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A billion people worldwide live in slums, largely invisible to city services and governments — but not to satellites. A global movement is putting mapping technology in the hands of slum dwellers to persuade governments and the residents themselves to see these shadow cities in a whole new light. NPR's Gregory Warner visits one slum in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

A new website offers a different perspective on the ruins of Spain's construction bubble. Called Nación Rotonda, or "Roundabout Nation," the site displays before-and-after aerial photos of Spanish towns, documenting how quickly half-built condos and urban sprawl have replaced open land in recent years.

More bodice unbuttoner than bodice ripper, The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls, by Anton DiSclafani, is nonetheless an ode to a young girl's sexual awakening. The novel follows Thea, a 1930s teen whose family banishes her to an equestrian boarding school after a mysterious transgression.

Mid-Autumn Festival is a major Chinese holiday when families gather to light lanterns and eat mooncakes. An NPR producer waxes nostalgic about the hockey-puck pastries at the center of celebrations.

William Gibson's Neuromancer is a hacker classic. Author Nick Harkaway says it's also a door to a greater world. Is there a book that took you outside of your comfort zone? Tell us in the comments.

New research from San Diego State University looks at how pronoun usage in books reflects changing gender roles and other cultural shifts over the last century.

Sky-high prices for elephant ivory and rhino horn have pushed wildlife poaching to a fever pitch. So in attempt to outfox the sophisticated poaching operations, conservationists and government rangers are teaming up to launch small, camera-carrying drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles, above southwest Africa.

This story is part of our series The Changing Lives of Women.

In southern California, Hollywood howls over "piracy" and is pushing for legislation. In the north, Silicon Valley cries foul over what it sees as restrictions on a free and open Internet. The most pressing issue for both may be the huge sums of money each stands to lose.

This story is part of our series The Changing Lives of Women.