In 1996, Pepsi ran a promotion that jokingly suggested entrants could win a military aircraft. One man took it very seriously.

Wage theft is one of the most prevalent crimes in the United States, affecting millions of low-wage workers. Yet, it goes largely unreported.

A visual explainer of how secondhand vehicles became the latest victim of supply chain woes.

A visual explainer of the numbers behind America’s ubiquitous bargain-basement chains.

A growing number of companies are offering design tweaks for old Ikea furniture — and business is booming.

An illustrated explainer of the factors driving up the market.

Cryptocurrency investors are beginning to think about the afterlife of their digital assets — and a burgeoning industry awaits them.

How an unassuming young supertaster nearly pulled off the biggest wine fraud in US history.

Today’s films are brimming with products from big-name brands. How exactly do these partnerships work?

The famed TV artist was one of history’s most prolific painters. But you’re not likely to find his work on the open market.

Bette Nesmith Graham invented one of the most popular office supplies of the 20th century. Today, she’s largely been forgotten.

In the 1990s, a group of elderly women from Beardstown, Illinois gained national fame for their stock returns. But there was a catch.

Nearly 1.5m companies are incorporated in Delaware. How did this tiny state become a mecca for corporate activity?

How an Australian college student turned ~$4k into a fortune by speculating on the blockchain boom.

A little-known firm is quietly powering the direct-to-consumer efforts of some of the world’s biggest brands.

Boat sales hit a 13-year high in 2020, thanks to younger first-time buyers.

Special purpose acquisition companies — or “blank check companies” — are suddenly all the rage on Wall Street. What’s the deal?

What exactly is an NFT? What makes them so valuable? And what might the future hold for these digital assets?

Subway’s famous promotion made the sandwich franchise billions — but the deal wasn’t as sweet for individual shop owners.

After Janette Fennell was kidnapped and locked in a car trunk, she fought her way to Washington to make vehicles safer.

An illustrated guide to bitcoin mining, blockchains, and the “minting” process of cryptocurrency’s most popular coin.

An illustrated guide to short selling, short squeezes, and the future of contrarian investing.

Certain specimens of the endangered Asian arowana have fetched up to $300k at auction. How did a fish become a status symbol?

Jason Goldberg’s ecommerce company, Fab.com, was once valued at $1B. Three years later, it was one of the biggest startup flops in history.

A roundup of our readers’ favorite longform features this year — and a few that didn’t make the cut.

In America, Christmas trees are a multibillion-dollar business. But who’s making the money?

In America, Christmas trees are a multibillion-dollar business. But who’s making the money?

How the son of Italian immigrants created a niche industry for ice resurfacing machines and cornered the market.

The child of freed slaves, Garrett Morgan invented early iterations of the gas mask and traffic light. Today, his contributions have been largely overlooked.

Some of our earliest lessons about economics happen in the schoolyard. We asked our readers to share their best childhood bartering victories.