The Economics of Everyday Things

Who decides which snacks are in your office’s vending machine? How much is a suburban elm tree worth

Episodes

Total: 96

Carnival Games (Replay)

2024/5/27

Does anyone ever win the giant teddy bear? Zachary Crockett steps right up. SOURCES:Matthew Gryczan,

49. Weather Forecasts

2024/5/20

With industries relying on them and profits to be made, weather forecasts are more precise and more

48. College Fraternities

2024/5/13

A fraternity’s budget includes broken windows, liability insurance, chili dog breakfasts, and the oc

47. Bail Bonds

2024/5/6

How does bail work — and who's really paying? Zachary Crockett follows the money. SOURCES:Joshua Pag

46. Car Colors

2024/4/29

So many vehicles on the road today are white, black, or gray — but automotive designers find that co

45. Storage Units

2024/4/22

Americans love to buy new stuff and hate to get rid of old stuff, which is why storing it all has be

44. Movie Sound Effects

2024/4/15

The background noises you hear in film and TV — from footsteps to zombie guts — are produced in spec

43. Top-Level Domains

2024/4/8

Those letters at the end of web addresses can mean big bucks — and, for some small countries, a subs

42. Cemeteries

2024/4/1

The verdant lawns promise everlasting rest — but what does it mean to sign a lease for all eternity?

41. Pet Movers

2024/3/25

Relocating halfway across the world is hard enough for humans. For pets it can require a specialist.

40. Prosthetic Limbs

2024/3/18

More and more Americans rely on prostheses. They’re custom-fitted, highly personal, and extremely ex

39. Houseplants

2024/3/11

Interest in houseplants has exploded in recent years. But what causes floral trends, and prices, to

Bowling Alleys (Replay)

2024/3/4

Once America’s favorite recreational activity, bowling has been in the gutter for decades. But some

38. Junk Mail

2024/2/26

Why does the mailman bring us so many catalogs, credit card offers, and pizza coupons? Because his j

If you can make it through three years of law school, you too might end up on a billboard.  Zachary

36. ATMs

2024/2/12

Why do you have to pay $4 to get $40 cash at a bar? And who does it go to? Zachary Crockett checks h

35. Dental Insurance

2024/2/5

Why is it separate from medical insurance? And is it really insurance at all? Zachary Crockett goes

34. Store-Brand Products

2024/1/29

Those low-priced staples on grocery-store shelves — where do they come from? Zachary Crockett finds

33. Sex Scenes

2024/1/22

Behind these steamy sequences, there are body doubles, pubic wigs, legal documents, and dedicated ch

32. Used Golf Balls

2024/1/15

American golfers lose 300 million balls a year — and all those bad swings are someone else’s busines