Make Me Smart

What’s a digital dollar?

Listen Later

You’ve heard about bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, but how are they different from a digital dollar? On this Whaddya Wanna Know Wednesday, we’ll discuss the benefits and drawbacks of a digital dollar as the Federal Reserve ponders making its own digital currency. Plus, we’ll explain the economics behind robocalls and vaccine mandates. And we get an email from a listener and her cats who want to know what’s up with pet food shortages.

Here’s everything we talked about today:

  • “What exactly is a digital dollar, and how would it work?” from Popular Science
  • “China’s digital yuan is a warning to the world” from Wired
  • “Tired of robocalls? The FCC is stillllll trying to stop them” from “Marketplace Tech”
  • “THE ANNOYANCE ENGINE: Spam robocalls became profitable scams by exploiting the phone system, but you can stop them” from Business Insider
  • “Fact check: Workers fired for refusing a vaccine are unlikely to qualify for unemployment” from USA Today
  • “Half of unvaccinated workers say they’d rather quit than get a shot – but real-world data suggest few are following through” from The Conversation
  • The Pet Food Institute on the pet food supply challenges 

    • Read the transcript here.

    Our show needs your voice! Tell us what you think of the show or ask a question for our hosts to answer! Send a voice memo or give us a call at 508-82-SMART (508-827-6278).

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    Make Me SmartBy Marketplace
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6

    4.6

    5,432 ratings

    More shows like Make Me Smart

    View all
    Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

    Freakonomics Radio

    32,100 Listeners

    Planet Money by NPR

    Planet Money

    30,666 Listeners

    The NPR Politics Podcast by NPR

    The NPR Politics Podcast

    25,797 Listeners

    Marketplace by Marketplace

    Marketplace

    8,776 Listeners

    Marketplace Morning Report by Marketplace

    Marketplace Morning Report

    934 Listeners

    Marketplace All-in-One by Marketplace

    Marketplace All-in-One

    1,388 Listeners

    Marketplace Tech by Marketplace

    Marketplace Tech

    1,289 Listeners

    The Uncertain Hour by Marketplace

    The Uncertain Hour

    2,175 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    111,948 Listeners

    Up First from NPR by NPR

    Up First from NPR

    56,508 Listeners

    The Indicator from Planet Money by NPR

    The Indicator from Planet Money

    9,532 Listeners

    Today, Explained by Vox

    Today, Explained

    10,282 Listeners

    This Is Uncomfortable by Marketplace

    This Is Uncomfortable

    3,614 Listeners

    Short Wave by NPR

    Short Wave

    6,564 Listeners

    Consider This from NPR by NPR

    Consider This from NPR

    6,381 Listeners

    Marketplace Minute by Marketplace

    Marketplace Minute

    163 Listeners

    Million Bazillion by Marketplace

    Million Bazillion

    3,000 Listeners

    How We Survive by Marketplace

    How We Survive

    1,395 Listeners

    Financially Inclined by Marketplace

    Financially Inclined

    90 Listeners

    The Economics of Everyday Things by Freakonomics Network & Zachary Crockett

    The Economics of Everyday Things

    1,637 Listeners