Podcast Episodes
Back to Search73. 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.
SOURCE:Francisco Herna…
1 year, 1 month ago
Greeting Cards (Replay)
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…
1 year, 1 month ago
72. Helium
Episode 72
It’s unreactive, lighter than air, and surprisingly important to the global economy. Zachary Crockett goes up an octave.
SOURCES:Sophia Hayes, profes…
1 year, 1 month ago
Stadium Names, from The Indicator
How did Florida International University’s new football stadium come to be named after the rapper and singer Pitbull? Adrian Ma and Wailin Wong of Th…
1 year, 1 month 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.
SOURCES:Stacie Bornn, vice…
1 year, 1 month 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 year, 2 months ago
69. Highway Signs
Episode 69
It takes millions of giant green placards to make America navigable. Where do they come from — and who pays the bill? Zachary Crockett takes the exit…
1 year, 2 months ago
68. Zoo Animals
Episode 68
When a zoo needs an elephant, or finds itself with three surplus penguins, it doesn’t buy or sell the animals — it asks around. Zachary Crockett ratt…
1 year, 2 months ago
67. Tow Trucks
Episode 67
Tow-truck drivers: roadside rescuers or car confiscators? Zachary Crockett gets hooked.
SOURCES:Bill Giorgis, president of Mike’s Wrecker Service.Max…
1 year, 2 months ago
66. Stradivarius Violins
Episode 66
Why are these 300-year-old instruments still coveted by violinists today? And how do working musicians get their hands on multimillion-dollar antique…
1 year, 2 months ago