Topic

Business & Economics

A collection of 113 issues

The Secret Afterlife of Your Online Returns

That 'free and easy' return initiates a surprisingly wasteful journey. Due to the high cost of processing, billions of pounds of returned items are not restocked but are instead liquidated or sent directly to landfills, revealing the hidden environmental price of convenience.

Business & Economics Environment & Climate Technology & Innovation

England's Slippery Ledger: When the Rent Was Paid in Eels

In medieval England, the value of land wasn't measured in gold but in writhing barrels of eels. This forgotten chapter reveals how a slippery fish became a more stable currency than coin, until the very rivers that sustained it ran dry of their silver bounty.

History Business & Economics Animals in Culture

Ignition and Ash: The $170 Million Failure That Taught Amazon How to Listen

Convinced it could conquer smartphones, Amazon built a device with gimmicky 3D effects and a singular focus on selling. The resulting Fire Phone became a legendary flop, a cautionary tale about what happens when a company builds a product for itself, not its customers.

Technology & Innovation Business & Economics

The Economist Who Broke the Lottery With Brute-Force Math

A Romanian economist devised a legal, brute-force system to guarantee lottery wins by buying every single ticket combination. His success, culminating in a $27 million jackpot, forced lotteries worldwide to rewrite their rules just to stop him.

Business & Economics Biography & Personal Stories Law, Crime & Justice

The World is Running Out of the Right Kind of Sand

Desert nations are importing billions of tons of sand because their own is useless for construction. The microscopic shape of a sand grain explains why, fueling a global industry and an environmental crisis for one of the world's most consumed resources.

Environment & Climate Business & Economics Science & Nature

The Deadly Global War for Ordinary Sand

The world is not running out of sand, but of the *right kind* of sand, sparking a violent, multi-billion dollar black market. Criminal mafias illegally dredge rivers and coasts, causing catastrophic environmental damage and murdering those who stand in their way.

Environment & Climate Law, Crime & Justice Business & Economics

The Sound of Money: How David Bowie's Groundbreaking Bonds Collided with the Digital Revolution

In 1997, David Bowie transformed his musical legacy into a unique financial asset. The initially successful venture became a cautionary tale when the rise of digital piracy threatened the very royalty streams investors were betting on, nearly silencing the sound of money.

Business & Economics Music Technology & Innovation

The Invisible Treadmill: The Accidental Invention That Hijacked Your Brain

The endless feed on your phone isn't a simple convenience; it's a meticulously engineered psychological trap. By removing natural stopping points, platforms lock users in a slot machine-like loop of dopamine rewards, harvesting your attention for profit.

Technology & Innovation Psychology & Health Business & Economics

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