Podcast Episodes
Back to Search78. Porta-Potties
Episode 78
They're not always the nicest places to go — but for their owners, portable toilets are a lucrative revenue stream. Zachary Crockett lifts the lid. T…
3 hours ago
77. Hand Models
Episode 77
You can be a top model and still not get recognized on the street — as long as you keep your cuticles healthy and your moons white. Zachary Crockett …
3 days, 3 hours ago
76. Hotel Art
Episode 76
A watercolor of a harbor? A black-and-white photo of a pile of rocks? Some hotels are trying to do better. Zachary Crockett unpacks. This episode was…
1 week ago
75. Butchers
Episode 75
Before beef ends up at your favorite steakhouse, it passes through the hands of a trained specialist with an encyclopedic knowledge of bovine anatomy…
1 week, 3 days ago
Amazon Was Supposed to Kill the Bookstore. James Daunt Had Other Plans | Better in Person
He started with one small shop in London. He has since resuscitated both Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. In this episode of Stephen Dubner’s new TV t…
2 weeks ago
74. Fonts
Episode 74
Behind almost every character you see displayed on a page or a screen, there’s a complex — and sometimes lucrative — web of licensing deals. Zachary …
2 weeks, 3 days ago
73. Used Bookstores
Episode 73
Americans throw away 320 million books every year. How do some of them find a second life? Zachary Crockett is just browsing. This episode was origin…
3 weeks ago
72. Helium
Episode 72
It’s unreactive, lighter than air, and surprisingly important to the global economy. Zachary Crockett goes up an octave. This episode was originally …
3 weeks, 3 days ago
71. Mannequins
Episode 71
Mannequins may be made out of plastic or fiberglass, but for retailers they’re pure gold. Zachary Crockett strikes a pose. This episode was originall…
4 weeks ago
70. Prison Labor
Episode 70
Incarcerated people grow crops, fight wildfires, and manufacture everything from motor oil to prescription glasses — often for pennies per hour. Zach…
1 month ago