Facebook Thumbs Down

Can We Build a Better Facebook?

Is it time to turn our back on Facebook? And if so, what social network could possibly replace it?
Spam emails

Our Spam Emails, Ourselves

More money, more hair, less belly fat, better health: our spam emails expose our worries and weaknesses.
spam emails

Why Can’t We End Spam? Ask An Economist.

Law enforcement recently took out a bot network capable of sending 1.5 billion spam emails a day. So what are the economic incentives—and costs—of spam?
GMO pears

Are GM Crops Worth It?

GM crops have been controversial from the beginning. Proponents argue they are better commercially, but that analysis is coming into question.
First United States Labor Day Parade 1882, Union Square

A Labor Day Look at the Future of Work

If computers endanger the hard-won gains of the labor movement, do we need a new way of addressing tech-driven income inequality?
NYSE floor

Should We Set a Speed Limit on High-Speed Trading?

Can slower financial traders find a haven in a world of high-speed algorithms?
Illustration of Bretton Woods Hotel

Why Does the IMF Care if Britain Leaves the EU?

The IMF is warning against a "Brexit." But what's the history behind the organization that has such an influence in world financial affairs?
A women riding an exercise bikes at the gym.

Do Incentives Modify Behavior?

How financial incentives help--and don't help--people stick to their resolutions.
Cuisine des sorcières

What Caused the Salem Witch Trials?

Looking into the underlying causes of the Salem Witch Trials in the 17th century.
Still from MTV's Catfish depicting Nev Schulman and Max Joseph investigating

Gone (Cat)Fishing: How Language Detectives Tackle Online Anonymity

Linguistic clues might be the solution to identifying anonymous online users.