alternative sources remains an urgent research problem. Now, a group of researchers led […]

Toronto, ON — The University of Toronto’s Faculty of Kinesiology and Physical Education has launched the Mental Health and Physical Activity Research Centre (MPARC) — one of the first research facilities to integrate the study of physical activity and mental health in Canada and internationally. Opened on February 25, this multidisciplinary centre will address the […]

Toronto, ON — Studies have shown that immigrants to the U.S., Canada, and Australia tend to be healthier and live longer than non-immigrants in their host countries, once adjustments have been made for income and education. There has been a great deal of speculation as to why this “healthy migrant effect” exists. One hypothesis proposes […]

Artificially intelligent traffic lights, human-electric hybrid pod vehicles and more  This first episode of U of T Cities features researchers and entrepreneurs working to build the future of traffic. Learn about artificially intelligent traffic lights, bike-car hybrid vehicles, a first-of-its-kind undergraduate course all about the Toronto election and more. http://bit.ly/1CVWAkn For more stories on U of […]

We hear stories about how books and reading can foster connection. This episode is hosted by Emily Couch

Storytellers:

Kashyap Raja finds beauty in reading the Gruffalo to a young child.

Errol McLendon receives some heartfelt gifts.

On this episode, we take a look at one of the coolest projects the Moth has done - the traveling Pop Up Porch. And we hear a story that came out the Pop Up Porch.

We also interview Rita Brent - who hosted one of our events and shares her experiences.

If you’d like to experience some of the magic of the Pop Up Porch you should come visit us at the Pop Up Porch when it comes to your city. We’ll be in Ann Arbor from September 27th to October 1st, Detroit from October 4th to October 8th, and in Dallas from October 11th to October 15th.

For more information, visit to themoth.org

Also, The Moth's spinoff podcast Grown is up for a Signal award. If you haven't listened to Grown before, check it out, it's filled with stories all about growing up, and if you have listened, we'd love for you to vote for it for the Signal Awards. Just go to vote.signalaward.com and vote for Grown in the categories of Best Co-Host Team and Best Emerging Podcast.

Hosted by:

Aldi Kaza

Storyteller: Tonja Murphy’s students always tell her the truth, so she has to be careful about what outfits she wears.

The Germans have a word for second-hand embarrassment -- Fremdschämen! This hour may have you blushing on our storytellers' behalves. Wince-worthy moments from the halls of academia to a foreign train station, and a reminder to ALWAYS check who you're emailing before you hit "send." This episode is hosted by Moth Senior Director Meg Bowles. The Moth Radio Hour is produced by The Moth and Jay Allison of Atlantic Public Media.

Storytellers: 

Marissa sees more of her mother than she'd like at her dissertation defense. 

Azhar Bawde-Ali creates an embarrassing situation over e-mail.

On his way to a meeting at Warner Bros., Gbenga Akinnagbe ends up stranded on the side of a mountain.

Joanne Richards has trouble saying "no."

Wendy Suzuki describes her relationship to her emotions as "a struggle for control."

Mariana Mazzucato, who has been called “one of the three most important thinkers about innovation.” is urging all of us to seize the moment and remake a more fair, just, and equitable world for all.

NFTs are all over the news. We decided to take a closer look and figure out just what this bitcoin-adjacent technology is — and whether it's worth the hype.

Many diversity and inclusion efforts in the workplace fall short of helping employees feel like they belong — and why this matters. (1 of 3)

As workplaces take tentative steps towards a new normal, social psychologist Heidi Grant shares best practices for interacting when some are in the office and some are remote.

How do you make sure everyone—whether in person or remote—feels heard?

Paul Hudson, head of one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, says leaders need to sit back and listen more often.

Tsedal Neeley on Why We Need to Think of the Office as a Tool, with Very Specific Uses

Training is a vital part of any business's long-term growth plan. In fact, a study from the American Society for Training and Development found that organizations that invest the most in employee training have 218 percent higher income per ...

The process through which corporations seek, track, and interview job candidates and train new employees is called talent acquisition. A talent source looks for and finds suitable candidates. They do this by employing a variety of proactive recruiting tactics. Sources seek applicants who are both active and passive. The human resources (HR) department is normally in charge of this.

You've invested time, effort, and money into designing your recruitment strategy — but you're still not getting the results you'd hoped for. What's going wrong with your recruiting strategy? Why isn't it attracting the top talent your business needs? To help you troubleshoot, here are a few of the most common reasons why recruitment strategies fail — and how to fix the problem: 1. Using Outdated Recruiting ...

Most companies today have something to say about their company culture and how it makes them unique with regard to what they do and how they treat their employees. And that's a good thing: Today's employees are not motivated solely by money, and behaving as if they are will rarely lead to good long-term recruiting results. When candidates are considering prospective employers, they have a ...

Having visibility into a team's processes and projects is important to every manager. However, when you're managing a remote team, visibility becomes even more critical. How can you guide your staff on priorities and deadlines when you aren't sure what's actually going on behind the scenes? With remote workforces, simply getting work done isn't enough. Inefficient processes become more problematic as employees are no longer in the same room and communication becomes more difficult or delayed. Managers also need to see ...

Hybrid industrial cloud adoption will more than double over the next five years at 21.1% CAGR.

Reverse engineering as a term is adopted by many industry subsets. From genetics, computer code, complex PCBs (printed circuit boards), and even military espionage. In this article, we are specifically relating to a metrology-driven process steered by high-precision 3D data acquisition tools. 

AI is revolutionizing quality control in manufacturing, driving us into Industry 4.0 and beyond. Manufacturers can streamline processes, boost efficiency, and deliver top-notch products globally. Embracing AI isn't just advantageous; it's essential for thriving in today's economy. Businesses must invest in AI to empower their workforce and stay ahead in the rapidly evolving manufacturing landscape.

Quality managing editor Michelle Bangert talked with Justin Newell, CEO of Inform North America, who recently wrote an article for Quality on trustworthy AI.

As businesses increasingly rely on machine vision to enhance quality, improve productivity, and increase the bottom line, technology providers are relying more on industrial computing solutions that enable faster processing speeds and higher efficiency, or that support new tasks altogether. 

Are you a manufacturer researching ways to improve and increase productivity, as your cast parts become more complex?

Computed radiography, a form of X-ray imaging, has been embraced widely by many major manufacturing companies. Its application is now core for testing within a range of sectors including aerospace, oil and gas, industrial gas turbines, medical implants and prosthetics.

Discover the secrets behind X-ray CT system design and learn how rapid scanning can revolutionize production quality control. Uncover hidden internal voids, inclusions, and defects in molded and die-casted products—all without a single destructive test.

When the materials testing application calls for up to 3,000 kN of hydraulic force applied by advanced digital control, Tinius Olsen offers its all-new SL series, replacing the company’s Super L series.

X-ray CT is crucial for the aerospace industry, offering nondestructive insights into components' inner structure, aiding in defect detection, maintenance, and research. High-energy CT is advancing the technology, allowing for detailed imaging and shaping the industry.

Industry 4.0, or Technology 4.0, signifies the shift towards automation, data exchange, and advanced technologies like AI and IoT in manufacturing and beyond. Its value lies in aligning with organizational goals and strategic plans and enhancing employee efficiency, offering a comprehensive approach to modernizing operations across the board.

Metrology is the science of inspection. It includes various measurement tools such as calipers, gauges, micrometers, and vision systems, which are often used for quality control in nondestructive testing (NDT).

As emerging technologies like AI and robotics capture attention, foundational engineering principles remain crucial. Essential for innovation, these include material science and control theory. ASME’s Y14.5 Standard on geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) is key for advanced manufacturing.

Rhythm and Rhyme by John Holyfield is a(n) Limited Edition. The Edition is Limited to Limited Edition of 200 pcs