Spying on Elon Musk and Tesla from space

Oceans of numbers come pouring out at us each day about the big tech companies -- whether it's spending on AI, iPhone sales, Tesla stocks ... or, lawsuits against SpaceX by Cards Against Humanity? -- senior tech correspondent Rani Molla is on the case. We talk with her about how to make sense of all the numbers coming our way, the power of zooming out and getting the (literal and figurative!) big picture, and why her comparative literature degree has been a surprisingly huge asset in her numbers-centric work. Also, we find out about what the heck Elon is up to (at least with respect to some of his goings-on!).

Rani's articles that use satellite images:

"Before and after: Aerial photos show what being Elon Musk's neighbor can do to your land," Sherwood News

"Tesla's massive pileup: Tesla's unsold inventory is creating stockpiles you can see from space," Sherwood News

Resources mentioned:

Tesla's Form 10-K for 2024

Flourish data visualization platform

Read more of Rani's great work on Sherwood News here and follow her on Bluesky here!

Read more about Andrea here and on Instagram. And check out our partner show, the Daily Tech News Show!

Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories.

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