On this episode of The Cost of Everything, we take a closer look at the wine industry, the emerging wine markets, and the true costs for producers compared to the price tag at the wine store. Host Christy Ai spoke with wine award winner Carmen Stevens from Carmen Stevens Wines about the procedures for producing excellent quality wine, especially in South Africa, how politics and sanctions play a role in the import and export of wine, and how countries like China, which traditionally have not consumed wine, have become big wine importers.

On this episode of The Cost of Everything, we take a closer look at the cost of heatwaves across the globe. Host Christy Ai discusses with ProChain Capital CEO David Tawil the pros and cons of heatwaves, as they can cause increased wildfires, droughts, and even affect the mood and productivity of citizens. But on the other hand, heatwaves can be beneficial for countries with extremely cold temperatures, improving agricultural productivity.

On this episode of The Cost of Everything, we take a closer look at the advancement of AI chatbot technology. How much of a threat are chatbots to the labor market and the jobs of millions of blue as well as white collar workers? Will shrinking prospects in some fields open up new fields for human labor, or should chatbots be seen as an existential threat to job security? Host Christy AI is joined by tech expert Chris Garaffa to analyze the winners and losers of AI chatbots.

On this episode of The Cost of Everything, we take a closer look at the weight loss market globally. People in the West view weight loss different compared to Asian and African countries. Host Christy Ai spoke to Dr. Kelli Rugless about the costs and dangers of obesity and what countries suffer the most. Journalist Patience Wirngo from Cameroon joins the show to discuss what the costliest challenges of obese people in Africa are and how weight loss is perceived in her country.

On this episode of The Cost of Everything we take a closer look at the opium market and how its production ban in certain countries has prompted a dangerous synthetic illegal market. Host Christy Ai speaks with Professor Zaher Wahab to explore what happened to the opium industry in Afghanistan after a cultivation ban took effect, and how it has affected the local farmers' income, how dependent Big Pharma is on the poppy plant, and how other Asian countries have tried to supply the market. Plus, we take a look at the growing illegal trade of opium in Central Asia.