Our lighting history shows how artificial illumination used to be too costly to use and now is so cheap that we ignore it.…
The Development Debate About Chickens
When Bill Gates expressed his foundation’s support for giving chickens to people in extreme poverty, he ignited a debate about development programs.…
Throwback Thursday: Remembering When We Were More Productive
On this #TBT, we can look back at the golden age of productivity growth to see when and how our standard of living improved.…
Celebrating Economic Independence
Looking at Hamilton economics through his development plan and now, we can see so very clearly why he can be called the father of our economy.…
Enlightening Measures of China’s Growth
Economists can use nighttime lights from NASA’s satellite images of the earth to decide if China’s economic growth statistics are accurate.…
How Affluence Relates to Pollution
China’s first three five-year plans had no mention of the environment. Then in plans five through nine, there was more. And now, looking at plans 11 to 13, we would see that 5% of all words rela…
What the New Chinese Consumer is Buying
Buying more yogurt, movie tickets and premium products instead of instant noodles, the consumer is a new focus for China’s statisticians.…
Really Understanding the World
Seeing the world develop through bubble animation from Hans Rosling makes health and income statistics mesmerizingly enjoyable.…
Why China Will Make a Better Ballpoint Pen
Until Chinese innovation produces better ballpoint pens, the tips for billions of exports will have to be imported from Germany, Switzerland and Japan.…
Where Phones Pump Money
Kenya’s economic development has been fueled by a mobile banking system that makes it easy to save, send and spend money with a cell phone.…