An Update: China’s One, Two, Three Child Policy

About much more than babies, China’s shrinking birth rate reflects a slew of trade offs that created some problematic externalities.

Where Has the Middle Class Gone?

Whether looking at the past 50 years in the United States or at the recent global impact of the pandemic, we see a shrinking middle class.

When the Price of Ice is a Problem

In West Africa, a road not yet built, sky high fuel prices, and the growing length of a fishing trip pushed up the price of ice. Today, we start with a small fishing boat and conclude with the world. The…

What Happens When You Have No Cash?

When its larger denomination bills suddenly became worthless in 2016, India’s demonetization became a case study about the role of money.

How Our Pets Can Be Economic Indicators

A TV ad with a Chihuahua named Q00-chan caused a surge in small dog popularty in Japan after 2002: However, according to The Economist, with toy poodles #1 and chihuahuas #2, the bigger reason tiny dogs are popular in Japan…

How To Boost Chocolate Consumption

As a global confectionery company, Mars knows that from one country to another, chocolate eaters have very different tastes.

The Many Sides of African Food Insecurity

In a new paper, the IMF describes the prevalence of sub-Saharan food insecurity, its causes, and what needs to be targeted to diminish it.

How Have Our Chickens Changed?

With the world’s population growing and what we eat changing, we need to continue boosting our agricultural productivity.

What the OX Adds to Rwanda’s Cold Chain

Much more than an ice box, a refrigerator is a link in the cold chain that countries like Rwanda want to join.

Are We Near Peak Population?

While we know that soon the world will have eight billion people, the debate continues about when we will reach peak population.