Economy
Discover facts about economy. Small discoveries that change the way you see familiar things.
Economy
Generic equivalents dominate pharmacy prescriptions
A drug’s patent can keep copycat versions out only for a time. Once it expires, other manufacturers can sell generics—and those copies end up filling the…
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The person inside the mascot costume may be injured
The crowd sees a giant mascot; the person inside may be struggling to see at all. Bulky costumes limit vision, dancing in them can bring heat exhaustion or…
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Artisanal cheeses rely on specific mold cultures
A blue vein is planned: cheesemakers introduce chosen Penicillium cultures, then give them a carefully controlled cave to grow in. The mold is part of the…
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Insurance companies buy insurance for their own disasters
Reinsurance transfers part of an insurer's exposure to another firm. A single hurricane can affect thousands of policies at once, so spreading risk across…
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Standard life insurance policies exclude acts of war
A standard life insurance policy may exclude deaths caused by war or martial law. If that exclusion applies, the person’s beneficiaries may not receive a…
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Why shutting down a nuclear plant takes decades
A plant can stop generating power in a day; making it safe to leave behind is a much longer job. Crews must cool spent fuel, clean contaminated concrete, and…
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Farmers really grow catnip for your cat
Catnip is cultivated and sold because cat owners pay for the effect it has on their cats. A member of the mint family has become a commercial crop for pets.
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Your address travels with your car insurance bill
Insurers price groups of drivers as well as individuals. Where a car is kept changes its exposure to theft, crashes and other claims, so a move can alter the…
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An acne treatment helped reveal a way to reduce wrinkles
Tretinoin was introduced as a topical acne medicine, and clinicians noticed effects on aging skin too. Retinoids can influence cell turnover and collagen,…
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Why some chickens grow too big to walk
Commercial broilers are bred to grow large breasts quickly, and some gain weight so fast their legs struggle to support them by about six weeks. The trait…
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The insurance policy you must keep secret
A kidnapper who knows a target has ransom insurance may see a bigger payoff. That is why a kidnap-and-ransom policy can become void if the insured reveals it.
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Why dentists pay so much for disability insurance
A dentist’s income depends on steady hands and a back that can tolerate awkward working positions. An injury to either can threaten the ability to practice,…
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Why purebred dogs can inherit serious health problems
A breed’s signature look can come at a biological cost: selecting for particular features may narrow the gene pool, raising the chance of inherited problems…
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Why bowling lanes are covered in oil
The oil isn’t just there to make the lane slippery: its pattern controls the ball’s friction and hook. Bowlers wipe their balls because the lane’s oil comes…
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Why haunted houses can sell for less
A rumor can put a real price cut on a house. Buyers wary of a famous crime or a supposed haunting may walk away, so someone willing to live with the story can…
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Golf courses consume prime urban real estate
A protected golf course can occupy land where apartments might otherwise be built. If zoning shields the course from redevelopment, the green space stays…
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Why tennis balls come in pressurized cans
The sealed can is pressurized to help keep pressure inside the tennis balls, preserving their bounce until you open it. The packaging is doing more than…
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Job interviews are built on hidden information
A candidate knows their own abilities; the company knows what it’s like to work there. In an interview, each side has to judge the facts the other may leave…
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Why CEO pay can be a prize for everyone else
The CEO’s enormous paycheck can motivate people below to compete for promotion, like runners chasing a prize. That’s the logic of tournament theory—even when…
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An anthropologist asked why people felt their own jobs were pointless
David Graeber's theory of 'bullshit jobs' focused on workers who believed their roles contributed little despite keeping them busy. The unsettling distinction…
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A lucky result can disguise a terrible decision
The bet paid off, so everyone calls it genius. That’s outcome bias: a lucky ending can make a bad decision look smart after the fact.
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Why even the best typist needs an assistant
A top typist may get more done by not typing every routine page. If an assistant handles the ordinary tasks, the expert can stay focused on work that matters…
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Why terrible job offers attract desperate applicants
When a job offer is bad enough, qualified applicants may simply pass. That leaves the opening to people with fewer choices—the employer’s weak offer can…
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Why a yacht is worth more as a status symbol
A yacht can be valuable because other people see it, not because its owner needs to cross the ocean. Its size and price signal status, so the comparison with…
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