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Planet Money
Planet Money
NPR

Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At Planet Money, we explore... more

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Episodes

The great German land lottery

Every ten years, a group of German farmers gather in the communal farm fields of the Osing for the Osingverlosung,... more

15 Nov 2024 · 28 minutes
The strange way the world's fastest microchips are made

This is the story behind one of the most valuable — and perhaps, most improbable — technologies humanity has ever... more

13 Nov 2024 · 26 minutes
What markets bet President Trump will do

On the day after the election, Wall Street responded in a dramatic way. Some stocks went way up, others went... more

09 Nov 2024 · 26 minutes
Moving to the American dream? (update)

Back in the 90s, the federal government ran a bold experiment, giving people vouchers to move out of high-poverty neighborhoods... more

06 Nov 2024 · 23 minutes
The veteran loan calamity

Ray and Becky Queen live in rural Oklahoma with their kids (and chickens). The Queens were able to buy that... more

01 Nov 2024 · 36 minutes
So your data was stolen in a data breach

If you... exist in the world, it's likely that you have gotten a letter or email at some point informing... more

31 Oct 2024 · 28 minutes
Why do hospitals keep running out of generic drugs?

There's something strange going on in hospitals. Cheap, common drugs that nurses use every day seem to be constantly hit... more

25 Oct 2024 · 26 minutes
Romance on the screen and on the page: Two Indicators

On today's show, we have two stories from The Indicator, Planet Money's daily podcast. They just launched Love Week, a... more

23 Oct 2024 · 17 minutes
The Subscription Trap

Over the past two decades, there's been a sort of tectonic economic shift happening under our feet. More and more... more

18 Oct 2024 · 30 minutes
We asked 188 economists. And the survey says...

(For our story on this year's Nobel in Economics, check out our daily show, The Indicator!)Let's face it. Economics is... more

16 Oct 2024 · 21 minutes
So imPORTant: Bananas, frogs, and... Bob's??

Even in our modern world with planes and jets and drones, the vast majority of goods are moved around the... more

11 Oct 2024 · 25 minutes
Can cap and trade work in the US?

Recently, the state of Washington embarked on an ambitious new plan to combat climate change. Taking a page from economics... more

09 Oct 2024 · 24 minutes
What's up with all the ads for law firms?

The lawyer commercial is almost an art form unto itself. Learned practitioners of the law doing whatever it takes to... more

04 Oct 2024 · 18 minutes
How Venezuela imploded (update)

(Note: A version of this episode originally ran in 2016.)Back in 2016, things were pretty bad in Venezuela. Grocery stores... more

02 Oct 2024 · 23 minutes
What's THAT got to do with economics?

"Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy."That is the bold... more

27 Sep 2024 · 25 minutes
Veep-onomics

Next week, JD Vance and Tim Walz will face off in the only confirmed vice presidential debate ahead of the... more

25 Sep 2024 · 25 minutes
How to save 10,000 fingers

Table saws are extremely dangerous. The government estimates that injuries from table saws send something like 30,000 people to the... more

20 Sep 2024 · 24 minutes
Can money buy happiness?

People often say that money can't buy you happiness. Sometimes, if you ask them to tell you more about it,... more

18 Sep 2024 · 28 minutes
99 Percent Invisible: The White Castle System of Eating Houses

Today we have a guest episode from 99 Percent Invisible.It is about White Castle, the burger chain. Even if you... more

16 Sep 2024 · 32 minutes
Rate Expectations

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates to get inflation under control. One side effect is that taking out a mortgage... more

13 Sep 2024 · 23 minutes
Is AI overrated or underrated?

Are the promises made by AI boosters all hype, or are we actually under-appreciating the transformative potential of AI?Can artificial... more

11 Sep 2024 · 18 minutes
Summer camp capitalism

Summer camp is a classic rite of passage in the U.S. It's a place of self-discovery, where kids come to... more

06 Sep 2024 · 33 minutes
Bingo! (Presidential debate edition)

Campaigns can be a jargony slog. And this year, we are seeing a lot of economic terms being thrown around,... more

04 Sep 2024 · 29 minutes
How to fix a housing shortage

When Cody Fischer decided to get into real estate development, he had a vision. He wanted to build affordable, energy... more

30 Aug 2024 · 23 minutes
Summer School 8: Big ideas and life lessons from Marx, Keynes and Smith and more

Take the 2024 Planet Money Summer School Quiz here to earn your personalized diploma!Find all the episodes from this season... more

28 Aug 2024 · 32 minutes
The trade fraud detective

When David Rashid took over US autoparts maker Plews and Edelmann, the company was losing business to its Chinese rival,... more

23 Aug 2024 · 26 minutes
Summer School 7: The Great Depression, the New Deal and how it changed our economy

Find all the episodes from this season here. And past seasons here. And follow along on TikTok here for video... more

21 Aug 2024 · 35 minutes
The hidden world behind your new "banking" app

You might have seen ads for online banking services that seem to offer a lot of great stuff — accounts... more

16 Aug 2024 · 21 minutes
Summer School 6: China, Taiwan and how nations grow rich

Episodes each Wednesday through labor day. Find all the episodes from this season here. And past seasons here. And follow... more

14 Aug 2024 · 36 minutes
Will the Olympics break breakdancing?

For some sports, picking the winner is simple: It's the athlete who crosses the finish line first, or the side... more

09 Aug 2024 · 25 minutes
Summer School 5: 250 years of trade history in three chapters

Episodes each Wednesday through labor day. Find all the episodes from this season here. And past seasons here. And follow... more

07 Aug 2024 · 36 minutes
What to do when you're in a class action

Maybe you got a boring slip of paper in the mail. Maybe you got a spammy-looking email promising you money.... more

02 Aug 2024 · 25 minutes
Summer School 4: Banker vs president and the birth of the dollar

Episodes each Wednesday through labor day. Find all the episodes from this season here. And past seasons here. And follow... more

31 Jul 2024 · 36 minutes
Summer School 3: The first stock and perpetual life

Episodes each Wednesday through labor day. Find all the episodes from this season here. And past seasons here. And follow... more

26 Jul 2024 · 34 minutes
What Kamala Harris' economic agenda might look like

Last weekend we were all thrown for a loop when President Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential race and... more

24 Jul 2024 · 18 minutes
The color monopoly

In 2022, artist Stuart Semple opened up his laptop to find that all his designs had turned black overnight. All... more

20 Jul 2024 · 22 minutes
Summer School 2: The golden ages of labor and looms

Who has the power? Workers or bosses? It changes through the ages, though it's usually the bosses. Today, we look... more

17 Jul 2024 · 32 minutes
Rooftop solar's dark side

4.5 million households in the U.S. have solar panels on their homes. Most of those customers are happy with it... more

12 Jul 2024 · 27 minutes
Summer School 1: An Economic History of the World

Planet Money Summer School is back for eight weeks. Join as we travel back in time to find the origins... more

10 Jul 2024 · 34 minutes
How flying got so bad (or did it?)

We often hear that air travel is worse than it's ever been. Gone are the days when airplanes touted piano... more

05 Jul 2024 · 25 minutes
The two companies driving the modern economy

At the core of most of the electronics we use today are some very tiny, very powerful chips. Semiconductor chips.... more

03 Jul 2024 · 20 minutes
Do immigrants really take jobs and lower wages?

We wade into the heated debate over immigrants' impact on the labor market. When the number of workers in a... more

29 Jun 2024 · 25 minutes
The Carriage Tax (Update)

(Note: A version of this episode originally ran in 2019.)In 1794, George Washington decided to raise money for the federal... more

26 Jun 2024 · 18 minutes
The Vapes of Wrath

When the vape brand Juul first hit the market back in 2015, e-cigarettes were in a kind of regulatory limbo.... more

21 Jun 2024 · 27 minutes
Why is everyone talking about Musk's money?

We've lived amongst Elon Musk headlines for so long now that it's easy to forget just how much he sounds... more

19 Jun 2024 · 28 minutes
What's with all the tiny soda cans? And other grocery store mysteries, solved.

There's a behind the scenes industry that helps big brands decide questions like: How big should a bag of chips... more

14 Jun 2024 · 24 minutes
Bringing a tariff to a graphite fight

Graphite is sort of the one-hit wonder of minerals. And that hit? Pencils. Everyone loves to talk about pencils when... more

12 Jun 2024 · 25 minutes
How much national debt is too much?

Most economic textbooks will tell you that there can be real dangers in running up a big national debt. A... more

07 Jun 2024 · 26 minutes
The history of light (classic)

For thousands of years, getting light was a huge hassle. You had to make candles from scratch. This is not... more

05 Jun 2024 · 21 minutes
How the FBI's fake cell phone company put criminals into real jail cells

There is a constant arms race between law enforcement and criminals, especially when it comes to technology. For years, law... more

31 May 2024 · 23 minutes
So you've been scammed, now what?

We are living in a kind of golden age for online fraudsters. As the number of apps and services for... more

29 May 2024 · 27 minutes
The junkyard economist

On today's episode, we ride through the streets of San Francisco with a long-time junkman, Jon Rolston. Jon has spent... more

24 May 2024 · 25 minutes
Anatomy of a layoff

By one estimate, 40 percent of American workers get laid off at least once in their careers. And when that... more

22 May 2024 · 27 minutes
The hack that almost broke the internet

Last month, the world narrowly avoided a cyberattack of stunning ambition. The targets were some of the most important computers... more

17 May 2024 · 25 minutes
Why Gold? (Classic)

In the past few months, the price of gold has gone way up – even hitting a new high last... more

15 May 2024 · 18 minutes
Zombie mortgages are coming back to life

Karen McDonough of Quincy, Mass., was enjoying her tea one morning in the dining room when she saw something odd... more

10 May 2024 · 30 minutes
Inside video game economics (Two Indicators)

Why do video game workers offer labor at a discount? How can you design a video game for blind and... more

08 May 2024 · 18 minutes
The birth of the modern consumer movement

Today on the show, the story of the modern consumer movement in the U.S. and the person who inspired it:... more

03 May 2024 · 20 minutes
Hire Power (Update)

(Note: This episode originally ran in 2021.)Millions of American workers in all sorts of industries have signed some form of... more

01 May 2024 · 22 minutes
The case of the stolen masks

About thirty years ago, Yagya Kumar Pradhan woke up to the news that the temple he and his clan used... more

26 Apr 2024 · 18 minutes
How unions are stopped before they start (Update)

(Note: This episode originally ran in 2023.)Union membership in the U.S. has been declining for decades. But, in 2022, support... more

24 Apr 2024 · 32 minutes
FTX and the Serengeti of bankruptcy

For the last year and a half, the story of FTX has focused largely on the crimes and punishment of... more

19 Apr 2024 · 25 minutes
Grocery prices, credit card debt, and your 401K (Two Indicators)

What's going on with consumers? This is one of the trickiest puzzles of this weird economic moment we're in. We've... more

17 Apr 2024 · 17 minutes
TikTok made me deduct it

TikTok, and other apps like it, are filled with financial advice. Some of it is reliable, some... less so. There... more

12 Apr 2024 · 20 minutes
How much does this cow weigh? (Classic)

This episode originally ran in 2015.About one hundred years ago, a scientist and statistician named Francis Galston came upon an... more

10 Apr 2024 · 17 minutes
Japan's Lost Decades

Last month, Japan's central bank raised interest rates for the first time in 17 years. That is a really big... more

05 Apr 2024 · 22 minutes
The real estate industry on trial

In 2019, Mike Ketchmark got a call. Mike is a lawyer in Kansas City, Missouri, and his friend, Brandon Boulware,... more

03 Apr 2024 · 28 minutes
How much of your tax dollars are going to Israel and Ukraine

There's been a lot of disagreement in Congress and in the country about whether the U.S. should continue to financially... more

29 Mar 2024 · 23 minutes
The trouble with Table 101 (Update)

(Note: This episode originally ran in 2020.)In the restaurant game, you need to make the most of every table every... more

27 Mar 2024 · 24 minutes
What is Temu?

It is rare that a new e-commerce company has such a meteoric rise as Temu. The company, which launched in... more

22 Mar 2024 · 25 minutes
How Big Steel in the U.S. fell

Steel manufacturing was at one point the most important industry in the United States. It was one of the biggest... more

20 Mar 2024 · 22 minutes
The billion dollar war behind U.S. rum

When you buy a bottle of rum in the United States, by law nearly all the federal taxes on that... more

15 Mar 2024 · 23 minutes
Wind boom, wind bust (Two Windicators)

The wind power business is a bit contradictory right now. It's showing signs of boom and bust seemingly all at... more

13 Mar 2024 · 16 minutes
On the Oscars campaign trail

When you sit down to watch the Oscars, what you are really watching is the final battle in a months-long... more

08 Mar 2024 · 25 minutes
Is dynamic pricing coming to a supermarket near you?

Dynamic pricing is an increasingly common phenomenon: You can see it when Uber prices surge during rainy weather, or when... more

06 Mar 2024 · 25 minutes
Shopping for parental benefits around the world

It is so expensive to have a kid in the United States. The U.S. is one of just a handful... more

01 Mar 2024 · 29 minutes
The secret world behind school fundraisers

Fundraising is a staple of the school experience in the U.S. There's an assembly showing off all the prizes kids... more

29 Feb 2024 · 27 minutes
A controversial idea at the heart of Bidenomics

Réka Juhász is a professor of economics at the University of British Columbia, and she studies what's known as industrial... more

23 Feb 2024 · 25 minutes
Two Indicators: Economics of the defense industry

The Department of Defense's proposed budget for 2024 is $842 billion. That is about 3.5% of the U.S.'s GDP. The... more

21 Feb 2024 · 19 minutes
How the Navy came to protect cargo ships

The Genco Picardy is not an American ship. It doesn't pay U.S. taxes, none of its crew are U.S. nationals,... more

16 Feb 2024 · 19 minutes
It's giving ... Valentines

L, is for the way you Listen to Planet MoneyO, is for the Only podcast I hearV, is Very, very,... more

15 Feb 2024 · 26 minutes
A lawsuit for your broken heart

Keith King was upset when his marriage ended. His wife had cheated, and his family broke apart. And that's when... more

09 Feb 2024 · 22 minutes
Morally questionable, economically efficient

There are tons of markets that don't exist because people just don't want to allow a market – for whatever... more

07 Feb 2024 · 24 minutes
Groundhog Day 2024: Trademark, bankruptcy, and the dollar that failed

It's Groundhog Day, and the eyes of the nation have turned to a small town in western Pennsylvania. And, just... more

02 Feb 2024 · 26 minutes
The Chicken Tax (Classic)

Note: This episode originally ran in 2015.German families in the 60s loved tasty, cheap American-raised chicken that was suddenly coming... more

31 Jan 2024 · 15 minutes
Bonus: Janet Yellen on Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!

Our friends at NPR's news quiz Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! recently had a very Planet Money guest on their show:... more

29 Jan 2024 · 10 minutes
Rescues at sea, and how to make a fortune

At around 1 a.m. on the morning of November 15, 1994, Captain Prentice "Skip" Strong III woke to a distress... more

27 Jan 2024 · 26 minutes
Hear us out: We ban left turns and other big ideas

On today's episode, we have three big economic ideas for your consideration – ideas that could potentially improve the economy... more

24 Jan 2024 · 23 minutes
Econ Battle Zone: Disinflation Confrontation

After very high inflation, the United States is finally feeling some relief in the form of "disinflation." But, why exactly... more

20 Jan 2024 · 31 minutes
Mid-East conflict escalation, two indicators

On today's show, we look at two indicators of the economic disruptions of the war in Gaza and try to... more

17 Jan 2024 · 16 minutes
The Maine Potato War of 1976

When you think of a potato, one state probably comes to mind: Idaho. But for much of American history, Maine... more

13 Jan 2024 · 24 minutes
The Universal Basic Income experiment in Kenya

There's this fundamental question in economics that has proven really hard to answer: What's a good way to help people... more

10 Jan 2024 · 24 minutes
The case of the serial sinking Spanish ships

Picture the Pacific Ocean of the 16th century. Spanish Galleons sail the wide open seas, carrying precious cargo like silver,... more

05 Jan 2024 · 26 minutes
The Rest of the Story, 2023

It's that time of year again! Our annual year-end tradition of checking in on the stories we've reported and the... more

29 Dec 2023 · 25 minutes
The Indicators of this year and next

Today on the show, hosts from Planet Money and The Indicator debate the economic indicators of this year and next... more

27 Dec 2023 · 15 minutes
We buy a lot of Christmas trees (Update)

*Note: This episode originally ran in 2020*'Tis the season for Americans to head out in droves and bring home a... more

22 Dec 2023 · 31 minutes
Dollarizing Argentina

Argentina has been on a decades-long search for economic stability, but it always seems to be out of reach. High... more

21 Dec 2023 · 24 minutes
How to be better at hybrid work, according to research

The research keeps coming in on remote work. New evidence suggests working from home, at least full-time, may not be... more

19 Dec 2023 · 15 minutes
What econ says in the shadows

Economics Job Market Rumors is a website that's half a job information Wiki, where people post about what's going on... more

16 Dec 2023 · 26 minutes
Why '90s ads are unforgettable

Maybe she's born with it, maybe it's __________.The best part of waking up, is _______ in your cup!Got ____?If you... more

14 Dec 2023 · 26 minutes
The U.S. economy's biggest superpower, explained

What if you could borrow money on the cheap and use it to pay for just about anything? The U.S.... more

11 Dec 2023 · 13 minutes
Why do doctors still use pagers?

Remember pagers? They were huge in the 80s — these little devices that could receive short messages. Sir Mix-A-Lot even... more

08 Dec 2023 · 26 minutes
Two food and drink indicators

Today on the show, we have two episodes from our daily podcast, The Indicator, about things we spend a lot... more

06 Dec 2023 · 19 minutes
Why are we so bummed about the economy?

Would you say that you and your family are better off or worse off, financially, than you were a year... more

01 Dec 2023 · 23 minutes
So you want to sell marijuana across state lines

In the state of Oregon, there is a glut of grass. A wealth of weed. A crisis of chronic. And,... more

29 Nov 2023 · 23 minutes
A very Planet Money Thanksgiving

Here at Planet Money, Thanksgiving is not just a time to feast on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, green bean casseroles... more

22 Nov 2023 · 26 minutes
Economic fact in literary fiction

Some of the most influential and beloved novels of the last few years have been about money, finance, and the... more

18 Nov 2023 · 26 minutes
China's real estate crisis, explained

China's economic growth for the past few decades has been extraordinary. And much of that growth was fueled by real... more

15 Nov 2023 · 20 minutes
The alleged theft at the heart of ChatGPT

When best-selling thriller writer Douglas Preston began playing around with OpenAI's new chatbot, ChatGPT, he was, at first, impressed. But... more

10 Nov 2023 · 23 minutes
Never have I ever

The world of economics has these two different sides. One one side, there are the economists in their cozy armchairs... more

08 Nov 2023 · 28 minutes
FTC Chair Lina Khan on Antitrust in the age of Amazon

When Lina Khan was in law school back in 2017, she wrote a law review article called 'Amazon's Antitrust Paradox,'... more

03 Nov 2023 · 30 minutes
Antitrust in America (classic)

Earlier this fall, the Federal Trade Commission filed a high-stakes lawsuit against Amazon.In that suit, the FTC claims Amazon is... more

01 Nov 2023 · 40 minutes
All you can eat economics

You might expect to find economic concepts in the pages of an economics textbook. But you know where you can... more

27 Oct 2023 · 25 minutes
Cutting school... by 20%

Right now, a lot of school districts across the country are making a pretty giant change to the way public... more

26 Oct 2023 · 23 minutes
How unions are stopped before they start

Union membership in the U.S. has been declining for decades. But, in 2022, support for unions among Americans was the... more

20 Oct 2023 · 27 minutes
Indicator exploder: jobs and inflation

When someone says "the economy is doing well"—what does that even mean? Like, for workers, for employers, for the country... more

18 Oct 2023 · 18 minutes
Maria Bamford gets personal (about) finance

Note: There is swearing in this episode.In 2017, The University of Minnesota asked comedian Maria Bamford to give their commencement... more

13 Oct 2023 · 27 minutes
Why the price of Coke didn't change for 70 years (classic)

Prices go up. Occasionally, prices go down. But for 70 years, the price of a bottle of Coca-Cola didn't change.... more

11 Oct 2023 · 19 minutes
A man, a plan, wind power, Uruguay

In 2007, Uruguay had a massive problem with no obvious fix. The economy of this country of 3.5 million people... more

06 Oct 2023 · 23 minutes
The flight attendants of CHAOS

When contract negotiations between Alaska Airlines and their flight attendants' union broke down in 1993, the union had a choice... more

04 Oct 2023 · 28 minutes
A trucker hat mystery, the curse of September and other listener questions

Ba-dee-yah! Say do you remember? Ba-dee-yah! Questions in September!That's right - it's time for Listener Questions!Every so often, we like... more

29 Sep 2023 · 26 minutes
The natural disaster economist

There seems to be headlines about floods, wildfires, or hurricanes every week. Scientists say this might be the new normal... more

27 Sep 2023 · 23 minutes
A black market, a currency crisis, and a tango competition in Argentina

The Nobel-prize winning economist Simon Kuznets once analyzed the world's economies this way — he said there are four kinds... more

23 Sep 2023 · 23 minutes
"Based on a true story"

When a group of amateur investors rallied around the stock for GameStop back in 2021, the story blew up the... more

20 Sep 2023 · 28 minutes
How to launder $600 million on the internet

Erin Plante is a private detective who specializes in chasing down stolen cryptocurrency. In March of 2022, she got the... more

16 Sep 2023 · 26 minutes
China's weakening economy in two Indicators

In China, data on the economy is sometimes difficult to come by. The Chinese government has put a pause on... more

13 Sep 2023 · 18 minutes
Is economists' favorite tool to crush inflation broken?

When economists and policymakers talk about getting inflation under control, there's an assumption they often make: bringing inflation down will... more

08 Sep 2023 · 23 minutes
The prince of prints and his prints of Prince

In 1981, photographer Lynn Goldsmith took a portrait of the musician Prince. It's a pretty standard headshot — it's in... more

06 Sep 2023 · 28 minutes
How to fight a patent pirate

Back in the 1990s, Dr. Raghunath Mashelkar was in his office in New Delhi when he came across a puzzling... more

01 Sep 2023 · 25 minutes
Summer School 8: Graduation and the Guppy Tank

Congratulations to the Planet Money Summer School Class of 2023! Today, you become masters of business administration... spelled with lower-case... more

30 Aug 2023 · 31 minutes
The secret entrance that sidesteps Hollywood picket lines

Across Hollywood right now, writers and actors are picketing in front of studio lots. They're walking back and forth, holding... more

26 Aug 2023 · 21 minutes
Summer School 7: Negotiating and the empathetic nibble

How do you get the best deal? How do you know you're getting the best deal? Whether you're talking down... more

23 Aug 2023 · 33 minutes
Vacation, and why the U.S. takes so little of it

Do you work more for more money? Or work less for more time? For some, this is the ultimate economic... more

18 Aug 2023 · 25 minutes
Summer School 6: Operations and 25,000 roses

"It's difficult to control everything," says our guest professor for this week, Santiago Gallino. "What is not difficult is to... more

16 Aug 2023 · 32 minutes
The new Biden plan that could still erase your student loans

This summer, the Supreme Court struck down Biden's plan to forgive student loan debt for millions of borrowers. Except, on... more

11 Aug 2023 · 27 minutes
Summer School 5: Tech and the innovator's dilemma

For anyone running a business, technology is both threat and opportunity. Today, we run through techniques entrepreneurs can use to... more

09 Aug 2023 · 34 minutes
A tarot card reading for the U.S. economy

Predicting the future of the economy is always a dicey proposition. That is especially true after more than three years... more

04 Aug 2023 · 25 minutes
Summer School 4: Marketing and the Ultimate Hose Nozzle

In this session of Planet Money Summer School, we are getting the word out about your brand. How do you... more

02 Aug 2023 · 32 minutes
Tackle your medical debt with Life Kit

There's an estimated $195 billion of medical debt in America. But just because a medical bill comes in the mail... more

31 Jul 2023 · 17 minutes
Did two honesty researchers fabricate their data?

Dan Ariely and Francesca Gino are two of the biggest stars in behavioral science. Both have conducted blockbuster research into... more

28 Jul 2023 · 25 minutes
Summer School 3: Accounting and The Last Supper

Usually, the first class that an MBA student takes is accounting. That involves, yes, equations and counting widgets...but it's more... more

26 Jul 2023 · 34 minutes
Planet Money Paper Club

We here at Planet Money love economics papers. And that is also the case for so many of the economists... more

21 Jul 2023 · 23 minutes
Summer School 2: Competition and the cheaper sneaker

For episode 2 of Planet Money Summer School, we are talking strategy. You have your million dollar business idea, and... more

19 Jul 2023 · 31 minutes
Surprise, you just signed a contract! How hidden contracts took over the internet

When you make an account online or install an app, you are probably entering into a legally enforceable contract. Even... more

15 Jul 2023 · 23 minutes
Summer School 1: Planet Money goes to business school

Find all episodes of Planet Money Summer School here.Planet Money Summer School is back! It's the free economics class you... more

12 Jul 2023 · 32 minutes
The quest to save macroeconomics from itself

When it comes to big questions about the economy, we're still kind of in the dark ages. Why do some... more

07 Jul 2023 · 18 minutes
Two Indicators: After Affirmative Action & why America overpays for subways

Two stories today.First, as we start to understand post-affirmative action America, we look to a natural experiment 25 years ago,... more

05 Jul 2023 · 19 minutes
Supply, demand, extinction

Back in the 90s, Ivan Lozano Ortega was in charge of Bogota's wildlife rescue center. And he kept getting calls... more

30 Jun 2023 · 28 minutes
Planet Money Live: Two Truths and a Lie

The shocks of the pandemic economy gave us a bunch of enormous natural experiments, which helped to prove or disprove... more

28 Jun 2023 · 23 minutes
Mike The Mover vs. The Furniture Police

In 1978, a young man named Mike Shanks started a moving business in the north end of Seattle. It was... more

23 Jun 2023 · 25 minutes
Twins (classic)

Twins are used to fielding all sorts of questions, like "Can you read each other's minds?" or "Can you feel... more

21 Jun 2023 · 20 minutes
The 60-day job race

People come from all over the world to work in U.S. tech. And during the tech boom years, the industry... more

16 Jun 2023 · 26 minutes
Two Indicators: The economics of innovation

Innovation is crucial for game-changing advancements in society, whether it's treatments for serious diseases, developments in AI technology, or rocket... more

14 Jun 2023 · 19 minutes
The town that changed economics

In the early 90s, when a young economist named Michael Kremer finished his PhD, there had been a few economic... more

09 Jun 2023 · 24 minutes
The Spider-Man Problem (update)

(Note: This episode originally ran back in 2022.)This past weekend, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse had the second largest domestic opening... more

07 Jun 2023 · 30 minutes
AI Podcast 3.0: Dial M for Mechanization

It's the thrilling conclusion to our three-part series on AI — the world premiere of the first episode of Planet... more

02 Jun 2023 · 33 minutes
AI Podcast 2.0: The host in the machine

In Part 1 of this series, AI proved that it could use real research and real interviews to write an... more

31 May 2023 · 31 minutes
AI Podcast 1.0: Rise of the machines

We used to think some jobs were safe from automation. Though machines have transformed industries like agriculture and manufacturing, the... more

26 May 2023 · 34 minutes
Green energy gridlock

Lyle Jack wants to build a wind farm on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. But to make the... more

24 May 2023 · 22 minutes
Predictions: Jobs!

It's time for another installment of ... Planet Money Predictions! *air horn* Last year, we invited two economic forecasters to... more

19 May 2023 · 20 minutes
How AI could help rebuild the middle class

For the last four decades, technology has been mostly a force for greater inequality and a shrinking middle class. But... more

17 May 2023 · 21 minutes
Inflation and the Profit-Price Spiral

Economists say that inflation is just too much money chasing too few goods.But something else can make inflation stick around.If... more

12 May 2023 · 26 minutes
The Day of Two Noons (Classic)

(Note: this episode originally ran in 2019.)In the 1800s, catching your train on time was no easy feat. Every town... more

10 May 2023 · 18 minutes
How to fight a squatting goat

Back in 2005, Burt Banks inherited a plot of old family land in Delaware. But when it came time to... more

06 May 2023 · 28 minutes
Two Indicators: the influencer industry

When you were little, what did you want to be when you grew up? An astronaut, a doctor or maybe... more

03 May 2023 · 19 minutes
Financial advising while Black

After a successful career in advertising, Erika Williams decided it was time for a change. She went back to school... more

28 Apr 2023 · 27 minutes
The zoo economy (classic)

Note: This episode originally aired in September, 2014.Zoos follow a fundamental principle: You can't sell or buy the animals. It's... more

26 Apr 2023 · 16 minutes
The quest for the factory-built house

Imagine if we built cars the same way we build houses. First, a typical buyer would meet with the car... more

21 Apr 2023 · 26 minutes
Tax Code Switch

This past January, researchers uncovered that Black taxpayers are three to five times as likely to be audited as everyone... more

19 Apr 2023 · 24 minutes
The life and possible death of low interest rates

Right now, the economy is running hot. Inflation is high, and central banks are pushing up interest rates to fight... more

15 Apr 2023 · 25 minutes
Two innovation market indicators

Right now, the economy is all over the place. And when things get confusing, we look to basic economic indicators... more

12 Apr 2023 · 18 minutes
Your banking questions, answered

It's been a month since the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank touched off the worst episode of banking turmoil since... more

08 Apr 2023 · 26 minutes
The battle for Puerto Rico's beaches

Puerto Rico's beaches are an integral part of life on the island, and by law, they're one of the few... more

05 Apr 2023 · 23 minutes
The safety net for banks

In the first half of March, three banks - Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and Silvergate - all had relatively... more

01 Apr 2023 · 23 minutes
A Great Recession bank takeover

Earlier this month, we saw the largest bank collapse since the 2008 financial crisis. For many of us, seeing Silicon... more

30 Mar 2023 · 18 minutes
The battle over Osage headrights

Richard J. Lonsinger is a member of the Ponca tribe of Oklahoma, who was adopted at a young age into... more

25 Mar 2023 · 23 minutes
Inside a bank run

Sometimes you hear these stories about an airplane that suddenly nosedives. Everyone onboard thinks this is it, and then the... more

23 Mar 2023 · 33 minutes
Planet Money Records Vol. 3: Making a hit

Since we started Planet Money Records and released the 47-year-old song "Inflation," the song has taken off. It recently hit... more

18 Mar 2023 · 29 minutes
How Silicon Valley Bank failed

Silicon Valley Bank was the 16th largest bank in America, the bank of choice for tech startups and big-name venture... more

16 Mar 2023 · 21 minutes
Dude, where's my streaming TV show?

Over the past year, dozens of shows have been disappearing from streaming platforms like HBO Max and Showtime. Shows like... more

11 Mar 2023 · 26 minutes
The value of good teeth

As a kid, Ryanne Jones' friend accidentally hit her in the mouth with a hammer, knocking out her two front... more

09 Mar 2023 · 22 minutes
Seinfeld-onomics

The 90s sit-com Seinfeld is often called "a show about nothing." Lauded for its observational humor, this quick-witted show focussed... more

03 Mar 2023 · 18 minutes
CBOhhhh, that's what they do

If you are a congressperson or a senator and you have an idea for a new piece of legislation, at... more

01 Mar 2023 · 24 minutes
Meow Money Meow Problems

More than 20 years ago, something unusual happened in the small town of Dixfield, Maine. A lady named Barbara Thorpe... more

25 Feb 2023 · 27 minutes
Hollywood's Black List (Classic)

This episode originally ran in 2020.In 2005, Franklin Leonard was a junior executive at Leonardo DiCaprio's production company. A big... more

22 Feb 2023 · 23 minutes
Jay & Shai's debt ceiling adventure

Every year, the U.S. government spends more money than it takes in. In order to fund all that spending, the... more

18 Feb 2023 · 26 minutes
Two Indicators: Inside the Fed, then and now

A lot of the time, economic policy can seem pretty impersonal — cold, hard, data-driven. But at the heart of... more

16 Feb 2023 · 18 minutes
Our 2023 valentines

Every Valentine's Day, we at Planet Money consider the things that we love, the things that we can't stop talking... more

11 Feb 2023 · 26 minutes
The ice cream conspiracy

Take a look in any supermarket ice cream freezer section and you may see a mystery. There are big containers... more

08 Feb 2023 · 24 minutes
Baby's first market failure

Anyone who has tried shopping for day care knows that it is tough out there.For one, it is hard even... more

03 Feb 2023 · 23 minutes
Groundhog Day 2023

It's Groundhog Day, and once again, the eyes of the nation have turned to a small town in Western Pennsylvania.... more

01 Feb 2023 · 24 minutes
To all the econ papers I've loved before

A great economics paper does two things. It takes on a big question, and it finds a smart way to... more

27 Jan 2023 · 24 minutes
The story of "Monopoly" and American capitalism

Monopoly is one of the best-selling board games in history. The game's staying power may in part be because of... more

26 Jan 2023 · 22 minutes
Charles Ponzi's scheme

Some of history's biggest financial scams owe their name to Charles Ponzi. Here's the story of the man behind the... more

21 Jan 2023 · 22 minutes
Big Rigged (Classic)

Driving a truck used to mean freedom. Now it means a mountain of debt.Subscribe to Planet Money+ in Apple Podcasts... more

18 Jan 2023 · 24 minutes
Two Indicators: The 2% inflation target

If the Fed had a mantra to go along with its mandate, it might well be "two percent." We look... more

13 Jan 2023 · 18 minutes
Planet Money Movie Club: It's a Wonderful Life

Welcome to the Planet Money Movie Club, a regular series from Planet Money+ in which we watch an economics-related movie... more

11 Jan 2023 · 22 minutes
The economics lessons in kids' books

All sorts of lessons (even about economics) can be learned from kids' books. On today's show, we visit an elementary... more

06 Jan 2023 · 28 minutes
The Rest of the Story, 2022

It's that time of year again! Our annual year-end tradition of checking in on previous stories to hear what happened... more

31 Dec 2022 · 24 minutes
Which economic indicator defined 2022?

2022 was a year of big economic changes. But what economic story most defined the year? Our hosts from Planet... more

28 Dec 2022 · 10 minutes
In defense of gift giving

Cold economic reasoning says, supposedly, that gifts are inefficient transfers of wealth. But Planet Money host Jeff Guo believes in... more

24 Dec 2022 · 21 minutes
Two Indicators: The fight over ESG investing

"ESG" investing – Environmental, Social, Governance – has attracted a lot of attention from investors, and from Republican politicians who... more

21 Dec 2022 · 21 minutes
The sports ticket price enigma

Inflation is making prices go up, except not for...sports tickets? So, we set out on a daylong sporting event marathon... more

16 Dec 2022 · 28 minutes
Spam call bounty hunter

Telemarketing calls are not only annoying; in some cases, they are illegal. Congress even gives you the right to sue... more

14 Dec 2022 · 26 minutes
The case of the missing cheese racks

Jelle Peterse's company ships cheese all over the world, but they don't always get their cheese racks back. In this... more

09 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
When women stopped coding (Classic)

A lot of computing pioneers were women. For decades, the number of women in computer science was growing. But in... more

07 Dec 2022 · 17 minutes
My Favorite Tax Loophole

There's a big difference between tax avoidance and tax evasion. But sometimes even avoiding taxes (legally) can feel like you're... more

03 Dec 2022 · 26 minutes
Messi economics

Soccer star Lionel Messi is currently hoping to lead Argentina to victory in the World Cup. His path to global... more

01 Dec 2022 · 27 minutes
One economist's take on popular advice for saving, borrowing, and spending

This episode was first released as a bonus episode for Planet Money+ listeners last month. We're sharing it today for... more

23 Nov 2022 · 32 minutes
How the cookie became a monster

30 years ago, Lou Montulli set out to solve a fundamental problem with the internet, and accidentally created an entirely... more

19 Nov 2022 · 26 minutes
Sam Bankman-Fried and the fall of a crypto empire

Sam Bankman-Fried built a reputation as the one reliable crypto bro. But within the span of days, his empire came... more

17 Nov 2022 · 23 minutes
The E-Book Wars

In 2019, a group of librarians (quietly) stormed the offices of a major publisher, Macmillan, to protest a controversial policy... more

11 Nov 2022 · 25 minutes
Peak Sand (classic)

Sand. It's in buildings, windows, your cell phone. But there isn't enough in the world for everyone. And that's created... more

09 Nov 2022 · 17 minutes
Planet Money tries election polling

Polling is facing an existential crisis. Few people are answering the phone, and fewer people want to answer surveys. On... more

04 Nov 2022 · 28 minutes
Two Indicators shaking China's economy

Xi Jinping recently secured his third term as China's president – so we're looking at two shocks to the world's... more

02 Nov 2022 · 19 minutes
Planet Money Records Vol. 2: The Negotiation

We got our hands on the long-lost "Inflation" song, and now it's time to put it out into the world.... more

29 Oct 2022 · 26 minutes
Planet Money Records Vol. 1: Earnest Jackson

We try to start a real record label. Just to put one song out there. It's a song about inflation,... more

27 Oct 2022 · 25 minutes
The high cost of a strong dollar

When it comes to international trade and finance, everyone pretty much speaks one language: the U.S. dollar. So when the... more

22 Oct 2022 · 27 minutes
The money fixers (classic)

How do you mend a broken bill? On this classic episode, we visit the Mutilated Currency Division.Subscribe to Planet Money+... more

19 Oct 2022 · 17 minutes
You asked for coupons, Delaware, and the truth about goldfish

On today's show, we're answering listener questions from the Planet Money inbox. Like, who really benefits from retail coupons? And... more

15 Oct 2022 · 23 minutes
Two Indicators: back to school

It's fall, so on this episode, we're taking you back to school. First, what sorority rush can teach us about... more

12 Oct 2022 · 17 minutes
Forging Taiwan's Silicon Shield

Taiwan is at the center of a global feud. Its main defense may be what some call its "Silicon Shield"... more

07 Oct 2022 · 30 minutes
Economic anarchy in the UK

Liz Truss, the new Prime Minister of the UK, was determined to change the British economy. Instead, her government's mini-budget... more

05 Oct 2022 · 21 minutes
Would you like a side of offshoring with that?

A lot of restaurants took a hit during the pandemic. And when they struggled to find workers, some found surprising... more

30 Sep 2022 · 22 minutes
The miracle apple (Classic)

Today on the show, how we got from mealy, nasty apples to apples that taste delicious. The story starts with... more

28 Sep 2022 · 13 minutes
Econ's Brush with the Law

What happens when you take some of the most powerful people in America — federal judges — and teach them... more

23 Sep 2022 · 22 minutes
The Midnight Connection

Texas's energy grid is largely disconnected from the rest of the U.S. That led to disastrous consequences last year when... more

21 Sep 2022 · 33 minutes
Vibecession Vibes Session

We're not in a recession, but why are the vibes feeling so off? We put the question to an economist... more

17 Sep 2022 · 26 minutes
The Good, the Bad, and the Uggly

Eddie Oygur is an Australian businessman who's sold sheepskin ugg boots for years. But one day, he was hit with... more

15 Sep 2022 · 30 minutes
Two Indicators: unlikely economic relationships

On today's show - how your social circle is one of the strongest predictors of economic mobility and how pop... more

09 Sep 2022 · 18 minutes
The salvage car Silk Road

A practically brand new Lexus with a New Jersey inspection sticker lands on an auto body lot in Turkmenistan. How... more

08 Sep 2022 · 28 minutes
Breaking down the price of gasoline

High gas prices have fueled speculation and investigations — is anyone raising prices and keeping prices high for profit? To... more

03 Sep 2022 · 28 minutes
SUMMER SCHOOL 8: Productivity & Getting Lit

Productivity is our economic measure for how far our work goes, as individuals and as a society over all. It... more

31 Aug 2022 · 30 minutes
Wake up and smell the fraud

Sometimes online shopping can feel a little unsavory. There are the listings that make you question if you'll really be... more

26 Aug 2022 · 22 minutes
SUMMER SCHOOL 7: The Fed & Volcker's Socks

The Federal Reserve plays a very important role in the economy. When things start to look uncertain, the central bank... more

24 Aug 2022 · 31 minutes
Inflation Reduction Actually

Congress just passed the biggest, most ambitious climate bill in history. And it's called ... the Inflation Reduction Act of... more

19 Aug 2022 · 21 minutes
SUMMER SCHOOL 6: Trade & The Better Life

International trade is the web of cross-border relationships that binds economies together. Because of trade we have access to cheaper,... more

17 Aug 2022 · 32 minutes
Carried interest wormhole

The carried interest tax loophole is a way that wealthy Americans – often the people who manage hedge funds or... more

13 Aug 2022 · 26 minutes
SUMMER SCHOOL 5: Car Parts, Celery & The Labor Market

You can learn a lot about a person from their job. The same can be said of an economy. The... more

11 Aug 2022 · 32 minutes
A new way to pay for college (Update)

College has gotten incredibly expensive. And some colleges are offering students a new way to pay. It's not a scholarship.... more

05 Aug 2022 · 26 minutes
SUMMER SCHOOL 4: Inflation & Drinking Buddies

Inflation can be one of the scariest forces in the economy. As prices rise and your dollar doesn't go as... more

04 Aug 2022 · 30 minutes
We Buy a Superhero 8: Micro-Face: The Musical

This episode, Micro-Face: The Musical. A full concert recording of a one-of-a-kind Planet Money superhero musical, taped during our recent... more

01 Aug 2022 · 45 minutes
Two recession Indicators

So are we in a recession or not? The jury is still out, but there are some warning signs. GDP... more

29 Jul 2022 · 20 minutes
SUMMER SCHOOL 3: Booms, Busts & Us

Life has its ups and downs. Same for the economy. Today we ask, can the business cycle be tamed? Two... more

28 Jul 2022 · 32 minutes
Little House on the Blockchain

It has great bones, three bedrooms and one and half baths, and it comes with its own machine that mines... more

22 Jul 2022 · 21 minutes
SUMMER SCHOOL 2: GDP & What Counts

What even is "the economy"? And how do you measure it? Our path out of the economic darkness and into... more

21 Jul 2022 · 25 minutes
Best by, sell by, use by

Wait, wait...don't throw that out! What if much of what you've been told about food expiration dates is... wrong? |... more

16 Jul 2022 · 25 minutes
SUMMER SCHOOL 1: Recessions & Rap Battles

It's macro time! Today: Keynes vs. Hayek. Season 3 of summer school is here asking the biggest economic questions about... more

14 Jul 2022 · 31 minutes
A tale of two cityhoods

There's a movement underway in Georgia. More and more communities around Atlanta are choosing to keep their tax dollars very... more

08 Jul 2022 · 24 minutes
Two crypto crash Indicators

Two stories of consternation from inside the crypto world. Can a crypto crash spread to the wider economy? How does... more

06 Jul 2022 · 18 minutes
Suitcases, secret lists, and Citizens United

On today's show: the Watergate scandal you haven't heard about – that led directly to Citizens United and multi-billion dollar... more

01 Jul 2022 · 26 minutes
When Subaru came out (Classic)

In the early 90s, Subaru was struggling to stand out in a crowded automobile market. In their greatest time... more

29 Jun 2022 · 19 minutes
Recession referees

Whenever the economic data start to look rough, we're forced to confront a familiar question: Are we in a recession,... more

25 Jun 2022 · 23 minutes
The tale of the Onion King (Update)

How one man's quest to dominate the onion market changed commodities trading, and potentially how much you pay at the... more

22 Jun 2022 · 19 minutes
The debate over what's causing inflation

The last few months have made us acutely aware of inflation. We all agree that it's making our lives harder,... more

17 Jun 2022 · 19 minutes
Let them eat lunch

For many Americans, desk lunches are the norm. You might even be having one right now. But what if it... more

16 Jun 2022 · 22 minutes
The Gecko Effect

Years ago advertising was dominated by cars and beer. Today on the show, how a simple slogan and a talking... more

11 Jun 2022 · 27 minutes
On the case: Recession, formula, and greenbacks

It was just another day at the office. Then the phone started ringing and the caseload kept growing...on today's show,... more

09 Jun 2022 · 20 minutes
Homer Simpson vs. the economy

When the beloved Simpsons family made its TV debut in 1989, it squarely represented middle-class America. Today ... not so... more

03 Jun 2022 · 19 minutes
The bank war (Classic)

In the 1800s, populist president Andrew Jackson went head-to-head with the most powerful banker in America over who should control... more

01 Jun 2022 · 20 minutes
Planet Money
The debate over what's causing inflation
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Description

The last few months have made us acutely aware of inflation. We all agree that it's making our lives harder, but economists... more