Economy
Discover facts about economy. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Economy
Why authenticating art can get experts sued
Calling a painting fake can cost its owner money if the verdict damages its value. Owners can sue the experts who authenticated it, and that legal risk has…
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How much of a donation reaches the cause
A donation can pay for more than direct aid: fundraiser salaries, administration, galas and marketing may come out first. So the amount given and the amount…
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Your forgotten money may be waiting with a state government
In the US, businesses turn over qualifying unclaimed balances after a period of inactivity. The state generally holds the property for its owner, who can…
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Bears attack with a swipe straight downward
A bear attack can come as a forceful downward swipe from its heavy claws.
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Why plastic banknotes spring back flat
Try to tuck a polymer note into a tight fold and it may pop back toward flat. The springiness is inconvenient in a pocket but helps the note hold up over time.
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Japan sells more adult diapers than baby diapers
Japan’s diaper market flipped as the country aged and fewer babies were born: major paper companies began selling more adult diapers than baby diapers over a…
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An almond's water footprint is much bigger than the nut
Growing almonds requires water for the tree and its crop, so researchers divide that use across the harvested nuts. This is an accounting footprint, not water…
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Newspaper taxes made information a luxury
Britain’s newspaper stamp tax did more than collect revenue: by making printed papers expensive, it put news further out of reach for working-class readers.
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Unregistered physical labor dictates massive survival
Some people get food by doing physical work that never appears in official records. Their labor is traded for what they need outside the formal economy.
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When bullets became pocket change
When coins are scarce, standardized ammunition cartridges can pass from hand to hand as small change. In some remote territories, a customer buying bread…
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The handshake that can unlock a fully booked hotel
When every room seems taken, a guest may offer the concierge $100 to find a suite. The tip can turn a dead end into a room if the concierge can locate one.
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El Farol bar problem exposes predictable crowding failures
At El Farol, the night is only fun if the bar is not packed. When people use similar past data to guess attendance, they can all stay home after a crowded…
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Why spending cash can feel physically painful
Paying cash means watching the money leave your hand. Brain scans link that moment to activity in the insula, a region also associated with physical pain and…
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Digital pixels retain true value despite endless duplication
The pixels themselves are easy to duplicate; scarcity comes from the game’s rules. By limiting virtual items, a game can make players treat them as valuable…
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A music catalog can keep earning after its star is gone
Recordings, song rights, and licensing can continue producing income for an artist's estate. Michael Jackson's work illustrates how the business can outlive…
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Sleeping late can make your breakfast cost more
A restaurant has empty seats to fill early and more customers to serve at peak time. Some offer steep breakfast discounts to lure price-sensitive early…
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Real banknote paper is only one part of checking a dollar bill
US currency uses security features that correspond to the denomination, including watermarks and differently positioned threads. A note's material alone…
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Discount windows let struggling banks borrow emergency cash
The facility is there for a bank that needs cash fast. The catch is that using it can signal trouble, making a bank weigh the money it needs against the…
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German workers rushed to spend wages before the prices changed
During the 1923 hyperinflation, wages were paid daily in some places and people hurried to exchange banknotes for goods. Holding money could mean watching its…
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Chapter 11 can keep a bankrupt business open
In the United States, this process allows reorganization while an automatic stay generally pauses many creditor collection actions. The company can seek a…
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When crowdfunding turns into a three-year wait
A Kickstarter pledge can send money to a millionaire for a spiritual successor, then leave backers waiting three years. When the product finally arrives and…
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Why giving to charity can feel rewarding
A donation can help a cause and reward the giver at the same time. Economists call that “warm-glow giving”: the good feeling is part of what people get from…
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The tiny fly that cut bathroom spills
Schiphol Airport put an image of a fly inside urinals to give users a target. The idea changes behavior without a warning sign or an argument: aiming at…
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When comic books outperform gold
The right old comic can bring more at auction than gold: a high-grade, mid-century issue showing a character’s first appearance. Collectors are bidding for a…
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