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I've Always Wondered ...

If you’re like us, you’ve got a lot of questions about the small, simple, ubiquitous things in the world of business. Let's find the answers.
What have you always wondered about the economy?

Green peppers are cheaper than their more colorful comrades. Here's why.
I've Always Wondered ...
Green peppers are cheaper than their more colorful comrades. Here's why.
Why do we no longer use $1,000 bills?
I've Always Wondered ...
Why do we no longer use $1,000 bills?
What do CEOs do all day long to deserve their pay?
I've Always Wondered ...
What do CEOs do all day long to deserve their pay?
How much money is there in the world?
I've Always Wondered ...
How much money is there in the world?

From This Collection

I've Always Wondered ...

What you should know when you’re buying olive oil

by Janet Nguyen
Dec 8, 2023
There are different varieties of the kitchen staple, so olive oil experts joined us to break down the basics.
Extra virgin olive oil is supposed to taste fruity, pungent and bitter, food writer Nancy Harmon Jenkins told us.
ValentynVolkov/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why are perfume commercials so weird? 

by Janet Nguyen
Dec 1, 2023
They’re often surreal or provocative. Occasionally kinda now, kinda wow.
Perfume sells you a fantasy.
Miguel Medina/AFP via Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why does oat milk cost more than dairy milk? 

by Janet Nguyen
Nov 17, 2023
Some brands of non-dairy milk are half the price of regular milk.
Is it a simple case of "the yuppie premium," or something more complex?
Scott Olson/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

What happens to Social Security benefits in a debt default or a government shutdown? 

by Janet Nguyen
Nov 10, 2023
A shutdown is looming, though beneficiaries don’t have to worry. But they would if default was on the table.
Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Can human market investors beat the algorithms?

by Janet Nguyen
Nov 3, 2023
Algorithms are good at disguising their behavior.
Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Who pays to maintain old graves at a cemetery?

by Janet Nguyen
Oct 27, 2023
If you want to learn the history of your community, cemeteries are a good place to start.
Green-Wood Cemetery in New York, which was founded in 1838, is a National Historic Landmark.
Maike Schulz
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I've Always Wondered ...

If money doesn't grow on trees, then why do banks have "branches”?

by Janet Nguyen
Oct 20, 2023
The concept actually has a long and contentious history.
ATMs at a Bank of America branch in San Francisco. There weren't always large networks of convenient locations.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

Why are we hearing so much about AI all of a sudden?

by Janet Nguyen
Oct 13, 2023
Experts say that big companies often observe or invest in innovations years before they become widely known. 
Marco Bertorello/AFP via Getty Images
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I've Always Wondered ...

What are the origins of rebates? 

by Janet Nguyen
Oct 6, 2023
The term goes back centuries, and became a major source of controversy in the late 19th century.
iStock
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I've Always Wondered ...

Should the U.S. be worried about deflation? 

by Janet Nguyen
Sep 29, 2023
As price gains cool down, we consider the risk that the trend will go too far. Plus, is consumer sentiment a trustworthy indicator of economic activity?
Price gains have been on the decline after a bout of decades-high inflation that started during the pandemic. It's a welcome change for consumers, but deflation is another threat to the economy.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
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