Learn the story behind Operation Bernhard, the Nazi plan to counterfeit British pounds and then drop them on the UK to cause economic chaos.
Operation Bernhard – The Nazi plot to carpet bomb Britain with fake pounds
Category: Society
Social structures are the means by which humans organise and cooperate, but inequality, poverty and environmental degradation suggest they might need a rethink.
What is a post scarcity society?
Inspired by 80’s sci-fi, Elon Musk envisions a world without work where AI acts like a magic Genie. But how do we get from now to this abundant future?
The Cantillon Effect & the privilege of proximity to the money spout
Discover the importance of the Cantillon Effect. Why being closest to the money spout is a source of inequality, and whether anything can fix it.
What is the Circular Economy & can we realistically achieve it?
The idea of a Circular Economy is increasingly promoted as the solution to our mounting environmental and social problems. But what does the term mean, and is it achievable?
The Litter Lotto – Should we offer rewards for picking up rubbish?
The premise of the Litter Lotto is as simple as it sounds. Pick up litter for the chance to win cash prizes. But should we need to incentivise people to clean up their mess?
What is the Tragedy of the Commons?
In 1968 Garrett Hardin coined the phrase, the Tragedy of the Commons. Almost half a century later, and we’re still fouling our own nest without a workable solution to avert tragedy.
Can you get paid to do nothing?
From Bullshit Jobs to Japan’s Rental-do-nothing-man we look at jobs that promise to pay you to do nothing. Can you get wealthy without lifting a finger?
The conspiracy that forced Fort Knox to open its vault
In 1974, the trust in the US Dollar was severely tested thanks to a bizarre conspiracy theory claiming that Fort Knox, the impregnable fortress storing much of America’s gold, was actually empty.
The illusion of diets, alternate medicine & anti-ageing creams
Much like gambling, the diet and beauty industry generally offers negative expected value, so what drives their continued growth, despite the absence of hard evidence that they deliver any tangible results?