Apple News Today

America could be headed for a future of ghost towns

July 6, 2026·19 min·5-min readnarrativenews
Podzilla Summary (5 min)
TLDR
The episode explores how thousands of U.S. cities may face depopulation and eventual abandonment, drawing parallels between modern urban decline and historical ghost towns. It argues that despite technological and infrastructural advances, cities lacking functional vitality—amenities, ser

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Mentions

Books, people, and resources mentioned in this episode.

People

Yecheng ZhangA.J. WhiteTimothy PockitatBrent UnderwoodVivian UnderhillKenny Barrios

Books

America Could Be Headed Toward a Future of Ghost Townsby Elizabeth Rain

Research & Papers

Study published in Nature Cities (2024)Study published in Habitat International

Topics

Climate ChangeHistorical FiguresLong Form JournalismTrue Crime

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