Economics

Some wealthy people do more with their money than just buy more things. Some people set up foundations to provide aid to notable causes. Learn who's funding 10 of the largest foundations in the world.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Times have changed and so has the price of groceries. Gas was roughly 27 cents a gallon in 1957, so how much less did items cost at the grocery store? Check out this list of grocery store prices for 14 items in 1957, including ground beef, butter, and mil

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

The government's Alphabet Agencies were created during the Great Depression to relieve the economic tensions. Learn about these Alphabet Agencies, including the Civilian Conservation Corps and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation.

By the Editors of Publications International, Ltd.

Freegans live off the grid, refusing to buy, work or rent. How do they do it? Dumpster diving. Why do they do it? That's a little more complicated.

By Sarah Dowdey

The NASDAQ display in NYC's Times Square is impossible to miss. It's the largest continuous sign on the square and takes up almost 9,000 square feet of display space -- about a quarter of an acre.

By Marshall Brain

Find out what a NASDAQ IPO is and see cool videos from a recent HowStuffWorks trip to this Wall Street wonder.

By Marshall Brain

The NASDAQ stock exchange, also known simply as the NASDAQ, is the place where people go to buy and sell shares of stock. How does this bustling business center work?

By Marshall Brain

Millions of people trade billions of shares of stock every day on a collection of computer systems that are incredibly reliable and, very nearly, inerrant. Learn about the complex world of electronic trading.

By Marshall Brain

The opening cross is NASDAQ’s current technique for setting opening prices. Learn about NASDAQ's opening and closing cross.

By Marshall Brain

Proponents of a "fat tax" claim it would help combat obesity. Are they right, or would we still buy just as much junk food as before?

By Jacob Silverman

The Peace Corps provides foreign aid to developing nations in the form of expertise, education and training. Learn what the Peace Corps does, how you can join and where it might take you.

By Ed Grabianowski

They may seem "old school," but labor unions still play a large role in many professions. Learn about the history and current state of labor unions.

By Jacob Silverman

The BRICK Awards honor young people for public service work in the areas of community building, education and environment, health and global impact. Meet the 2007 winners.

A summer job changed not only 2007 BRICK Award winner Jennifer Staple's life, but also the lives of 400,000 people around the world. Her organization, Unite for Sight, is a global eye care provider.

A survivor of Liberia's civil war, 2007 BRICK Award Winner Kimmie Weeks vowed to help other children caught in war-torn countries.

What problem in the world really stinks? What can you do to change it? For many, the first question is easy to answer, but the second one is difficult. Learn how Do Something inspires and helps young people make a difference.

We hope you'll never need to know the ins-and-outs of getting out of jail. Bail allows people to leave jail and continue their lives while awaiting trial. How does the bail system work?

By Jacob Silverman

In a move that has shaken up online-gaming profiteers everywhere, eBay has decided to ban the sale of virtual assets in its marketplace. eBay says it is acting to protect its users and maintain the integrity of the marketplace. But is there a bigger

By Julia Layton

What causes gas prices to fluctuate? We know that an increase in oil prices causes an increase in gas prices, but what exactly causes gas prices to decline?

By Julia Layton

Have you ever gotten a chain e-mail that promised riches if you just sent $5 to everybody on the list? The person who began that e-mail is a con artist -- someone who lies, cheats and fool people into thinking they've happened onto a great deal. Learn about basic cons, how to avoid being conned and what to do if you're a victim.

By Ed Grabianowski

Copyrights are the one of the only forms of intellectual property that have historical basis in the Constitution. All other forms rely on common or statutory law for enforcement. Learn how they work.

By Thomas L. Peterson

A trademark is concerned with a company's need to identify its goods or services among its customers and potential customers. Trademarks, such as Nike or Coca Cola, are known throughout the world.

By Thomas L. Peterson

The phrase intellectual property (IP) refers to the bundle of legal rights that arise from the creative genius of the human mind. Intellectual property has become an issue as the digital music market expands. Learn how it works.

By Thomas L. Peterson

Money laundering is a crime that disguises where money came from - usually because its source was illegal. How can money start out dirty and wind up clean?

By Julia Layton & Oisin Curran

While the reasons behind strikes can be complex, they all boil down to two key elements: money and power. In this article, we'll explain labor unions' role in worker strikes, investigate U.S. labor laws and more.

By Ed Grabianowski