The Next Idea It’s fair to say that mothers need all the help they can get. Family and friends can step in, of course, but what about things like getting lactation advice, finding support groups, programs for kids, and most of all, finding other like-minded mothers? Some metro areas seem to have lots of resources, but two Detroit residents connected over what they felt was a real lack of community in their city.

The Next Idea Innovation centers can come in all shapes, sizes, and locations. That's the message from Orbion Space Technology , a recent grand prize winner in this year's Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition . Brad King is CEO of Orbion Space Technology and a professor at Michigan Technological University in Houghton. He joined The Next Idea to talk about nanosatellites and the future of commercial space. Read highlights below, or listen to the full conversation at the bottom of the post.

The Next Idea The teaching profession in America remains largely white and female. That means young African American males can go through school without ever seeing a teacher who looks like them. Not only can this mean a lack of black role models, but it also means teaching doesn’t get held up as a profession that’s desirable for black men to pursue.

The Next Idea Advances in computer technology are one of many factors that have led to the decline of certain types of jobs. To some extent, technology has always played a role in changing how people work and live: think of the internal combustion engine or factory mechanization. But today’s guest on The Next Idea wonders if advances in artificial intelligence could be a tipping point into societal unrest, even revolt, because of loss of jobs.

The Next Idea From the Sears kit houses of the early 1900s to the McMansions of the '90s, the way we heat and cool our homes has mostly followed this formula: Build a space the size you want, then install heating and cooling that will keep that square footage comfortable.

The Next Idea It’s fair to say that the automobile has been central to the life of Bob Lutz . He’s 85 now, but before he was semi-retired he held top-tier positions at BMW, Ford, Chrysler and General Motors, where he was vice chairman. He recently wrote an article for Automotive News with the striking headline, “Kiss the good times goodbye.” It’s about where the world of cars is headed, for better or worse.

The Next Idea Homelessness has a different look in a city than it does in rural areas, and somehow it feels easier to overlook. Dennis Van Kampen , executive director and CEO of the Grand Rapids nonprofit Mel Trotter Ministries , joined Stateside to talk about a pilot program aimed at helping homeless families in rural Cedar Springs, and take on the problem of rural homelessness more broadly.

The Next Idea The Accelerate Michigan Innovation Competition announced its list of winners earlier this month. It's time to meet one of them: Christina York, CEO of SpellBound , joined Stateside to talk about the app that just won her company the People’s Choice Award.

The Next Idea Michiganders know well the effects of manufacturing’s decline in this country. But a new report points out ways to ensure manufacturing stays alive here, and with 1-in-7 workers in our state still employed in this sector, it’s a challenge that we need to address. The report is called Making it in America: Revitalizing U.S. manufacturing . It was released this month by the McKinsey Global Institute , a leading private-sector think tank. The report examines what hurt manufacturing in

The Next Idea Pretend it’s Saturday. You and the kids are running errands, including a several-hour stop at the laundromat. They are bored, you are bored.... What if you could use that washer time for something like education? What if your laundromat had the services of a library? Well, over the summer, this started happening in Detroit.