~undercover-economis | Bookmarks (17)
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The surprising data behind supercentenarians
If there is a Dog Heaven, what must Bobi be thinking as he gazes down? Bobi’s...
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Why, deep down, we’re all ultramarathoners
Jasmin Paris is not built like ordinary mortals. Last month she won a moment of fame...
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Why the biscuit tax leaves a bad taste in the mouth
Earlier this year, two distinguished gentlemen, Judge Hyde and his adviser Julian Stafford, sampled a mineral-enriched...
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A TikTok ban won’t solve social media’s collective trap
US legislators are eager to ban TikTok. They are missing a bigger question: should they also...
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Cautionary Tales – the Rise and Fall of a Megalomaniac
Nicolae Ceaușescu was not beloved. His regime was vicious and he treated Romania as his personal wallet:...
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Why Swifties, holidaymakers and the hygienic should cheer for surge pricing
The “Wendy’s Dave’s Triple” is a fast-food offering that stacks two possessives and three hamburgers. I...
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The surprising public health benefit of unemployment
Here’s a discovery to bring you up short: unemployment is good for you. Really? Well, no,...
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The alternate universe in which Tottenham are top
Back in October, the headteacher at my son’s school began each assembly by displaying the Premier...
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Why friends are always right – no matter their views
My colleague John Burn-Murdoch recently presented striking evidence of a new trend: young men and young...
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The real quandary of AI isn’t what people think
Do you think the leading large language model, GPT-4, could suggest a solution to Wordle after...
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What the birth of the spreadsheet teaches us about generative AI
When the spreadsheet launched in 1979, it was a bewildering piece of software. People had no...
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Of top-notch algorithms and zoned-out humans
On June 1 2009, Air France Flight 447 vanished on a routine transatlantic flight. The circumstances...
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The secret to finding the best idea ever? First think about the absolute worst
When he first heard the music, Brian Eno grabbed a copy of the single and ran...
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Are economists selfish? Not according to Monopoly
Against my better judgment, I was recently prevailed upon to play a game of Monopoly with...
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The planet’s got 99 problems, but exponential growth isn’t one
If Christmas is (alas) a time for a materialist blowout, January is often a time for...
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For resolutions, is it better to add or subtract?
The New Year ritual of vowing to quit smoking, drinking or dessert is not for me....
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More of your crazy economics questions, answered
Last year, inspired by Randall Munroe’s delightful books What If? and What If? 2, I invited...