The Economics of Everyday Things

Tow-truck drivers: roadside rescuers or car confiscators? Zachary Crockett gets hooked.   SOURCES:Bill Giorgis, president of Mike’s Wrecker Service.Max Karimi, co-owner of H&M Roadside.Teresa Murray, ...

Why are these 300-year-old instruments still coveted by violinists today? And how do working musicians get their hands on multimillion-dollar antiques? Zachary Crockett is not fiddling around.   SOURC...

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:"Ben," former professional card counter.Bill Zender...

Making money in the stock image business requires a sharp eye for trends, a very specific type of model, and a race against A.I. Zachary Crockett takes his shot.   SOURCE:Yuri Arcurs, C.E.O. and found...

How does a fresh tuna get from Japan to Nebraska before it goes bad? And how does its journey show up in the price of your spicy tuna rolls? Zachary Crockett gets schooled.   SOURCES:Sasha Issenberg, ...

Why do millions of people pay to have one of the world’s deadliest toxins injected into their faces? Zachary Crockett looks surprised.   SOURCES:Dana Berkowitz, sociologist and author.Jean Carruthers,...

Almost everyone who buys a home spends thousands of dollars on title insurance. Most of them don’t understand it, and almost none of them use it. So why does it exist? Zachary Crockett closes the deal...

It takes fungi-sniffing dogs, back-room deals, and a guy named “The Kingpin” for the world’s most coveted morsel to end up on your plate. Zachary Crockett picks up the scent. This episode was original...

Once considered noble and heroic, pigeons are now viewed as an urban nuisance — one that costs cities millions of dollars a year. Zachary Crockett tosses some crumbs.   SOURCES:Andrew Blechman, journa...

How do criminals turn their ill-gotten gains into taxable income? And how does law enforcement stop them? Zachary Crockett follows the money.   SOURCES:Patrick McKenzie, fraud prevention expert and st...