Planet Money
Hosted by Alexi Horowitz-Ghazi, Amanda Aronczyk, Erika de la Vega, Jeff Guo, Kenny Malone, Mary Childs, Nick Fountain & Sarah Rodriguez · 18 decoded episodes · newest Oct 7, 2026
Wanna see a trick? Give us any topic and we can tie it back to the economy. At <em>Planet Money</em>, we explore the forces that shape our lives and bring you along for the ride. Don't just understand the economy – understand the world.<br><br><em> Support public media by joining NPR+ at </em><a href="http://plus.npr.org/"target="_blank" ><em>plus.npr.org</em></a><em>. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including bonus episodes and sponsor-free listening for Planet Money.</em>
Episodes 18
- Aug 28, 2026 · 34 minUniversities turn tomatoes into branded agricultural betsProduce branding can raise value for growers and researchers, but a crowded market may leave consumers with too many premium choices.
- Aug 26, 2026 · 41 minAntarctica’s shared wealth tests global cooperationThe episode asks whether valuing Antarctica’s environmental services can strengthen the fragile cooperation protecting a resource no country owns.
- Aug 21, 2026 · 38 minRetail buyers turn a board game into a high-stakes betThe episode shows how shelf space, pricing, brand recognition, and manufacturing constraints determine whether a product reaches mass retail.
- Aug 19, 2026 · 40 minSouth Korea’s development model moves from textiles to semiconductorsThe episode tests whether South Korea’s export-led industrial strategy offers useful lessons for manufacturing policy, while contrasting it with North Korea’s constrained entrepreneurship.
- Aug 14, 2026 · 39 minLife insurance becomes a bet on when people dieLife settlements can give policyholders needed financial flexibility while turning their expected deaths into investment returns, exposing the moral costs of financial innovation.
- Aug 12, 2026 · 39 minArgentina’s inflation economy turns uncertainty into daily survivalArgentina shows how unstable money reshapes household decisions, business planning, government policy, and the debate over whether flexibility is worth the cost.