Religion matters, in life and death

Sascha O. Becker, Erik Hornung, Ludger Woessmann, 9 May 2010Did education play a role in economic development during the Industrial Revolution? This column discusses new evidence from Prussia showing that formal education was critical to technology adoption in the first and second phase of the Industrial Revolution during the 19th century. Full Article: Education helped Prussia catch up in the Industrial Revolution

Do you know where your mutual fund manager went to college? As it turns out, it may make a difference. But not for the reasons you would initially think. Research out of the University of Georgia and Southern Methodist University traces the connection between religion and risk taking in mutual funds.

Tabea Bucher-Koenen, Annamaria Lusardi, 19 November 2011We live in finance times – but how many people understand them? This is especially problematic when it comes to people’s own finances. This column presents findings from a study in Germany that does not make for comfortable reading. Full Article: Financial illiteracy: New evidence from Germany

It is impossible to calculate the wealth of the Roman Catholic Church. In truth, the church itself likely could not answer that question, even if it wished to. Its investments and spending are kept secret. Its real estate and art have not been properly evaluated, since the church would never sell them. There is no doubt, however, that between the church’s priceless art, land, gold and investments across the globe, it is one of the wealthiest institutions on Earth.

In the recent years major economist have been searching for the answer, whether the high levels of public debt are jeopardising economic growth. However despite it seemed all cleared up, it turned out that results and conclusions have been misinterpreted.    

How do high gasoline prices affect the pace of job layoffs in the United States? We now have the ability to answer this question thanks to a recent break in the trend for seasonally-adjusted initial unemployment insurance claim filed each week in the United States.

The Standard Chartered Bank in London recently released an interesting study called "

Ran Abramitzky, Leah Boustan, Katherine Eriksson, 18 February 2010The Age of Mass Migration (1850-1913) was one of the largest migration episodes in history. Unlike today, during this era the US maintained an open border.