Podcast Episodes

36. ATMs

Episode 36

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

 

SOURCES:Bernardo Batiz-Lazo, professo…

2 years, 7 months ago

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35. Dental Insurance

Episode 35

Why is it separate from medical insurance? And is it really insurance at all? Zachary Crockett goes in for a cleaning.

 

SOURCES:Brad Bolman, postdocto…

2 years, 7 months ago

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34. Store-Brand Products

Episode 34

Those low-priced staples on grocery-store shelves — where do they come from? Zachary Crockett finds out at a national convention for private-label ma…

2 years, 8 months ago

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33. Sex Scenes

Episode 33

Behind these steamy sequences, there are body doubles, pubic wigs, legal documents, and dedicated choreographers who make sure everyone is comfortabl…

2 years, 8 months ago

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32. Used Golf Balls

Episode 32

American golfers lose 300 million balls a year — and all those bad swings are someone else’s business opportunity. Zachary Crockett hits the links.

 

S…

2 years, 8 months ago

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31. Superhot Chili Peppers

Episode 31

The market for gustatory pain is surprisingly competitive. Zachary Crockett feels the burn.

 

SOURCES:Ed Currie, founder and president of the PuckerBut…

2 years, 8 months ago

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30. Card Counting

Episode 30

Casinos think they can stop skilled gamblers from eking out a tiny edge at blackjack. Is that a losing bet? Zachary Crockett doubles down.

 

SOURCES:"B…

2 years, 9 months ago

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10. Michelin Stars (Replay)

Episode 10

Only the finest restaurants have a chance to bask in their glow. Sometimes, it’s a bit too bright. Zachary Crockett squints at the menu.

 

SOURCES:Nick…

2 years, 9 months ago

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29. Greeting Cards

Episode 29

The tradition of sending cards to loved ones was in decline — until it was rescued by a new generation. But millennials have their own ideas about wh…

2 years, 9 months ago

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28. Horseshoe Crab Blood

Episode 28

How does the blood of a 450-million-year-old arthropod help prevent lethal infections in humans? And could we exhaust the supply?  Zachary Crockett w…

2 years, 9 months ago

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