HumanProgress.org

Built World

Published the analysis triggering this story update

For most of human history, nightfall meant the end of productive labor. The industrial revolution and the electric lightbulb reversed that arrangement, turning overnight factory shifts into a pillar of modern manufacturing. But a quieter reversal has been underway for decades. Labor regulations, mounting health evidence, and machines that can run in the dark without human hands are steadily reducing the share of workers toiling at night.

Updated May 30

Money Moves

Primary publisher of time-price analyses

For decades, economists have argued over whether life is getting more affordable. A new analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2000 to 2025 shows that while the Consumer Price Index rose 92.6%, average hourly wages climbed 131.1%.

Updated May 23