Welcome to our blog

Thank Fathom it’s Friday

A sideways look at economics

More than just a group chat

16 January 2026|

Last December I was debating with some friends who among us swore the most. Naturally, no one accepted any of the accusations thrown their way and the conversation reached no consensus. As a Fathom economist and a data nerd, this got me thinking: there must be a way to answer this question empirically. That’s when I realised that I actually do have a treasure trove of untapped data that I could use to answer this question: our WhatsApp group chat.

Listen to our podcast

Fathom: In Conversation is our economics podcast.

Fathom’s ten-part podcast series, The rise of China, is essential listening for anyone who wants to understand more about the Middle Kingdom. Each short episode features conversations with Fathom’s economists who share unique insights from their research to tell a well-rounded story of China’s past, present and potential future.