Planet Money
Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At Planet Money, we explore the forces that shape our lives and bring you along for the ride. Don't just understand the economy – understand the world. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening for Planet Money.
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Recent Episodes
The Domino’s Pizza Tracker Theory of Everything
Sep 18, 2026Did a pizza restaurant’s humble status page change how we wait forever? When you order a Lyft or Uber, you get texts every few minutes about your car approaching and arriving. When you have a packag...
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Planet Money explores how Domino's Pizza Tracker, launched in 2006, revolutionized consumer expectations around waiting and transparency. The episode traces how a simple IT tool designed to manage pizza delivery times became the template for status tracking across industries—from Uber to banking apps—fundamentally changing how we experience waiting in the digital age. Through investigative journalism and expert interviews, the hosts reveal both the psychological power of these trackers and their potential for deception.
- The Crisis That Sparked Innovation
- From Internal Tool to Customer-Facing Innovation
How investing is getting riskier (Two Indicators)
Sep 16, 2026Margin borrowing and sports gambling “investments” are both on the rise! Today on the show, two stories from Planet Money’s daily podcast The Indicator about the ways investing is changing, and gettin...
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This Planet Money episode explores the risks of leveraged investing and gambling, examining how record-breaking margin debt in U.S. markets and the blurring line between investing and sports betting are affecting younger generations. The show investigates South Korea's recent stock market crash caused by leveraged ETFs, the growing trend of Gen Z treating sports betting as investment, and new state regulations attempting to address gambling addiction.
- Record Margin Debt in U.S. Markets
- South Korea's Leveraged ETF Disaster
The loan at the heart of a new foreclosure crisis
Sep 11, 2026There is a new type of loan that is sweeping through the country right now. It’s advertised as a super quick and super easy way to get a mortgage to buy a home. In recent years, Wall Street has been f...
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Planet Money investigates how two mysterious investors borrowed $100 million through a new type of mortgage called DSCR loans to build a 700-home portfolio in Baltimore, then watched it collapse into foreclosure. The story exposes how Wall Street money is flooding into these 'no-income verification' loans for real estate investors, raising questions about whether the financial industry is repeating mistakes from the 2008 crisis.
- The Mysterious $100 Million Portfolio
- DSCR Loans: The No-Income Mortgage Revolution
In this economy it is boom times and doom times all at once. The statistics aren’t really capturing it. K-shaped only goes so far as a metaphor. So … we asked you to help. And you delivered! One one...
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Planet Money examines how Americans are experiencing the economy in vastly different ways, from retirees living comfortably to professors struggling with basic expenses, while exploring how this economic volatility is shaping the habits and expectations of the youngest generation of consumers entering the workforce during a period of historically high inflation.
- The Tale of Two Economies: K-Shaped Recovery in Action
- Gen Z's Introduction to Economic Life: Learning to Navigate Inflation
Trump drinks Venezuela’s milkshake
Sep 05, 2026One week ago, President Trump announced a deal that would give the “U.S. control of more than 65 BILLION BARRELS of proven Oil Reserves in Venezuela, at no cost to the American Taxpayer.” The exact n...
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Planet Money examines President Trump's recent oil deal announcement with Venezuela through the lens of Jose Angel Pereira, a third-generation Venezuelan oil executive who lived through the country's previous 'Apertura' (opening) to foreign investment in the 1990s. The episode explores Venezuela's century-long cycle of opening and closing its oil industry to outsiders, the lessons from the last apertura that ended badly, and what this new deal might mean for Venezuela's people and economy.
- The Trump-Venezuela Oil Deal Announcement
- Venezuela's Oil Paradox: The Can't Live With Them, Can't Live Without Them Problem
Love in the time of Palantir
Sep 02, 2026To a lot of people, Palantir is a mystery — what does the company know, what data do they have, and (if they have it) what do they do with it all? We dig into that mystery and take you to a singles ev...
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In this Planet Money episode, host Amanda Aronchick explores the mysterious tech giant Palantir through an unusual lens: a satirical dating event in New York called 'Singles Dating Matching Using Palantir Data.' The event, organized by tech entrepreneur James Steinberg, demonstrates modern data surveillance capabilities by creating detailed dossiers on attendees using only their names and phone numbers. Through interviews with attendees, Palantir expert Mike Steinberger, and revelations from the event itself, the episode examines what Palantir actually does, how its software enables unprecedented government surveillance, and the growing concerns about digital privacy in America.
- The Palantir Dating Experiment
- What Palantir Actually Does
The brilliance of "9 to 5" is that it is catchy even though it’s also kinda depressing. You will be dancing along. You're enjoying it. And, then when you really listen to the lyrics, you're like, Wait...
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This Planet Money episode explores the true story behind the 1980 film '9 to 5,' revealing how it emerged from a real labor movement started by secretaries in Boston. The episode traces the connection between the movie's workplace reforms and an actual organization fighting for clerical workers' rights, examining both the cultural impact and the lingering workplace inequalities that persist decades later.
- The Genesis of 9 to 5: From Activism to Office Work
- Creating the 9 to 5 Movement and Organization
Branded fruit: How produce got “Honeycrisp-ified"
Aug 28, 2026The produce aisle is changing. You’ve noticed this, I’m sure. It is now full of superstar fruits and vegetables: The Honeycrisp apple, The Cotton Candy grape, The Cuties mandarin orange. They stand ou...
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Planet Money explores the 'Honeycrisp-ification' of the produce aisle, examining why grocery stores are now filled with branded, premium fruits and vegetables. Hosts Kenny Malone and Dan Pashman visit a Rutgers University experimental farm to learn about the new Scarlet Sunrise grape tomato and investigate how changes in laws, incentives, and consumer tastes have transformed the agricultural research landscape from commodity crops to specialty produce with patent protections and premium pricing.
- The Rise of Superstar Produce
- Rutgers' Tomato Legacy and Dan's Grape Tomato Skepticism
This episode is packed with your best economic ideas from around the world and a penguin interview. It all comes together in this final session of Summer School 2026.Pack your parka, we’re headed to A...
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Planet Money's Summer School graduation episode completes a global economics tour by visiting Antarctica - the seventh and final continent. The episode explores how economics operates in a place with no markets, money, or private ownership, revealing that Antarctica provides approximately $180 billion in annual economic value through tourism, fisheries, and crucial environmental services. Graduation speakers from Japan, Austria, and Brazil share innovative economic ideas their countries could export to the world.
- Antarctica's Unique Governance and Economic System
- Life and Commerce at McMurdo Station
There’s a room where the fates of retail products are decided. Will they make it onto the shelves of the big box stores? Usually the rest of us can’t get inside the room where decisions are made – unt...
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Planet Money hosts Kenny Malone and Erica Barris document their journey to get their board game 'Sell Me a Sasquatch' onto big box retail shelves. After developing the game with Exploding Kittens based on the economics paper 'The Market for Lemons,' Erica pitches to major retail buyers in a high-stakes line review meeting. The episode reveals the intense, secretive process of getting products into major retailers, from the pitch room to pricing decisions to factory production in China, culminating in the game's successful placement at Target, Walmart, and other stores.
- The High-Stakes Pitch Meeting
- Inside the Big Box Retail System
Getting entrepreneurial in Korea (Summer School)
Aug 19, 2026This week’s stop on our world tour - Korea. A country divided into two very different power structures since the end of WWII. Today South Korea is the maker of some of the world’s favorite exports – f...
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This Planet Money Summer School episode explores economic development by comparing South Korea's remarkable transformation from post-war poverty to economic powerhouse with other countries' development attempts. The episode examines South Korea's successful playbook—including land reform, industrial subsidies paired with export discipline, and knowledge transfer—then investigates whether these lessons can be applied elsewhere through case studies of Bangladesh's textile industry and North Korea's suppressed capitalism.
- South Korea's Economic Miracle: From Rubble to Riches
- The South Korean Development Playbook: Land Reform and Export Discipline
You bet your life insurance
Aug 14, 2026Some of the biggest firms on Wall Street are, at this very moment, waiting for thousands of strangers to die to reap their returns. Because there’s a market for life insurance policies. And it’s legal...
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This Planet Money episode explores the evolution of life settlements - the practice of selling life insurance policies to third parties for cash. The story traces this multi-billion dollar industry from its origins during the AIDS crisis in the 1980s to its current form on Wall Street, following both pioneer Scott Page and modern-day seller Frank Sarowski as they navigate the complex world of betting on death.
- The Birth of Life Settlements During the AIDS Crisis
- Building the Viatical Settlement Business
Currency Chaos in Argentina (Summer School)
Aug 12, 2026Just about everyone in Argentina is an expert in inflation and whether they like it or not, economic flexibility. Can we learn from them? Over the years, we at Planet Money have checked in on Argent...
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Planet Money Summer School explores Argentina's century-long economic volatility, from being one of the world's richest countries in 1910 to experiencing repeated cycles of inflation, debt defaults, and currency crises. Through personal stories and expert analysis, the episode examines how extreme inflation and unstable currency affect everyday people, businesses, and the economy, culminating in President Javier Milei's radical austerity measures to stabilize the peso.
- Argentina's Economic Rollercoaster: From Riches to Repeated Crises
- The Shoebox Economy: How Argentines Cope with Currency Chaos
When workers past retirement age can’t afford to retire — that’s one thing. When they can, and just don’t want to — that’s trickier. It used to be legal to force people to retire when they hit a cert...
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This Planet Money episode explores the growing tension between older workers staying in their jobs longer and younger workers struggling to move up. Through interviews with frustrated millennials, academics, and economists, the episode examines the controversial idea of mandatory retirement ages as a potential solution to generational workplace conflicts, weighing arguments about fairness, economic impacts, and who really benefits when people work into their 70s and beyond.
- The Frustration of Younger Workers Stuck Behind Boomers
- The Case for Mandatory Retirement
Imagine a nation where, for the residents, land is for the claiming. You walk down the street, pick out a nice looking plot of land, and just plop down a marker. No rent, no taxes, no deed – just free...
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This Planet Money Summer School episode explores economic lessons from Caribbean island nations, focusing on two major case studies: the debate over communal versus private property rights in Barbuda, and widespread sand theft across Jamaica and beyond. The episode examines how small, vulnerable economies face unique challenges around resource management, property rights, and protecting public goods.
- Small Island Economies and Vulnerability
- Barbuda's Communal Land System
What makes a toy go viral
Jul 31, 2026Squishy, slimy, fidgety toys are having a moment. But it’s more than just an anxiety-soothing, social-media fueled trend – these toys are reshaping how toys get made. Today on the show, we have the s...
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Planet Money dives into the viral phenomenon of squishy dumplings—rubbery, gel-filled toy dumplings that have sold tens of millions in 2024. Through interviews with a 13-year-old collector, the CEO behind the craze, and industry analysts, the episode reveals the strategic business decisions that turned a simple plastic toy into a must-have sensation, from mystery packaging to artificial scarcity to a revolutionary just-in-time supply chain.
- The Viral Unboxing Experience
- The Squishy Toy Boom
Let’s call it the luxury of restraint. This is what enabled Norway to avoid the fate of so many other countries when they discovered oil and it changed the mix of their economy overnight. Norway! It’...
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Planet Money Summer School explores Norway's remarkable economic success story, focusing on how the country avoided the 'resource curse' after discovering massive oil reserves and cleverly marketed Norwegian salmon to Japan despite cultural resistance. The episode examines Norway's unique approach to managing wealth, including its $2.3 trillion sovereign wealth fund, high taxation policies, and the importance of social trust in creating sustainable prosperity.
- Norway's Economic Success and Challenges
- The Resource Curse Explained
Let’s head to a small town in Kenya that’s become globally famous for helping economists answer some of the biggest questions facing humanity. In Kenya and Nigeria, economics isn’t just theory, it’s ...
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Planet Money Summer School explores innovative economic interventions in Nigeria and Kenya, examining how these developing nations have pioneered approaches to job creation and poverty reduction. Through two case studies, the episode reveals how Nigeria's You Win competition created 7,000 jobs by giving entrepreneurs cash grants, and how Busia, Kenya became the global center for randomized controlled trials that revolutionized development economics.
- The You Win Competition: Nigeria's Entrepreneurial Lottery
- Lariat's Story: From One-Woman Operation to Thriving Business
Big Lettuce meets Small Intestine
Jul 22, 2026The cyclospora outbreak that’s sickening thousands of Americans got us interested in the rise of Big Lettuce, and the challenges of keeping it clean. So on today’s show, we tell you just how much le...
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Planet Money investigates the current cyclospora outbreak linked to contaminated lettuce from Taylor Farms, exploring how the lettuce industry evolved into a multi-billion dollar operation and why foodborne illness outbreaks continue despite major FDA regulatory reforms. The episode reveals two parallel revolutions: the rise of 'big lettuce' through bagged salad technology and the decade-long effort to create comprehensive farm safety standards.
- The Rise of Big Lettuce and Bagged Salad Revolution
- The Multiplier Effect: How Industrial Scale Creates Bigger Outbreaks
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This is a trailer for an upcoming investigative documentary series from NPR's Embedded podcast about the Capitol Hill Organized Protest (CHOP) in Seattle during 2020. The series examines the tragic shooting death of 16-year-old Antonio Mays Jr. inside the autonomous zone that protesters created after police abandoned their precinct. Reporters Will James and Sydney Brownstone investigate how a space designed to protect Black lives ended up taking one, exploring the events of that night through new witnesses, evidence, and the perspective of Antonio's grieving father.
- The Creation of CHOP
- Security Concerns and Armed Protesters