Converting ZIP codes to latitude and longitude coordinates unlocks location functionality that ZIP code strings alone can’t support — distance calculations, radius searches, map markers, delivery zone ...

Most Americans know their ZIP code by heart. They type it into online forms, scribble it on envelopes and memorize it as part of their address. But not everyone knows the original meaning of the term.

The humble ZIP Code shows up in all kinds of surprising places. Planet Money looks at how it was born, how it transformed the mail and talks to one researcher who argues that it's gone too far. The ...