Episode 544: The M&M Anomaly
Quoctrung Bui/NPR
The other day we noticed something strange: a pack of Milk Chocolate M&M's weighs 1.69 ounces, but a pack of Peanut Butter M&M's weigh a tiny tiny bit less, 1.63 ounces. The two packs are same price, but you get slightly less of the Peanut Butter M&M's! 0.06 ounces less! It turns out there is a whole weird world living down there at the third decimal place. When you pull on that little thread, lots of things start to unravel.
After today's show, you will never pop a piece of candy in your mouth and think about it the same way again.
Music: Danny Elfman's "Wonka's First Shop" and 69 Boyz's "Tootsee Roll" Find us: Twitter/ Facebook/ Spotify. Download the Planet Money iPhone App.