528. Yuval Noah Harari Thinks Life is Meaningless and Amazing
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of People I (Mostly) Admire, Steve Levitt talks to the best-selling author o...
527. Can Adam Smith Fix Our Economy?
22 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Labor exploitation! Corporate profiteering! Government corruption! The 21st century can look a lot l...
526. Was Adam Smith Really a Right-Winger?
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Economists and politicians have turned him into a mascot for free-market ideology. Some on the left ...
Freakonomics Radio Needs Your Help
12 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A sneak peek at an upcoming series — and a call for would-be radio reporters.
525. In Search of the Real Adam Smith
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How did an affable 18th-century “moral philosopher” become the patron saint of cutthroat capital...
524. How Important Is Breastfeeding, Really?
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of Freakonomics, M.D., host Bapu Jena looks at a clever new study that could...
523. Did Michael Lewis Just Get Lucky with “Moneyball”?
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
No — but he does have a knack for stumbling into the perfect moment, including the recent FTX deba...
522. Is Google Getting Worse?
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It used to feel like magic. Now it can feel like a set of cheap tricks. Is the problem with Google —...
The Most Interesting Fruit in the World (Ep. 375 Update)
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The banana, once a luxury good, rose to become America’s favorite fruit. Now a deadly fungus threa...
521. I’m Your Biggest Fan!
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s fun to obsess over pop stars and racecar drivers — but is fandom making our politics even m...
The Unintended Consequences of Working from Home
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The last two years have radically changed the way we work — producing winners, losers, and a lot o...
519. Has Globalization Failed?
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It was supposed to boost prosperity and democracy at the same time. What really happened? According ...
518. Are Personal Finance Gurus Giving You Bad Advice?
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
One Yale economist certainly thinks so. But even if he’s right, are economists any better?
517. Are M.B.A.s to Blame for Wage Stagnation?
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
New research finds that bosses who went to business school pay their workers less. So what are M.B.A...
Please Get Your Noise Out of My Ears (Ep. 439 Update)
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The pandemic provided city dwellers with a break from the din of the modern world. Now the noise is ...
516. Nuclear Power Isn’t Perfect. Is It Good Enough?
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Liberals endorse harm reduction when it comes to the opioid epidemic. Are they ready to take the sam...
Extra: Ken Burns | People I (Mostly) Admire
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The documentary filmmaker, known for The Civil War, Jazz, and Baseball, turns his attention to the H...
515. When You Pray to God Online, Who Else Is Listening?
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The pandemic moved a lot of religious activity onto the internet. With faith-based apps, Silicon Val...
This Is Your Brain on Pollution (Ep. 472 Update)
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the Biden administration rushes to address climate change, Stephen Dubner looks at another, hidde...
514. Roland Fryer Refuses to Lie to Black America
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The controversial Harvard economist, recently back from a suspension, “broke a lot of glass early ...
513. Should Public Transit Be Free?
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It’s good for the environment. So why do we ch...
Why Is U.S. Media So Negative? (Ep. 477 Replay)
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Breaking news! Sources say American journalism exploits our negativity bias to maximize profits, and...
The Pros and Cons of America’s (Extreme) Individualism (Ep. 470 Replay)
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
According to a decades-long research project, the U.S. is not only the most individualistic country ...
The U.S. Is Just Different — So Let’s Stop Pretending We’re Not (Ep. 469 Replay)
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We often look to other countries for smart policies on education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. B...
512. Does Philosophy Still Matter?
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It used to be at the center of our conversations about politics and society. Scott Hershovitz (autho...
511. Why Did You Marry That Person?
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, you were “in love.” But economists — using evidence from Bridgerton to Tinder — point ...
The Economist’s Guide to Parenting: 10 Years Later (Ep. 479 Replay)
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In one of the earliest Freakonomics Radio episodes, we asked a bunch of economists with young kids h...
510. What Problems Does Crypto Solve, Anyway?
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Boosters say blockchain technology will usher in a brave new era of decentralization. Are they right...
509. Are N.F.T.s All Scams?
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Some of them are. With others, it’s more complicated (and more promising). We try to get past the ...
508. Does the Crypto Crash Mean the Blockchain Is Over?
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
No. But now is a good time to sort out the potential from the hype. Whether you’re bullish, bearis...
507. 103 Pieces of Advice That May or May Not Work
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kevin Kelly calls himself “the most optimistic person in the world.” And he has a lot to say abo...
506. What Is Sportswashing (and Does It Work)?
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In ancient Rome, it was bread and circuses. Today, it’s a World Cup, an Olympics, and a new Saudi-...
505. Did Domestic Violence Really Spike During the Pandemic?
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When the world went into lockdown, experts predicted a rise in intimate-partner assaults. What actua...
504. Introducing “Off Leash”
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this new podcast from the Freakonomics Radio Network, dog-cognition expert and bestselling author...
503. What Is the Future of College — and Does It Have Room for Men?
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Educators and economists tell us all the reasons college enrollment has been dropping, especially fo...
Abortion and Crime, Revisited (Ep. 384 Update)
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the Supreme Court considers overturning Roe v. Wade, we look back at Steve Levitt’s controversi...
502. “I Don’t Think the Country Is Turning Away From College.”
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Enrollment is down for the first time in memory, and critics complain college is too expensive, too ...
501. The University of Impossible-to-Get-Into
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
America’s top colleges are facing record demand. So why don’t they increase supply? (Part 2 of “...
500. What Exactly Is College For?
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We think of them as intellectual enclaves and the surest route to a better life. But U.S. colleges a...
Is the U.S. Really Less Corrupt Than China — and How About Russia? (Ep. 481 Update)
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The political scientist Yuen Yuen Ang argues that different forms of government create different sty...
499. Don't Worry, Be Tacky
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The British art superstar Flora Yukhnovich, the Freakonomist Steve Levitt, and the upstart American ...
498. In the 1890s, the Best-Selling Car Was … Electric
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After a huge false start, electric cars are finally about to flourish. We speak with a technology hi...
497. Can the Big Bad Wolf Save Your Life?
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Every year, there are more than a million collisions in the U.S. between drivers and deer. The resul...
How to Change Your Mind (Ep. 379 Update)
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There are a lot of barriers to changing your mind: ego, overconfidence, inertia — and cost. Politi...
Do Unions Still Work?
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Organized labor hasn’t had this much public support in 50 years, and yet the percentage of America...
Why Are There So Many Bad Bosses?
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
People who are good at their jobs routinely get promoted into bigger jobs they’re bad at. We expla...
494. Why Do Most Ideas Fail to Scale?
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In a new book called The Voltage Effect, the economist John List — who has already revolutionized ...
Why Does the Richest Country in the World Have So Many Poor Kids? (Ep. 475 Update)
17 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Among O.E.C.D. nations, the U.S. has one of the highest rates of child poverty. Until recently, it l...
493. Why Does the Most Monotonous Job in the World Pay $1 Million?
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adam Smith famously argued that specialization is the key to prosperity. In the N.F.L., the long sna...
Are You Ready for a Fresh Start? (Ep. 455 Replay)
03 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Behavioral scientists have been exploring if — and when — a psychological reset can lead to last...
492. How Did a Hayfield Become One of America’s Hottest Cities?
27 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Frisco used to be just another sleepy bedroom community outside of Dallas. Now it’s got corporate ...
491. Why Is Everyone Moving to Dallas?
20 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Stephen Dubner learned that Dallas–Fort Worth will soon overtake Chicago as the third-biggest...
490. What Do Broken-Hearted Knitters, Urinating Goalkeepers, and the C.I.A. Have in Common?
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Curses and other superstitions may have no basis in reality, but that doesn’t stop us from believi...
489. Is “Toxic Positivity” a Thing?
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of No Stupid Questions, Stephen Dubner and Angela Duckworth discuss the co...
488. Does Death Have to Be a Death Sentence?
30 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of People I (Mostly) Admire, Steve Levitt speaks with the palliative physici...
487. Is It Okay to Have a Party Yet?
23 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of Freakonomics, M.D., host Bapu Jena looks at data from birthday parties, M...
486. “The Art Market Is in Massive Disruption.”
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is art really meant to be an “asset class”? Will the digital revolution finally democratize a ma...
485. “I’ve Been Working My Ass Off for You to Make that Profit?”
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The more successful an artist is, the more likely their work will later be resold at auction for a h...
484. “A Fascinating, Sexy, Intellectually Compelling, Unregulated Global Market.”
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The art market is so opaque and illiquid that it barely functions like a market at all. A handful of...
How Do You Cure a Compassion Crisis? (Ep. 444 Replay)
25 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Patients in the U.S. healthcare system often feel they’re treated with a lack of empathy. Doctors ...
483. What’s Wrong With Shortcuts?
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You know the saying: “There are no shortcuts in life.” What if that saying is just wrong? In his...
482. Is Venture Capital the Secret Sauce of the American Economy?
11 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. is home to seven of the world’s 10 biggest companies. How did that happen? The answer may...
481. Is the U.S. Really Less Corrupt Than China?
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A new book by an unorthodox political scientist argues that the two rivals have more in common than ...
480. How Much Does Discrimination Hurt the Economy?
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Evidence from Nazi Germany and 1940’s America (and pretty much everywhere else) shows that discrim...
479. The Economist’s Guide to Parenting: 10 Years Later
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In one of the earliest Freakonomics Radio episodes (No. 39!), we asked a bunch of economists with ...
478. How Can We Break Our Addiction to Contempt?
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Arthur Brooks is an economist who for 10 years ran the American Enterprise Institute, one of the mos...
477. Why Is U.S. Media So Negative?
07 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Breaking news! Sources say American journalism exploits our negativity bias to maximize profits, and...
That’s a Great Question! (Ep. 192 Rebroadcast)
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Verbal tic or strategic rejoinder? Whatever the case: it’s rare to come across an interview these ...
“This Didn't End the Way It’s Supposed to End.” (Bonus)
27 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The N.B.A. superstar Chris Bosh was still competing at the highest level when a blood clot abruptly ...
476. What Are the Police for, Anyway?
23 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. is an outlier when it comes to policing, as evidenced by more than 1,000 fatal shootings by...
475. Why Does the Richest Country in the World Have So Many Poor Kids?
16 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Among O.E.C.D. nations, the U.S. has one of the highest rates of child poverty. How can that be? To ...
474. All You Need Is Nudge
09 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When Richard Thaler published Nudge in 2008 (with co-author Cass Sunstein), the world was just start...
Is There Really a “Loneliness Epidemic”? (Ep. 407 Rebroadcast)
02 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
That’s what some health officials are saying, but the data aren’t so clear. We look into what’...
473. These Jobs Were Not Posted on ZipRecruiter
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In a conversation fresh from the Freakonomics Radio Network’s podcast laboratory, Michèle Flourno...
Reasons to Be Cheerful (Ep. 417 Rebroadcast)
19 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Humans have a built-in “negativity bias,” which means we give bad news much more power than good...
472. This Is Your Brain on Pollution
12 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Air pollution is estimated to cause 7 million deaths a year and cost the global economy nearly $3 tr...
471. Mayor Pete and Elaine Chao Hit the Road
05 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While other countries seem to build spectacular bridges, dams, and even entire cities with ease, the...
Two (Totally Opposite) Ways to Save the Planet (Rebroadcast)
29 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The environmentalists say we’re doomed if we don’t drastically reduce consumption. The technolog...
470. The Pros and Cons of America’s (Extreme) Individualism
22 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
According to a decades-long research project, the U.S. is not only the most individualistic country ...
469. The U.S. Is Just Different — So Let’s Stop Pretending We’re Not
15 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
We often look to other countries for smart policies on education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. B...
468. Nap Time for Everyone!
08 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The benefits of sleep are by now well established, and yet many people don’t get enough. A new stu...
How Stupid Is Our Obsession With Lawns? (Ep. 289 Rebroadcast)
01 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Nearly two percent of America is grassy green. Sure, lawns are beautiful and useful and they smell g...
467. Is the Future of Farming in the Ocean?
24 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bren Smith, who grew up fishing and fighting, is now part of a movement that seeks to feed the plane...
466. She’s From the Government, and She’s Here to Help
17 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Cecilia Rouse, the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, is as cold-blooded as any ...
465. Introducing a New “Freakonomics of Medicine” Podcast
10 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Bapu Jena was already a double threat: a doctor who’s also an economist. Now he’s a podcast host...
464. Will Work-from-Home Work Forever?
03 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The pandemic may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean we’ll return to full-time commuting and ...
463. How to Get Anyone to Do Anything
27 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The social psychologist Robert Cialdini is a pioneer in the science of persuasion. His 1984 book Inf...
These Shoes Are Killing Me! (Ep. 296 Rebroadcast)
20 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The human foot is an evolutionary masterpiece, far more functional than we give it credit for. So wh...
462. The Future of New York City Is in Question. Could Andrew Yang Be the Answer?
13 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The man who wants America to “think harder” has parlayed his quixotic presidential campaign into...
461. How to Stop Worrying and Love the Robot Apocalypse
06 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It’s true that robots (and other smart technologies) will kill many jobs. It may also be true that...
460. The True Story of the Minimum-Wage Fight
29 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Backers of a $15 federal wage say it’s a no-brainer if you want to fight poverty. Critics say it’...
459. Let’s Be Blunt: Marijuana Is a Boon for Older Workers
22 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The state-by-state rollout of legalized weed has given economists a perfect natural experiment to me...
458. How to Manage Your Goal Hierarchy
15 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this special crossover episode, People I (Mostly) Admire host Steve Levitt admits to No Stupid Qu...
457. Is Dialysis a Test Case of Medicare for All?
08 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Kidney failure is such a catastrophic (and expensive) disease that Medicare covers treatment for any...
456. How to Fix the Hot Mess of U.S. Healthcare
01 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Medicine has evolved from a calling into an industry, adept at dispensing procedures and pills (and ...
Policymaking Is Not a Science (Yet) (Ep. 405 Rebroadcast)
25 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Why do so many promising solutions — in education, medicine, criminal justice, etc. — fail to sc...
How Does New York City Keep Reinventing Itself? (Bonus)
21 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In a word: networks. Once it embraced information as its main currency, New York was able to climb o...
455. Are You Ready for a Fresh Start?
18 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Behavioral scientists have been exploring if — and when — a psychological reset can lead to last...
454. Should Traffic Lights Be Abolished?
11 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Americans are so accustomed to the standard intersection that we rarely consider how dangerous it ca...
453. A Rescue Plan for Black America
04 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
New York Times columnist Charles Blow argues that white supremacy in America will never fully recede...