Episodes
College Fails
Jul 31 2020
The pandemic is transforming college from a can't-miss into a can't-attend experience. Can colleges survive? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
SUMMER SCHOOL 4: Scarcity & Pistachios
Jul 29 2020
Class 4 brings us an economic conundrum: how do you efficiently share a scarce resource? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Rest of the Story, Pandemic Edition
Jul 24 2020
Rest of the Story, Pandemic Edition We check in on the people we've met and stories we've covered since this whole thing started. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
SUMMER SCHOOL 3: Profit & Cocaine
Jul 23 2020
In our third class, we take all that we've learned about decisions and markets and bring it to a former drug kingpin. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
BONUS: The Kerner Commission
Jul 20 2020
In 1967, President Johnson created a commission to investigate racial unrest in America. But, the answer they came up with was not the answer he was hoping for. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Getting Out Of Prison Sooner
Jul 18 2020
Shortening prison sentences might be about morals, but it's definitely about money. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
SUMMER SCHOOL 2: Markets & Pickles
Jul 16 2020
In our second class, we meet our old friends supply and demand and do graphs using only the power of the human voice. Then, we show you how markets can be created anywhere by telling the story of a food bank that had too many pickles and not enough pancake syrup. It's economics to the rescue. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Hollywood's Black List
Jul 10 2020
In 2005, an anonymous list of the best unmade scripts in Hollywood shook up the movie biz. This episode: how a math-loving, movie nerd solved Hollywood's script problem. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
SUMMER SCHOOL 1: Choices & Dating
Jul 08 2020
First lesson: Economics is not about money. It's a lens of great power and beauty. In this episode, we meet our teachers and learn the first four fundamental concepts of economic thinking, and watch them applied to things like dating and hailing a cab. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Planet Money Summer School
Jul 06 2020
Introducing an economics education for your ears! We're calling it Planet Money Summer School. It's all the economics you meant to learn, but didn't get around to. Each Wednesday, we'll serve up a Planet Money story, or selection of excerpts, paired with insights from our economists-in-residence for the summer. Get an understanding of the basic concepts of economics going to the beach. You can pick up your economics knowledge while you bike, stroll the sand or just lay in the grass. Amuse your f...more
Reparations For Police Brutality (UPDATE)
Jul 03 2020
For years, some Chicago police officers tortured suspects. Survivors fought for reparations — and got them. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Inflation, Deflation
Jul 01 2020
After decades of relative stability, prices in the US may be about to go through the roof — or the floor. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Seed Spy
Jun 27 2020
Espionage. Deceit. Theft. In this episode we follow the case of a global effort to steal top secret high technology: seeds. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Owner Of A Broken Hertz
Jun 24 2020
Rental car giant Hertz declared bankruptcy last month, which should have made their stock worthless. So how come people keep buying it? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Money And Justice
Jun 19 2020
Money and social change. We talk policing, nonprofits, reparations, and the awkwardness of brands getting woke. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Problem Of The Root (2018)
Jun 17 2020
Wild ginseng sells for thousands. We go to a farm hidden in the Appalachian mountains to find out why. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Patent Racism
Jun 12 2020
Violence, including racist attacks, stifles innovation and the economy. Dr. Lisa Cook proved how. It took 10 years to be heard. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Very First Vaccine
Jun 10 2020
We've only made vaccines for so many diseases. Let's look at the history. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Police Unions And Police Violence
Jun 05 2020
We look at the data connecting police unions and police violence. Today's episode comes from our daily podcast, The Indicator. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Where'd The Money Go, And Other Questions
Jun 04 2020
When the economy tanks, does money just vanish? Why are home prices still so high? You asked these and other questions. We try to answer. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Small America Vs. Big Internet
May 30 2020
Small towns need fast internet. One town tried to solve the problem itself, but ran into a legal firewall. What gives? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Three Big Ideas
May 27 2020
On today's show, ideas to fight the virus, get people money, and revive a multibillion-dollar corner of the economy. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
J. Screwed
May 23 2020
This month, J.Crew went bankrupt. But not before inventing a whole new way of playing hardball with lenders. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
How To Get Trillions To Millions
May 20 2020
Unemployment offices and small banks are getting money from the government to the people who need it. But it's like trying to smoosh a fifty foot pile of money through a ten foot hole. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Episode 1,000
May 16 2020
It's here! We did it! 1,000 episodes! And, to thank all our listeners for riding shotgun the whole way — we're gonna let you in on our secrets... | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Restaurant From The Future
May 13 2020
With over 5.5 million workers unemployed or furloughed, no other industry has been hit harder than restaurants. Yet one guy is thinking about expanding. Huh? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Journey To The Center Of The Fed
May 08 2020
We get on a boat and go to the Federal Reserve to talk about why it may be the most important institution in the world right now. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Georgia's Open Question
May 07 2020
Can you safely reopen a business right now — and should you? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
About That Hazard Pay
May 01 2020
We spend a morning at a grocery store and we ask: How much is essential work worth? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Buybacks And Bailouts
Apr 30 2020
Over the past decade, American companies spent billions buying back their own shares. Now they need a taxpayer rescue. Do they deserve it? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Making It Work
Apr 24 2020
Since lockdown began, some companies are doing unexpectedly well. This episode: Farm animals, a crafty comeback, Clint Eastwood, and a story with a twist. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Negative Oil
Apr 23 2020
On Monday, the price of a barrel of oil in the United States fell to negative $37. That's never happened before. What's going on with the price of oil? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Mask Mover
Apr 17 2020
States are scrambling to find any way to get more masks, gloves, anything. Including mass emailing people who have nothing to do with it. Enter, a man with a van. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Lives Vs. The Economy
Apr 15 2020
Is it worth it to shut down the economy to save lives? How do you know when to reopen it? Should we let people die to save the economy? Economists say each human life is worth about $10 million dollars. How did they get that number? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Big Small Business Rescue
Apr 11 2020
There's a brand new government program with $349 billion in aid for small businesses. The problem? It was thrown together in a week. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
What If No One Pays Rent?
Apr 09 2020
We follow the distress from a laid-off worker, to her landlord, to the multi-trillion-dollar mortgage market. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Economics Of Hospital Beds
Apr 04 2020
Bellevue, the oldest public hospital in the nation, has seen everything and survived everything. But even they might not have enough beds. Here's why. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Race To Make Ventilators
Mar 31 2020
Ventilators are the supply and demand problem of the COVID pandemic. We go inside the scramble to build more, fast. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
America Unemployed
Mar 28 2020
A record number of Americans filed for unemployment this week. The system isn't designed for this. What's next? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Where Do We Get $2,000,000,000,000?
Mar 26 2020
The COVID-19 rescue bill is the largest ever. Where will that money come from? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Food And Farmworkers
Mar 25 2020
To find out what's happening with our food, we talk to an economist, a farmer, and, of course, farmworkers. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
You Asked About The Virus Economy
Mar 24 2020
Some answers: The deal with toilet paper; stock market circuit breakers; coronabucks; corporate paper & how to help. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
How To Save The Economy Now
Mar 20 2020
Neel Kashkari is the President of the Minneapolis Fed. And he's run a bailout of an economy already. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
How To Test A Country
Mar 19 2020
Making a test for a pandemic — which rules should you keep, and which to bend? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Fed Fights The Virus
Mar 16 2020
The central bank is trying to prevent a health crisis from becoming a financial crisis. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Medicine For The Economy
Mar 14 2020
COVID-19 is hammering our economy. We ask three super smart economists what we should do about it. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Coronavirus, Oil, and Kansas
Mar 11 2020
Oil prices are way down. We follow the story from an outbreak in China, to a meeting in Vienna, to a small-time oilman in Kansas. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Where's The Vaccine?
Mar 07 2020
Coronaviruses didn't come out of nowhere. They've actually been around for years. But economics makes it hard to find a vaccine. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Terms Of Service
Mar 05 2020
An online review turns into a fine-print nightmare — until the victims fight back. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Reparations In New Zealand
Feb 28 2020
A wool magnate gets pulled into a fight with the government over reparations. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Vodka Proof
Feb 26 2020
Vodka is the best-selling spirit in the United States, and there are zillions of brands. But is there any difference between them? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Michael Milken
Feb 21 2020
Michael Milken once made $550 million in one year. Then, he went to prison. This week, the President pardoned him. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Indicate This
Feb 19 2020
From our daily podcast The Indicator: How Amazon Prime packages reach you so damn fast? And why Lancaster, PA became the refugee capital of America?
The CryptoQueen
Feb 15 2020
A mysterious woman promises a financial revolution. That promise leads to greed, corruption and... a beauty pageant. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Our Valentines 2020
Feb 12 2020
We're sending valentines to books, ideas, and other stuff we love. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Raw Milk Deal
Feb 07 2020
A farmer in California built an empire dealing raw milk. And then the Feds showed up. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Small Change
Feb 05 2020
How fast is the world really changing? The answer affects everything from how we live, to whether robots really will take all our jobs. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Island No One Owns
Feb 01 2020
In Barbuda, land isn't a thing you buy. It's something you just... have. Put up a fence and it's yours. But all that might change. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Trouble With Table 101
Jan 30 2020
We re-engineer a restaurant with a consultant so good, she can move a table a few inches, and make thousands of dollars. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Escheat Show
Jan 24 2020
You may be owed money. The government may decide to just use it. So we go looking for it inside a little-known "lost and found" of forgotten fortunes. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Rise Of Putin
Jan 23 2020
Our friends at Throughline dive into the life of Vladimir Putin and try to understand how he became Russia's new "tsar." | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Das Green Old Deal
Jan 17 2020
We team up with Vox's The Impact, to tell the story of how one man changed the way Germany – and arguably the world – uses energy. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
BILLBOARDS
Jan 16 2020
We are dedicating an entire show to billboards: good and old-fashioned, or fancy and high-tech. And we put up our own. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
13,000 Economists. 1 Question.
Jan 10 2020
We went to the American Economic Association's annual conference and asked: What's the most useful idea in economics? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Cost Of Free Doughnuts
Jan 08 2020
Free is cool, but it can backfire. On today's show, what happens when you take something that's free and give it a price. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Advanced Fairness At The Marathon
Jan 04 2020
Four lessons for creating fairness from a big race in New York. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
How Four Drinking Buddies Saved Brazil
Jan 01 2020
Inflation in Brazil was out of control for a decade. Four former drinking buddies from grad school fixed it. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Rest Of The Story, 2019
Dec 27 2019
A lot can happen after we put an episode out into the world. In The Rest Of The Story, we check-in on stories we've reported. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here
The Writers Revolt
Dec 25 2019
In April, 7,000 TV writers across the U.S. fired their agents. All on the same day. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Things We Learned in 2019
Dec 21 2019
Tom Whitwell made an amazing list of 52 things he learned this year. We dig into our favorite items. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
When Reagan Broke the Unions
Dec 19 2019
When air traffic controllers went on strike in 1981, Reagan gave them 48 hours to return. Labor would never be the same. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
You're Giving Your Boss A Loan
Dec 14 2019
Getting paid twice a month is like loaning money to your boss. What if you got paid every day? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Bell Wars
Dec 11 2019
The two biggest handbell companies in the world have been locked in a feud for decades. Why? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Carriage Tax
Dec 07 2019
People have been arguing over the constitutionality of wealth taxes since 1794, when Washington put a tax on carriages.| Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Slot Flaw Scofflaws
Dec 04 2019
Where there are casinos, there are people trying to cheat. And now, they're using iPhones. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Pirate Videos
Nov 29 2019
Blackbeard, a filmmaker, and a fight between two powerful forces in American law. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
We Cooked A Peacock
Nov 27 2019
In the 1600s, a good spice rub was the ultimate display of wealth. People would risk their lives for a sack of cloves. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
What Is Foreign Interference, Anyway?
Nov 22 2019
We've heard a lot about illegal foreign meddling in the United States elections. But what about legal foreign participation? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Three Sides Of A Car Loan
Nov 20 2019
7 million Americans are at least 3 months behind on car payments. It's a record but is it a crisis? | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Sperm Banks
Nov 16 2019
Denmark is a big exporter of human sperm. And mad cow disease may have helped. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Snakebite
Nov 13 2019
Snakebites are common but antivenom is expensive to develop. So a doctor goes to extreme lengths to find a solution. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Overrated Or Underrated?
Nov 08 2019
Today on the show, economist Tyler Cowen rates the NBA, Karl Marx, Adam Smith, the humanities, your neighbors, and more. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Free Love, Free Market
Nov 06 2019
A free-love commune of perfectionists in upstate New York embraced the free market, and became a blockbuster brand. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Pigou Club
Nov 02 2019
A hundred years ago, economist Arthur Cecil Pigou explained how to tax things like pollution. Countries are starting to do it. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
A Series Of Unfortunate Recessions
Oct 31 2019
A Halloween journey into the economists' worst nightmare, an endless time loop of recession after recession after... | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Some-of-the-Money Ball
Oct 25 2019
Income pools could change the way baseball players, and maybe the rest of us, think about how we get paid. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Fries Of The Future
Oct 23 2019
Fast food delivery is threatening the french fry. So a band of potato scientists go to work. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Liberty City
Oct 19 2019
A man in Texas had a dream: To build a whole new kind of city, with no property tax, no debt, and a whole lot of freedom. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Blockchain Gang
Oct 16 2019
Charlie Shrem went from living in his parents' basement, to bitcoin millionaire, to federal prison in just a few years. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
We Should Have Mentioned That
Oct 11 2019
Sometimes we forget to mention something. And our listeners always let us know. Today on the show, we make good. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
BOTUS
Oct 09 2019
Two years ago, we built a machine that bought and sold stocks automatically based on President Trump's tweets. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Unicorn Cowboy
Oct 04 2019
The risk-addicted investor who made WeWork possible and changed the way startups work. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Capitalism In The Courtroom
Oct 02 2019
Investors can fund lawsuits for profit, which gives more people access to the courts. But some worry it will warp the justice system. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Three Bets
Sep 28 2019
We jog to New Jersey to bet on tennis, we solve a mystery in Las Vegas, and we venture into the world of video game loot. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
When India's Cash Disappeared
Sep 25 2019
When India suddenly got rid of most of its cash, in an effort to end corruption and modernize its economy, chaos ensued. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Interest Rates... Why So Negative?
Sep 20 2019
All over the world, interest rates are very, very low. In some places, they're negative: you lend out money, and get less back. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Strike One
Sep 18 2019
Strikes these days are pretty boring. But they weren't always like this. In the past, strikers risked their lives. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Working Tapes Of Studs Terkel
Sep 13 2019
Hear what ordinary people told Studs Terkel about their jobs in the 70s — and what they have to say now. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
How To Make It In The Music Business
Sep 11 2019
The hidden economy of producers buying and selling sonic snippets, texting each other beats, and angling for royalties. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Marshall Plan
Sep 07 2019
Sometimes the way to help yourself is to help your enemy. After WWII, the U.S. launched what might be the most successful intervention in history, rebuilding Germany and also the rest of Western Europe. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Where Dollar Bills Come From
Sep 04 2019
Every dollar bill in the world comes from the same paper mill in Massachusetts. Today on the show, we get a front-row seat to the dollar-making process. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Moving To Opportunity?
Aug 30 2019
In the 90s, the government ran an experiment: What happens if we move people out of high-poverty neighborhoods and into low-poverty ones? Housing policy as hope? The results surprised them. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
The Modal American
Aug 29 2019
Kenny takes Jacob on a nerdy quest to find the "typical American." Naturally, it ends up harder—and nerdier—than we planned, and the answer is more subtle than we expected. | Subscribe to our newsletter here.
You Asked For A Food Show
Aug 23 2019
The top producer of Top Chef helps us spice up this food edition of listener questions. How do you master the salad bar? Why do Americans refrigerate eggs? The story of Choco Pies and more. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
Two Yield Curve Indicators
Aug 21 2019
An inverted yield curve has predicted recessions for the past six decades. The curve is inverted right now. What does that tell us? | Subscribe to our newsletter here.
Find The Helium
Aug 16 2019
Helium is so special, and so rare, that the U.S. government once tried to buy it all up. And hide it. But the government's helium stockpile is running low. And we need it for MRI machines and NASA rockets.
How Solar Got Cheap
Aug 14 2019
For a long time, only rich people could afford to put solar panels on the roof. Not anymore. Here's what changed.
Deep Learning With The Elephants
Aug 09 2019
Elephants are in danger. Counting them is crucial to saving them. But they're hard to see in the rainforest. So scientists are enlisting the help of AI technology.
The IT Guy Vs. The Con Artist
Aug 07 2019
A notorious con artist offered Felipe an IT job. He took the job —and tried to con the con man. | Plus, listen to a full double feature all about cons here.
Twins
Aug 03 2019
Scientists have studied twins for years, hoping to figure out how big a role genes play in human behavior. Our very own pair of twin reporters are on the case.
That Time We Shorted America, Part Two
Jul 31 2019
Everyone said betting against the entire stock market was a terrible idea. We did it anyway. Today, we find out the results, and revisit the first short ever done in the 17th century.
That Time We Shorted America, Part One
Jul 26 2019
Today on the show, we ignore the advice of some very smart people and bet against something people love.
Could A Wealth Tax Work?
Jul 24 2019
Elizabeth Warren wants to tax the wealth of the mega-rich to help fix inequality. Europe tried this, and failed. Can it work in the U.S.?
Hong Kong
Jul 19 2019
In 1960, a 12-year-old boy left mainland China, hidden in the bottom of a fishing boat. He later became one of Hong Kong's richest people. His story is the story of Hong Kong.
The Indicator In The House
Jul 18 2019
Two highlights from our daily podcast, The Indicator, about houses. A plan to lower rents pits state against city, and a private firefighter breaks down his business for us. | Subscribe to our weekly newsletter here.
So, Should We Recycle?
Jul 13 2019
Cities might be picking up your recyclables, but there is a very good chance they aren't being recycled. And that might be a good thing...if you really care about the planet. Part two of a two-part series. ⎸Subscribe to our newsletter here.
A Mob Boss, A Garbage Boat and Why We Recycle
Jul 10 2019
In 1987, an Alabama man had an idea. So he made a deal with the mob. And ended up with 3,186 tons of trash no landfill would take. This is the accidental birth of recycling in the U.S. ⎸Subscribe to our newsletter here.
Stuck In China's Panopticon
Jul 05 2019
China is building a high-tech surveillance state to capture minorities' every move and word. We go inside it and find that some Americans are involved. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter npr.org/planetmoneynewsletter
Eagles vs. Chickens
Jul 03 2019
A farmer in Georgia became more in tune with nature. Then eagles started killing his chickens. Subscribe to our weekly newsletter: npr.org/planetmoneynewsletter
Good Teachers, Bad Deal
Jun 28 2019
Teachers made a deal with the Department of Education. They kept their end of the bargain. Why didn't the government?
The Cost of Getting Your Money Back
Jun 27 2019
Accidentally sending $1,500 to a stranger on Venmo reveals just how hard it is to get your money back in the new economy.
Tales From The Parking Lot
Jun 21 2019
Three stories: A tire-booting vigilante, a surge price conspiracy, and the civil rights fight over parking tickets.
What Should We Be Worried About?
Jun 19 2019
The economic recovery turns 10 this month. Don't get too comfortable. There's plenty to be worried about.
Are Cities Overrated?
Jun 14 2019
Big cities used to be the land of opportunity for most people. But with changes in work, some economists are wondering: Are cities overrated?
The Planet Money Workout
Jun 12 2019
Gyms don't want you to workout. Or at least, not often. It's better for business that way. Economics explains why.
The Day Of Two Noons
Jun 07 2019
People didn't always know what time it was. But in the nineteenth century, a high school principal, a scientist, and a railroad bureaucrat synchronized the nation.
The Salmon Taboo
Jun 05 2019
In Japan, salmon used to be garbage fish. Today, it's a delicacy. How one Norwegian with a lot of extra fish changed the tastes of a nation.
Quit Threat!
May 31 2019
Sometimes an economy can get so strong the power dynamic between bosses and workers flips: Full employment. Are we there yet?
The Whistleblower Whisperer
May 29 2019
Jordan Thomas is a lawyer who represents some of Wall Street's biggest whistleblowers. The life that led him here is extraordinary.
How To Meddle In An Election
May 24 2019
In which someone runs a science experiment on an actual election, on actual voters, to test the persuasive power of ethically sketchy methods.
Trump and Deutsche, A Long Affair
May 23 2019
After Donald Trump's companies declared four bankruptcies, several major banks stopped loaning him money. But Deutsche Bank didn't.
Counting The Homeless
May 18 2019
From renting hotels to a jobs report-like census in the night, we look at ways communities are helping the homeless.
A Mathematician, The Last Supper, And The Birth Of Accounting
May 15 2019
The story of an innovation that changed the way the world works, and of the man who made this innovation possible: Luca Pacioli.
How Uncle Jamie Broke Jeopardy
May 10 2019
James Holzhauer took data, probability and a lot of practice with a fake buzzer, and turned it into a fortune on a game show.
You Asked The Listener Question Hotline
May 08 2019
We answer a bunch of the questions you asked — and even one you *didn't* ask.
Economics, Sexism, Data
May 03 2019
A young economist holds a mirror up to her field. And starts a national conversation about women in economics.
Why The Price of Coke Didn't Change For 70 years
May 01 2019
For 70 years, the price of a bottle of Coca-Cola stayed a nickel. Why? The answer includes a half a million vending machines and a 7.5 cent coin.
Dollar Stores Vs Lettuce
Apr 27 2019
Every six hours a new dollar store opens in the U.S. Are they killing grocery stores?
I Am Not A Robot
Apr 24 2019
The remarkable story of the online "CAPTCHA" tests we've all taken to prove that we're not robots.
Two Spring Indicators
Apr 19 2019
The Indicator from Planet Money explores trade wars, peanuts, hurricanes, and happiness.
How Much Does This Cow Weigh?
Apr 17 2019
We wanted to understand an eerie phenomenon that drives everything from the stock market to the price of orange juice. So we asked you to guess the weight of a cow.
The Chicago Boys, Part II
Apr 12 2019
How a ruthless dictator, and a bunch of economists known as the Chicago Boys, took Chile from socialism to capitalism.
The Chicago Boys, Part I
Apr 11 2019
In the late 1950s and early '60s a handful of Chilean students went to study economics at the University of Chicago. What they learned changed their country.
Joke Theft
Apr 06 2019
Copyrighting comedy is expensive. So comedians have devised an informal system of sanctions to protect their jokes from theft. Sometimes it works.
Tax Hero
Apr 04 2019
Joe Bankman, professor at Stanford, figured out a way to make filing your taxes easy and painless. Then the tax lobby found out about it.
A New Way To Pay For College
Mar 29 2019
Some colleges are offering students a new way to pay. It's not a scholarship. It's not a loan. It's more like the students are selling stock in themselves.
The Phoebus Cartel
Mar 28 2019
The story behind two sneaky forces that drive us to buy more products, more often: Planned obsolescence and psychological obsolescence.
Bad Cops Are Expensive
Mar 22 2019
There's an industry of people working to eliminate bad police behavior. They're not activists or protestors. They're insurers.
Why A Dead Shark Costs $12 Million
Mar 20 2019
Today's show is about the fickle market for art. What makes a dead shark cost $12 million, and a photo of steel wool that looks like a tornado cost only $1,265?
The Stolen Company
Mar 15 2019
When an American company named ABRO learns their goods are being counterfeited in China, they start their own trade war.
Cat Scam
Mar 13 2019
The internet was supposed to get rid of middlemen--but instead they are taking over the global economy.
Mexico Fights The Fuel Pirates
Mar 08 2019
Thieves are stealing billions of dollars worth of gasoline in Mexico. The President is taking drastic action to cut them off, and it comes at a serious cost. Content warning: Audio of deadly pipeline explosion.
The Starbury
Mar 07 2019
The story of an NBA All-Star and an experiment: To make a desirable basketball shoe cheap enough for anyone.
Happy Fed Independence Day
Mar 02 2019
The story of the day the Federal Reserve got its independence and the fight—an actual physical fight—to keep it.
New Orleans Vs. Airbnb
Feb 28 2019
Airbnb has changed New Orleans. And now landlords and preservationists are fighting over the future of the city.
Antitrust 3: Big Tech
Feb 22 2019
What does the rise of dominant tech companies say about competition and the state of antitrust law? Third in a series.
Antitrust 2: The Paradox
Feb 20 2019
How Robert Bork won the fight over the very meaning of competition in America, and paved the way for some of the biggest companies we've ever seen.
Antitrust 1: Standard Oil
Feb 15 2019
At the turn of the 20th century, Ida Tarbell investigated John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil. What she discovered changed the economy of the United States.
A Fake Bank For Money Laundering Run By The Government
Feb 14 2019
To catch drug traffickers, the U.S. government tried something it had never tried before. It set up and ran a fake offshore bank for money laundering. Fake name. Fake employees. Real drug money.
Our Valentines 2019
Feb 08 2019
We give a shout out to the stuff we've been obsessing over in the office — those stories that were so good, we wished we had thought of them ourselves.
The Lost Plane
Feb 07 2019
In December, a commercial flight had to make an emergency landing in Iran. They discovered that landing there would be easy. Getting out – much, much harder.
Who Won The Bet Over Bitcoin?
Feb 01 2019
Five years ago, two sides met on our show to make a bet about the future of bitcoin. Today, we announce the winner.
Who Started The Wildfire?
Jan 30 2019
After a wildfire, teams of investigators start combing the wreckage for clues. Finding the cause means, maybe, finding someone to pay. But where's the line between a natural disaster and a human one?
The Division Problem
Jan 25 2019
Today on the show, we take on one of life's most vexing problems: Sharing.
Brilliant Vs. Boring
Jan 23 2019
John Bogle died last week. His creation — the index fund — changed investing. Today, how his invention set off a million dollar bet between some of the biggest brains on Wall Street, including Warren Buffett.
The Pay-What-You-Want Experiment
Jan 18 2019
In 2010, Panera launched several pay-what-you-want cafes. On today's show: How this charitable experiment worked out.
The First Shutdown
Jan 17 2019
In 1879, Congress and the President were locked in a battle over the rights of African-Americans. It led to the first government shutdown.
You Asked For It, Yet Again
Jan 12 2019
On today's show we answer questions about silver dollars, Venmo, and Brexit. Why? Because you asked!
All In
Jan 09 2019
We go inside a professional poker tournament, where some of the smartest betting takes place behind the scenes.
The Price of a Hack
Jan 04 2019
Hackers are an expensive headache for companies. But there might be a simple economic fix.
Do It For Your Country
Jan 02 2019
People are the engine that fuels an economy. But what happens when you start running out of people?
The Rest Of The Story, Winter 2018
Dec 28 2018
We check in on some stories we did this year to see what's changed. Find a full list of the episodes we referenced at our website, NPR.org/money.
The Curse Of The Black Lotus
Dec 26 2018
How the card game "Magic: The Gathering" deflated a speculative bubble. You can support our show at donate.npr.org/planetmoney.
BONUS INDICATOR: The Calculator That Time Forgot
Dec 24 2018
Most products in this world are vulnerable to creative destruction: as new products are developed, they make old ones obsolete. But there are some exceptions — products that persist, resisting change while economic evolution continues without them. For instance: the graphing calculator. (This episode is from our other podcast, The Indicator from Planet Money. Subscribe to it wherever you get your podcasts.)
A Very Planet Money Christmas Carol
Dec 21 2018
Charles Dickens wanted to pick a fight with economists. So he invented Ebenezer Scrooge. But did he get it all right? Also: If you want to support our show, head over to donate.npr.org/planetmoney. We appreciate it.
Synthetic Reefer Madness
Dec 20 2018
How a professor invented a formula for synthesizing cannabinoids and unintentionally helped launch a drug revolution.
BONUS INDICATOR: The Measure Of A Tragedy
Dec 17 2018
Ricardo Hausmann, a Harvard-based Venezuelan economist, has constructed his own indicator, one that captures the horrifying scale of the economic catastrophe in Venezuela. (This episode is from our other podcast, The Indicator. Subscribe to it wherever you get your podcasts.)
The Prisoners of the Trade War
Dec 15 2018
A truce in the U.S.-China trade war seemed close. The leaders of China and the United States were meeting to discuss a fix. And then arrests started. It got even more confusing, so today, we call up our man on the ground in Shanghai to make sense of it all. The key to understanding the latest turn in the trade war centers around a giant company most Americans haven't heard of called Huawei. Its rise traces the rise of China's economy and Chinese-style capitalism.
What's A Penny Worth?
Dec 13 2018
We try to figure out what makes cents.
Is Amazon Good For New York?
Dec 07 2018
It feels like all of New York City is arguing about Amazon's new office in Queens. But what do the people in Long Island City think?
Why Car Safety Is A Trade Barrier
Dec 06 2018
The U.S. and Europe just can't agree on car safety standards. That puts car companies in a weird position, makes cars cost more and just seems kind of random and wasteful.
The Secret Target
Dec 01 2018
Their plan was dangerous, risky, and extremely unpopular. But America copied them anyway. Today on the show: how a tiny country on the other side of the world changed how America runs its economy.
Kid Rock Vs. The Scalpers
Nov 28 2018
We talk to Kid Rock about how he tried to cut scalpers out of the business — and still sell cheap tickets to his shows.
VIDEO: The Price Of Coke Stayed The Same For 70 Years — Why?
Nov 26 2018
For 70 years, a Coca-Cola cost a nickel. The price didn't change. How is that even possible? You can also watch the video here: https://youtu.be/Bcz0BJGEVUY
Mugshots For Sale
Nov 23 2018
We go deep inside the market for online mugshots. Is it extortion? Or is it a First Amendment right?
The Laws of The Office
Nov 21 2018
You get what you measure. Work expands to fill the time allotted. Who comes up with this stuff? And is it true?
VIDEO: Put A Chip On It
Nov 19 2018
A quick history of slow credit cards. This video also available here: https://youtu.be/2IksSNiEo2g
Kansas City Vs. Kansas City
Nov 17 2018
A bunch of you asked why so many cities threw billions in tax breaks at Amazon. It reminded us of an episode we did in 2016.
Patent Deception
Nov 15 2018
How World Patent Marketing stole nearly $26 million. And how the acting attorney general was involved.
VIDEO: A Grave Promise
Nov 12 2018
If you die in America, chances are the cemetery is going to promise to maintain your grave forever. Americans take this for granted, but it's a wacky, wild promise that we maybe should not be making. You can also watch this video here: https://youtu.be/xYDYDThuJe4
Why Did The Cow Cross The Border?
Nov 10 2018
To take advantage of the surprising benefits provided by an interlocked economic system on the other side.
Hot Dog Hail Mary
Nov 07 2018
The Falcons are trying something radical: Making their food cheaper. It could break stadium economics.
VIDEO: Inventing Price Tags
Nov 05 2018
For most of human history, you had to haggle over prices before you could buy something. Then came the idea of the price tag.
The Seattle Experiment
Nov 02 2018
Seattle's radical solution to big money in politics: Flood elections with even more money.
The Halloween Tapes
Oct 31 2018
Something spooky has been happening here at Planet Money.
Video: The Miracle Apple
Oct 30 2018
We're kicking off a quick season of our bonus video series, Planet Money Shorts. Watch how apples became brands, and started being more than delicious.
Blacklisted In China
Oct 26 2018
China is trying a bold experiment to help people trust each other more: The social credit score. Will it work? Does it go too far?
The First Lottery & How To Beat The Odds
Oct 23 2018
The first lottery was a royal affair with poems, golden flatware and invited criminals. Also, how someone won the lottery over and over.
Trump vs. Red Tape
Oct 19 2018
President Trump promised to slash regulations. How has he done?
What Causes What?
Oct 17 2018
We try to tell the difference between correlation and causation.
The Student Loan Whistleblower
Oct 12 2018
Seth Frotman worked overseeing student loans for the government. He saw things that made him quit, and tell all.
The History of Light (Nobel Edition)
Oct 08 2018
Bill Nordhaus just won the economics Nobel. In this show: He shows how history of light is the history of economic growth — of things getting faster, cheaper, and more efficient.
Moneyland
Oct 05 2018
We follow writer Oliver Bullough as he explores how stolen money moves around the world, and what that might mean for democracies.
Anatomy Of A Scam
Oct 03 2018
Ever seen one of those signs asking if you want to work from home? We find out what happens when you call.
Special Report: Asylum Crackdown
Sep 29 2018
We tell the story of a massive crackdown on asylum fraud, and the fallout.
Modern Monetary Theory
Sep 27 2018
We rethink everything we know about government spending, taxes, the nature of money... All of it.
Tweak This
Sep 21 2018
We propose small fixes for baseball, weddings, salary negotiations and buying your morning coffee. Warning: They may be too rational.
The Tale Of The Onion King
Sep 19 2018
How one man took the onion market hostage.
The Central (Bankers') Question
Sep 15 2018
We crash a party of central bankers to get an answer to one of the biggest economic questions of our time.
For Our 10th Anniversary, Episode #1
Sep 12 2018
In honor of our 10th anniversary, we revisit our very first episode.
The 13th Hole
Sep 08 2018
What a hole-in-one gone awry says about the state of charity.
When Subaru Came Out
Sep 05 2018
Subaru's sales had been slumping for years. Then they went straight to their biggest fans: Lesbians.
Big Government Cheese
Aug 31 2018
That time we accidentally created a cheese surplus so large it had to be stored in a ginormous cave.
New Jersey Bails Out
Aug 29 2018
California just did away with cash bail. But credit where credit is due. New Jersey already tried something similar.
Food Scare Squad
Aug 24 2018
When food makes people sick all around the country, an army of germ detectives jumps into action.
New Jersey Wine
Aug 22 2018
Today on the show: Could New Jersey become the next Napa?
The World's Longest Yard Sale
Aug 17 2018
Six states. Three days. One ugly cookie jar. Today on the show: Yard sale!
Trash!
Aug 15 2018
The line between trash and recycling is moving a lot these days. It's a tough time to be a recycler.
You Asked For Even More
Aug 10 2018
You have a lot of questions... about tariffs, unemployment rates, and RV dealerships, to name a few. We have answers.
Open Office
Aug 08 2018
This episode is for everyone who ever had to ask their coworkers to quiet down. Today on the show: We meet the man who stole your office door.
Venezuela's Fugitive Money Traders
Aug 03 2018
The Venezuelan government doesn't want you to know the real value of its currency. But Ruben and Mila figured it out. Now they're on the lam.
The Postal Illuminati
Aug 01 2018
Is there a secretive postal organization fixing international shipping rates, and giving American businesses a bad deal?
Yes In My Backyard
Jul 27 2018
There's a simple way to solve the housing crisis in U.S. cities. Only problem is, almost everybody hates it.
The Poop Cartel
Jul 25 2018
What happens when a group of economists applies the number one rule of economics... to number two?
The New Socialists
Jul 20 2018
Socialism was political poison in the U.S. for decades. Now it's gaining ground. Who are these new socialists? And what do they want?
The One-Page Plan To Fix Global Warming Revisited
Jul 18 2018
Tax carbon emissions. That's basically the whole plan. What's the hold up?
Peak Sand
Jul 13 2018
Sand. It's in buildings, windows, your cell phone. But there isn't enough in the world for everyone. And that's created a dangerous black market.
LeBron James Is Still Underpaid
Jul 11 2018
The best player in basketball is getting hosed. The NBA team owners, the players, the fans and even LeBron James himself want to keep it that way.
Two Summer Indicators
Jul 06 2018
Two stories from our Indicator team. There's a province in China that makes many of the world's flags. It's a unique window on global trade right now. And we find out why so few teenagers are working summer jobs these days.
Peanuts And Cracker Jack
Jul 03 2018
It takes strategy and skill to sell snacks at a baseball game. Meet the hot dog vending legend of Fenway Park.
The Rest Of The Story Summer 2018
Jun 30 2018
A pesticide wreaks havoc. A listener needs a bitcoin detective. And the search for the rarest economic good continues.
The Fake Review Hunter
Jun 27 2018
Fake product reviews are wrecking the internet. But help is on the way: From a bodybuilding fake review hunter.
VIDEO: The Chicken Tax
Jun 25 2018
Which came first, the frozen chicken or the tax on foreign trucks? Just kidding, it was the frozen chicken — then came the American tax that helped shape the domestic market for trucks.
When CEO Pay Exploded
Jun 22 2018
Politicians have argued for decades that CEOs are overpaid. But there's this precise moment in the 1990s when CEO pay suddenly shot up. We find out what happened.
It Takes Two To Make A Trade War Fight
Jun 20 2018
President Trump says China is stealing U.S. technology. So we looked into one case. And things got a little complicated.
The World's Biggest Battery
Jun 15 2018
California has a ton of solar power. But as soon as night falls, it's gone. Today on the show: How to bottle the sun.
Inventing Accidents
Jun 13 2018
The medical world has been trying to cure color blindness for centuries. Then a glass scientist figured it out. By accident.
Ungerrymandering Florida
Jun 09 2018
When Florida outlawed partisan gerrymandering, politicians tried to sneak it back in...in disguise.
The T-Rex In My Backyard
Jun 06 2018
Meet Sue, the dinosaur who sparked a gold rush for fossils buried in the badlands of North Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana.
REDMAP
Jun 02 2018
Meet the man who figured out how to reshape national politics by making tiny investments in the smallest of places.
Nice Game
May 31 2018
In game theory, sometimes the best way to win, is to lose.
Swamp Gravy
May 25 2018
Today on the show: A small town stakes its future on writing, directing, and starring in a musical.
The Taxi King
May 23 2018
Gene Freidman built a taxi empire. We visited him before he was in legal trouble.
Showdown at the WTO
May 18 2018
The World Trade Organization: Can't live with it, hard to crush your trade opponents without it.
Class Action
May 16 2018
Class actions run from big civil rights cases to arguments about pepper. Are they noble, or silly?
The Land Of Duty Free
May 11 2018
We meet the man who invented duty free shopping and find out if these tax free stores are really saving us any money.
Fixing Chicken
May 09 2018
Today on the show: A chicken index, some Wall Street investors, and an unlikely whistle-blower.
The Indicator Goes To California
May 04 2018
California is way more than Hollywood. Today on the show, we look at what else is going on in this powerhouse state economy.
The Fondue Conspiracy
May 02 2018
Today on the show: How a cheese cartel abandoned the rules of economics and convinced the world to eat fondue.
A Series of Mysterious Packages
Apr 27 2018
Unordered trinkets have been arriving at homes around the country. We try to find out why.
The Bottom Of The Well
Apr 25 2018
Today on the show: the economics of drought, and why the rational thing to do in California right now is use more water.
The Belt, The Road And The Money
Apr 21 2018
Today on the show, we connect the dots between New York, Uganda, Prague, and China's thirst for resources. (Music Credit: Thanks to musician Giovanni Kiyingi for the use of his song "Kaleeba" from the album Amakondeere.)
The Rational Madness Of The Used Car Salesman
Apr 19 2018
Why are used car commercials so annoying? Meet the original sinner.
Tariffied
Apr 13 2018
We're in a full-fledged trade war with China. We dig into the list of tariffs on American products. It gets weird...and delicious.
The Less Deadly Catch
Apr 11 2018
Today on the show: how an economic fix helped made the deadliest job in America safer, and why people are angry about it.
NDA Tell-All
Apr 07 2018
Today on the show, we talk to one of the most famous NDA breakers of all time, and ask: Is there a legal way out of your NDA?
Larry vs. The IRS
Apr 04 2018
What exactly would happen if you didn't pay your taxes? Today on the show, we follow one man who did just that.
Worst. Tariffs. Ever.
Mar 30 2018
Tariffs are stupid. This is one of the few things economists can agree on. Today, we bring you the story of the worst tariffs ever.
Mulvaney Vs The CFPB
Mar 28 2018
What happens when you put someone who wants to close an agency, in charge of that agency? Today on the show, we find out.
An Insider Trader Tells All
Mar 23 2018
A man who got caught insider trading explains everything — what he did, how he did it, and why.
The Golden Rules
Mar 21 2018
Planet Money joins the gold rush 170 years late. And the rules are still about the same. How did that happen?
The Lollipop War
Mar 16 2018
What do sugar farmers have against candy? A lot, according to candy manufacturers.
XXX-XX-XXXX
Mar 14 2018
How did the social security number become the most important identifier in the United States? And is that even a good idea?
Rigging The Economy
Mar 09 2018
Two guys from different ends of the political spectrum agree that the economy is rigged. And they think they know who's responsible.
The Experiment Experiment
Mar 07 2018
There's something wrong with the way we're doing science. Today on the show, we find out how to fix it.
You Asked For More
Mar 02 2018
We ponder the price of chicken, safe haven currencies, and the cash value of coupons. Why? Because you asked.
Three Indicators
Feb 28 2018
What do human blood, the conservative tax plan, and beer hops tell us about the world? Find out in today's episode.
The Vodka Proof
Feb 23 2018
Vodka is the best selling spirit in the United States, and there are zillions of brands. But is there any difference between them?
The Blue Pallet
Feb 21 2018
How do you reinvent something as simple as the wooden shipping pallet?
Who Started The Wildfire
Feb 16 2018
After a wildfire, teams of investigators start combing the wreckage for clues. Finding the cause means, maybe, finding someone to pay. But where's the line between a natural disaster and a human one?
Our Valentines
Feb 14 2018
If you can't beat 'em, send 'em a valentine.
Planet Monet
Feb 09 2018
Investors are pouring money into art, and a lot of it is disappearing into storage. We try to find out where the art goes, and why it goes there.
The Secret Document that Transformed China
Feb 07 2018
In 1978, a group of farmers in a Chinese village wrote a contract and hid it in the roof of a hut. They were afraid the document might get them executed. Instead, it transformed the Chinese economy.
The Shortest Super Bowl
Feb 02 2018
How does the market for Super Bowl tickets work? And why did it collapse in 2015?
The Other Davos
Feb 01 2018
Billionaires, diplomats, thinkfluencers. This is the Davos everyone hears about. Today on the show, we take you to a different Davos.
P Is For Phosphorus
Jan 26 2018
Phosphate is a crucial element, for farming, and for life. And there aren't too many places to get it. What if it runs out?
Tax Me If You Can
Jan 25 2018
Douglas Bruce had a bold vision for Colorado.
A Bet On The Future Of Humanity
Jan 19 2018
A biologist predicts a population bomb that will lead to global catastrophe. An economist sees a limitless future for mankind. The result is one of the most famous bets in economics.
The Problem Of The Root
Jan 18 2018
The wild ginseng market has gone crazy. We go to a farm hidden in the Appalachian mountains to find out why.
The Gun Man
Jan 13 2018
Will 3-D printing make gun control impossible?
The Invisible Plumbing Of Our Economy
Jan 10 2018
Why does it take days to send money electronically?
Bitcoin Losers
Jan 05 2018
The Bitcoin market has gone crazy. And it's revealing something strange. A lot of people can't find their Bitcoins. We go looking for lost billions.
When The U.S. Paid Off The Entire National Debt
Jan 03 2018
What does a country with no debt look like? To find out, we went back to the United States in 1835.
The Rest of the Story 2017
Dec 29 2017
Every year at Planet Money, we take a cue from radio legend Paul Harvey and bring you "The Rest of the Story." It's a show where we check in on some of the episodes that we've done in the past year, and tell you what's changed.
The M&M Anomaly
Dec 27 2017
David Kestenbaum noticed that a pack of Milk Chocolate M&M's weighs 1.69 ounces, but a pack of Peanut Butter M&M's weighs 1.63 ounces. He had to know why. But the confectionary world has its secrets.
BONUS INDICATOR: How Airfare Is Changing
Dec 25 2017
Why flying to small airports keeps costing more and more, just as flying to big airports is getting cheaper. (This episode is from our new podcast, The Indicator. Subscribe to it wherever you get your podcasts.)
The Tax Plan Is Huge
Dec 22 2017
Congress just passed the largest tax overhaul in decades. We dig in.
The Santa Suit
Dec 20 2017
Today on the show: A lawsuit over a Santa suit is a window into countless hidden fights that shape the stuff we buy. It's one man's battle against the U.S. government — and, in a way, against himself.
BONUS INDICATOR: Forget Neutrality
Dec 18 2017
From our new podcast, The Indicator: Opponents of net neutrality argue that the government should get out of the way and let the market work, that's what leads to better service and more choice. We examine that logic.
SPACE 4: 3 2 1
Dec 16 2017
Five reporters go to the New York Produce Show and Conference, each on a mission.
High Rise, Low Returns
Dec 13 2017
As a businessman, President Trump is known for his towering buildings. Today we tell the story of one of those skyscrapers and what it says about how and with whom Trump does business.
BONUS: The Indicator, From Planet Money
Dec 11 2017
We've made a new show. You can subscribe to it now. It's called 'The Indicator'. It's for those times you want Planet Money to explain the news, quickly. It's short (about five minutes) and three days a week.
SPACE 4: 3 2 1
Dec 09 2017
We've got a satellite. We got a rocket. We're heading to the launch pad.
SPACE 3: Rocket Shopping
Dec 07 2017
We found a satellite. We tried to figure out what it would do. Now we need to choose our rocket.
SPACE 2: Wait, Why Are We Going To Space?
Dec 01 2017
We hitched a ride on a satellite. Now we have to figure out what we're going to do up there.
SPACE 1: We're Going To Space
Nov 30 2017
We really are going to space.
Anatomy of a Hustle
Nov 24 2017
What did Paul Manafort do, exactly? Robert Mueller's indictment is 31 pages of hard-to-understand financial crime. We try to figure it out.
The Free Food Market
Nov 22 2017
A while back, the charity Feeding America was a mess. It was sending pickles to food banks that wanted produce, and potatoes to Idaho. So they called some economists, and a free food market was born.
Walmart's Pickle
Nov 17 2017
Walmart and Amazon are in a battle to be the store where you buy everything. But when both companies sell everything, what sets them apart? Food inventions like a bright, red pickle!
War And Peace And Cows
Nov 15 2017
In South Sudan, there is a kind of money that works even through bank failures and unstable governments. But when war struck, it upended a whole economy: the economy of cows.
Bagging the Birkin
Nov 10 2017
Once you've got a Birkin bag, you've made it. But to get one, you need more than just money. Birkins always seem to be mysteriously out of stock. This is no accident.
Your Cell Phone's A Snitch
Nov 08 2017
Timothy Carpenter stole cell phones. Then his phone sold him out to the Feds. Now the Supreme Court has to decide how private our cell phone data should be.
If Teens Ran the Fed
Nov 03 2017
Once a year, teenagers from across the country team up and compete to run the U.S. Federal Reserve.
Nudge, Nudge, Nobel
Nov 01 2017
Why do smart people make dumb decisions? Figuring that out won Richard Thaler a Nobel Prize.
The Hotel at the Center of the World
Oct 28 2017
A Chinese company pays millions of dollars for a failing hotel in a small, rural town. We follow the trail of money, and it explains the world economy.
Is the NCAA An Illegal Cartel?
Oct 25 2017
In any other industry, it's illegal for a group of companies to get together and cap wages. What makes the NCAA different?
The Death Show
Oct 20 2017
Today on the show: death. We have four stories about how people prepare for death and what they leave behind for the living.
Free Money
Oct 18 2017
Bob Peterson claims to have found the thing people have sought for thousands of years — an investment guaranteed to double in value. He keeps it in a storage locker in Utah. It's protected by a single padlock.
North Korea's Capitalists
Oct 14 2017
Capitalism isn't supposed to exist in North Korea. But all over the country, small businesses are popping up, growing the nation's economy. And much of that money is going straight to the country's nuclear program.
Corporate! Income! Tax!
Oct 11 2017
Republicans are proposing big changes to the corporate income tax. Trillions of dollars are at stake. Here's what it all means.
Bad Credit Bureau
Oct 07 2017
For most of our lives, Equifax has been slurping up our financial data. Now the company's been hacked and our data is loose. Today, we trace this mess back to two brothers and one fateful decision.
The Benefits of Bankruptcy
Oct 04 2017
It might just be the secret weapon of the U.S. economy.
Flood Money
Sep 29 2017
Bill Pennington's house floods a lot: Three times in the last three years. And every time his house floods, the government pays to help him repair the damage. Is something wrong here?
Mr Jones' Act
Sep 27 2017
The government suspended the Jones Act last week, to allow non-US ships to move fuel to victims of hurricanes in Houston and Florida. Which once again made us wonder why the act even exists.
The Basic Income Experiment
Sep 22 2017
The basic income. A flat payment to citizens, without strings. Is it a progressive fever dream, or sensible policy? We may soon find out. The Finnish Government is testing it on 2,000 citizens.
Is Record Breaking Broken?
Sep 20 2017
The Guinness Book of World Records had a problem. It was a book. And books aren't selling as well as they used to. So Guinness changed what they were selling, and who they were selling to.
How To Make It In The Music Business
Sep 15 2017
Behind almost all popular music, there is this hidden economy of music producers buying and selling sonic snippets, texting each other half-finished beats, and angling for back-end royalties.
Hard Work Is Irrelevant
Sep 13 2017
Patty McCord helped create a workplace at Netflix that runs more like a professional sports team than a family. If you're not up to scratch, you're off the team. Is this the future of work?
This Week in Time Bombs
Sep 09 2017
We look at three time bombs Congress is sitting on: The federal budget, the debt ceiling, and DREAMers.
This Ad's For You
Sep 06 2017
Tom Burrell was the first black man in Chicago advertising. He went on to change the way we think about ads, and the way advertisers think about us.
The Ransom Problem
Sep 02 2017
When someone has been kidnapped, what do you do? If you pay ransom, you create a market for hostages. If you don't, people die. Different countries have different policies with different results.
Tips From Spies
Aug 30 2017
There's an entire universe of things spies are not allowed to tell us. Today on the show, a few of the teeny things they can say. They might come in handy.
Rough Translation in Ukraine
Aug 25 2017
Fake news from Russia helped spark a real war in Ukraine. What can Ukraine's fight against fake news teach the US?
The Hydrox Resurrection
Aug 23 2017
Hidden in the trash heap of commerce there is buried treasure. Abandoned brands--including trusted, beloved brands--are waiting to be claimed and reborn. Today on the show: A cookie comeback.
Robocall Invasion
Aug 18 2017
Your phone rings--it looks like your neighbor's calling. But instead, it's the creepiest scam of the year.
The Anti-Store
Aug 16 2017
Costco made shopping harder, and customers loved it. Now a new company is taking the Costco experience to new extremes.
Robert And Kenny Go To The Fair
Aug 11 2017
When we go to the state fair, we don't go for the rides, deep-fried tacos or the butter cow. We head straight for the vendor marketplace to meet the masters of the lost art of salesmanship.
Can You Patent a Steak?
Aug 09 2017
We visit the workshop of the meat inventor who came up with Steak-Umm and KFC's popcorn chicken. And we try to figure out what meat inventors tell us about patents and innovation.
Google Is Big. Is That Bad?
Aug 04 2017
Google just got hit with a multibillion-dollar antitrust fine. Here's what it tells us about competition, market power, and the biggest corporations on the planet.
The Eddie Murphy Rule
Aug 02 2017
We answer one of the most important questions in finance: What actually happens at the end of Trading Places?
Rest of the Story 2017, Vol. 1
Jul 28 2017
News moves fast. Some of our best stories from this year have new chapters. Here, we catch up on three: Dirty trademarks, trading bots, and the war against the bald eagle.
Buy Low, Sell Prime
Jul 26 2017
Sam Cohen buys stuff at big retail stores, then turns around and sells it on Amazon for a quick profit. It defies economic logic. But somehow, there's a whole multimillion-dollar industry doing this.
The Starbury
Jul 21 2017
Most athlete endorsements make a product more expensive. But what happens when an NBA All-Star uses his name to make a sneaker much, much cheaper? On today's show: How that worked out.
Board Games
Jul 19 2017
On today's show: The story of two guys who tried to cut the pay of a CEO at a small pneumatic tool company.
Meeting The Russians
Jul 14 2017
That meeting between Donald Trump Jr. and a Russian lawyer was two decades in the making. It began in 1996, when an adventurous American went to Russia, trying to make a buck.
New Jersey Bails Out
Jul 12 2017
Bail is broken. In New Jersey, defense attorneys, prosecutors, and judges banded together to try a dramatic solution: Blow it up.
Budget Time
Jul 07 2017
We run through the entire federal budget — in 10 minutes. More than $6 billion per second. Go.
How Stuff Gets Cheaper
Jul 05 2017
We visit a company where people work on figuring out how to make stuff get cheaper.
The Money Fixers
Jun 30 2017
In Washington, D.C., there is a place where millions of dollars of ripped, burned, and water-soaked dollar bills are made new. On today's show, we get inside that room.
Libertarian Summer Camp
Jun 28 2017
We visited a libertarian summer paradise. What we found: People paying in gold. Exotic bacon dishes. A nine-year-old selling alcohol.
On Second Thought
Jun 23 2017
Flip-floppers, this one's for you. Changing your mind is hard, but it's one of the smartest things you can do.
Shrimp Fight Club
Jun 21 2017
What happens when an unstoppable shrimp meets an unmovable senator? A researcher goes to Washington to defend herself, her shrimp, and science itself.
What the Falcon's Up With Qatar?
Jun 16 2017
Qatar was on top of the world. Seemingly overnight, it became a pariah. On this episode, we drill into a rift years in the making: It's a tale of falcons, kidnapping, and a glowing Saudi Arabian orb.
The Prisoner's Solution
Jun 14 2017
Today on the show, a businessman goes to prison, and decides he is going to disrupt the biggest captive market in America.
Free Love, Free Market
Jun 10 2017
How a free-love commune embraced the free market and became a blockbuster brand.
Here We Grow Again
Jun 07 2017
The president's budget promises 3% growth. Is that doable? Yes, but he won't like what it would take.
The Pigweed Killer
Jun 03 2017
A battle with a weed divides neighbors and leads one farmer to shoot another dead. Today's show: The hunt for a better pesticide gets way out of hand.
The Invisible Wall
May 31 2017
A man goes looking for the invisible wall that traps poor people in poverty. Finding it almost gets him killed.
Unspeakable Trademark
May 26 2017
You can name your business whatever you want. But the government won't register it as a trademark if it thinks it's offensive. It gets weird when you try to decide what is too offensive to trademark.
Slot Flaws Scofflaws
May 24 2017
As long as there have been casinos, people have tried to cheat them. The latest attempt was by a group of hackers who tried to take down slot machines using math, iPhones, and a whole lot of swiping.
Small Change
May 19 2017
How fast is the world really changing? The answer has implications for everything from how the next generation will live to whether robots really will take all our jobs.
Spreadsheets!
May 17 2017
The creation of the electronic spreadsheet transformed industries. But its effects ran deeper than that.
When India's Cash Disappeared, Part Two
May 12 2017
What happened when India's Prime Minister declared most of the paper money in India worthless? We travel to India to see what happened after the country's demonetization.
When India's Cash Disappeared, Part One
May 11 2017
Something incredible happened in India about six months ago. The government declared most of the paper money invalid. Demonetization they called it. Today, we meet the man who came up with the plan.
Speed Dating For Economists
May 05 2017
We visit a job market created by economists, for economists. It's a hyper-efficient, optimized system, tested by game theorists, tweaked by a Nobel Prize winner, but it requires comfortable shoes.