Economy
Discover facts about economy. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Economy
Why researchers bought thousands of PlayStations
It is a rare day when a consumer electronics giant accidentally subsidizes supercomputers. When Sony launched the PS3, they heavily subsidized the complex…
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Why anyone can harvest from a community garden
Planting a neighborhood vegetable patch practically guarantees that lazy neighbors will shamelessly harvest the best tomatoes. Public goods are inherently…
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Why some workers return to the jobs they left
Boomerang employees prove that sometimes the grass isn't greener, it's just a different shade of brown. Workers who leave for vastly better opportunities…
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Pollution permits let corporations buy and sell the right to emit toxic pollution
Instead of outright banning toxic emissions, officials invented a complex marketplace for doing bad things. Corporations buy and sell the specific right to…
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Billions in life insurance money go unclaimed
Dying is complicated, but failing to tell anyone you had a policy is downright expensive. Billions of dollars in life insurance payouts sit in administrative…
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Why finance is linked to settling debts
It turns out the entire concept of managing money originated from the urgent need to simply make someone stop bothering you. Originating from the Old French…
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Why a dollar is called a buck
Before central banking existed, North American colonists had to figure out how to buy whiskey without cash. They resorted to trading animal pelts, with the…
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Banknotes use ink that shifts from green to copper when viewed from different angles
To thwart unauthorized duplication at the local library, treasuries utilize highly advanced optical variable inks. This specialized fluid contains tiny flakes…
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Multiplier effects turn one spent dollar into multiple
A single dollar does not just die once it leaves your hand. The multiplier effect proves that when you pay a mechanic, that mechanic takes your money and buys…
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Why a kidney can fetch a fortune on the black market
If you are ever feeling entirely worthless under the crushing weight of capitalism, just remember that your internal filtration system is worth the price of a…
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A price spike can decide whether millions of people can afford to eat
Allowing floating numbers to entirely organize global resources is wonderfully chaotic. A sudden spike in an invisible data point can dictate whether millions…
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Why farmers download Ukrainian software for their tractors
Modern agricultural equipment is loaded with proprietary software protected by aggressive copyright laws. When a simple part breaks, farmers are legally…
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Why employers gave workers caffeine
The midday caffeine dose was not a gracious gift to let you relax and socialize. Employers realized that heavily caffeinated workers made fewer errors on the…
Discover moreParents cannot watch babysitters, letting teens prioritize phones over childcare
Handing an adolescent absolute authority over your offspring invites immediate misalignment. The parents passionately want the toddler asleep and educated,…
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Why millions of old books and films remain inaccessible
Because creative preservation is blocked by dead authors you cannot find. Millions of historic books and films decay into dust simply because institutions are…
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Why nepotism beats qualifications
Nepotism remains the most enduring and wildly inefficient hiring strategy in human history. Bypassing massive pools of highly qualified talent just to employ…
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Why MGM owns the sound of a lion's roar
Nothing says Hollywood dominance quite like holding a legal monopoly over a large cat's vocal cords. MGM registered the audio of their mascot, Leo the Lion,…
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Grapes underpin a massive global industry through fresh fruit, raisins, and juice
Despite their mundane appearance in school lunches, the global cultivation of this single vine fruit absolutely crushes other crops in total agricultural…
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How speed cameras turn tickets into local revenue
Because robots make the best invisible tax collectors. Automated ticketing systems require almost zero upkeep and constantly penalize minor infractions,…
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Why a gallon-sized soda makes 32 ounces look small
Offering a literal bucket-sized beverage option is not meant to quench an impossible thirst; it is meant to anchor your expectations. Next to a gallon-sized…
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Why the EU stopped issuing €500 notes
Having a hyper-dense physical currency is great for your wallet but exceptionally convenient for organized crime. The €500 note was affectionately dubbed the…
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Inheritance taxes target dynastic wealth when huge estates pass to heirs
Because passing down unearned dynastic wealth ruins societal meritocracy. Levying a hefty fee on massive estates when someone dies is designed to prevent a…
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An ambulance ride can leave patients with thousands of dollars in bills
Because choosing not to bleed out in a gutter comes with a premium invoice. The sheer cost of emergency medical transport deters people from calling for help,…
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Why doubling your income may not make you happier
The Easterlin paradox breaks the hearts of workaholics everywhere. Going from poverty to middle class vastly improves your life, but once your basic needs are…
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