Here’s Why All Your Projects Are Always Late — and What to Do About It (Rebroadcast)
23 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Whether it’s a giant infrastructure plan or a humble kitchen renovation, it’ll inevitably take w...
378. 23andMe (and You, and Everyone Else)
16 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The revolution in home DNA testing is giving consumers important, possibly life-changing information...
377. The $1.5 Trillion Question-How to fix student loan debt?
09 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As the cost of college skyrocketed, it created a debt burden that’s putting a drag on the economy....
376. The Data-Driven Guide to Sane Parenting
02 May 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Humans have been having kids forever, so why are modern parents so bewildered? The economist Emily O...
The Invisible Paw (Rebroadcast)
25 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Humans, it has long been thought, are the only animal to engage in economic activity. But what if we...
375. The Most Interesting Fruit in the World
18 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The banana used to be a luxury good. Now it’s the most popular fruit in the U.S. and elsewhere. Bu...
374. How Spotify Saved the Music Industry (But Not Necessarily Musicians)
11 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Daniel Ek, a 23-year-old Swede who grew up on pirated music, made the record labels an offer they co...
373. Why Rent Control Doesn’t Work
04 Apr 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As cities become ever-more expensive, politicians and housing advocates keep calling for rent contro...
372. Freakonomics Radio Live: “Would You Eat a Piece of Chocolate Shaped Like Dog Poop?”
28 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
What your disgust level says about your politics, how Napoleon influenced opera, why New York City’...
Why You Shouldn’t Open a Restaurant (Update)
21 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Kenji Lopez-Alt became a rock star of the food world by bringing science into the kitchen in a way t...
371. A Free-Trade Democrat in the Trump White House
14 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For years, Gary Cohn thought he’d be the next C.E.O. of Goldman Sachs. Instead, he became the “a...
370. How to Fail Like a Pro
07 Mar 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The road to success is paved with failure, so you might as well learn to do it right. (Ep. 5 of the ...
369. A Good Idea Is Not Good Enough
28 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you’re building a business or a cathedral, execution is everything. We ask artists, scient...
368. Where Do Good Ideas Come From?
21 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Whether you’re mapping the universe, hosting a late-night talk show, or running a meeting, there a...
367. The Future of Meat
14 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Global demand for beef, chicken, and pork continues to rise. So do concerns about environmental and ...
366. This Economist Predicted the Last Crisis. What’s the Next One?
07 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In 2005, Raghuram Rajan said the financial system was at risk “of a catastrophic meltdown.” Afte...
Extra: Domonique Foxworth Full Interview
02 Feb 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Dubner’s conversation with the former N.F.L. player, union official, and all-around sports...
365. Not Just Another Labor Force
31 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
If you think talent and hard work give top athletes all the leverage to succeed, think again. As emp...
Extra: Mark Cuban Full Interview
26 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation with the Shark Tank star, entrepreneur, and Dallas Mavericks owner recorded for the F...
364. Inside the Sports-Industrial Complex
24 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
For most of us, the athletes are what make sports interesting. But if you own the team or run the le...
Extra: Mark Teixeira Full Interview
19 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation with former Major League Baseball player and current ESPN analyst Mark Teixeira, reco...
363. Think Like a Winner
17 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Great athletes aren’t just great at the physical stuff. They’ve also learned how to handle press...
Hacking the World Bank (Update)
12 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Jim Yong Kim has an unorthodox background for a World Bank president — and his reign has been just...
362. Why Is This Man Running for President?
10 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In the American Dream sweepstakes, Andrew Yang was a pretty big winner. But for every winner, he cam...
How to Be Happy (Rebroadcast)
03 Jan 2019
Contributed by Lukas
The U.N.’s World Happiness Report — created to curtail our unhealthy obsession with G.D.P. — i...
How to Win Games and Beat People (Rebroadcast)
27 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Games are as old as civilization itself, and some people think they have huge social value regardles...
People Aren’t Dumb. The World Is Hard. (Rebroadcast)
20 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You wouldn’t think you could win a Nobel Prize for showing that humans tend to make irrational dec...
Freakonomics Radio Live: “Where Does Fear Live in the Brain?”
15 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Our co-host is comedian Christian Finnegan, and we learn: the difference between danger and fear; th...
Freakonomics Radio Live: “We Thought of a Way to Manipulate Your Perception of Time.”
15 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We learn how to be less impatient, how to tell fake news from real, and the simple trick that nurses...
Freakonomics Radio Live: “The World’s a Mess. But Oysters, They Hold it Down.”
15 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli joins us to co-host an evening of delicious fact-finding: where a ...
361. Freakonomics Radio Live: “Jesus Could Have Been a Pigeon.”
13 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Our co-host is Grit author Angela Duckworth, and we learn fascinating, Freakonomical facts from a pa...
360. Is the Protestant Work Ethic Real?
06 Dec 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In the early 20th century, Max Weber argued that Protestantism created wealth. Finally, there are da...
359. Should America Be Run by … Trader Joe’s?
29 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The quirky little grocery chain with California roots and German ownership has a lot to teach all of...
There’s a War on Sugar. Is It Justified? (Rebroadcast)
22 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Some people argue that sugar should be regulated, like alcohol and tobacco, on the grounds that it’...
358. Yes, the Open Office Is Terrible — But It Doesn’t Have to Be
15 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It began as a post-war dream for a more collaborative and egalitarian workplace. It has evolved into...
357. Can an Industrial Giant Become a Tech Darling?
08 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The Ford Motor Company is ditching its legacy sedans, doubling down on trucks, and trying to steer i...
356. America’s Hidden Duopoly
01 Nov 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We all know our political system is “broken” — but what if that’s not true? Some say the Rep...
Extra: Elvis Costello Full Interview
27 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation with the iconic singer-songwriter, recorded for the Freakonomics Radio series “How ...
355. Where Does Creativity Come From (and Why Do Schools Kill It Off)?
25 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Family environments and “diversifying experiences” (including the early death of a parent); intr...
Extra: Jeremy Lin Full Interview
20 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation with veteran NBA point guard Jeremy Lin, recorded for the Freakonomics Radio series “...
354. How to Be Creative
18 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
There are thousands of books on the subject, but what do we actually know about creativity? In this ...
353. How to Optimize Your Apology
11 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You said, “I’m sorry,” but somehow you haven’t been forgiven. Why? Because you’re doing it...
352. Can This Man Stop a Trade War?
04 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The World Trade Organization is the referee for 164 trading partners, each with their own political ...
Extra: Shawn Johnson Full Interview
01 Oct 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A conversation with 2008 Olympic gold medalist Shawn Johnson, recorded for the Freakonomics Radio se...
351. Here’s Why You’re Not an Elite Athlete
27 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
There are a lot of factors that go into greatness, many of which are not obvious. A variety of Olymp...
Extra: Full Interviews With Jimmy Garoppolo, Joe Staley, Mike McGlinchey, and Kyle Juszczyk
23 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Dubner’s conversations with members of the San Francisco 49ers offense, recorded for Freak...
350. How to Stop Being a Loser
20 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The San Francisco 49ers, one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world, also used to be on...
349. How Sports Became Us
13 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Dollar-wise, the sports industry is surprisingly small, about the same size as the cardboard-box ind...
348. Is the Government More Entrepreneurial Than You Think?
06 Sep 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We all know the standard story: our economy would be more dynamic if only the government would get o...
347. Why You Shouldn’t Open a Restaurant
30 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Kenji Lopez-Alt became a rock star of the food world by bringing science into the kitchen in a way t...
346. Two (Totally Opposite) Ways to Save the Planet
23 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The environmentalists say we’re doomed if we don’t drastically reduce consumption. The technolog...
345. How to Be Happy
16 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The U.N.’s World Happiness Report — created to curtail our unhealthy obsession with G.D.P. — i...
344. Who Decides How Much a Life Is Worth?
09 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
After every mass shooting or terrorist attack, victims and survivors receive a huge outpouring of su...
A Conversation With PepsiCo C.E.O. Indra Nooyi (Ep. 316 Update)
07 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
One of the world’s biggest and best-known companies just announced that its C.E.O. would be steppi...
343. An Astronaut, a Catalan, and Two Linguists Walk Into a Bar…
02 Aug 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In this live episode of “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know,” we learn why New York has skinny sky...
342. Has Lance Armstrong Finally Come Clean?
26 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
He was once the most lionized athlete on the planet, with seven straight Tour de France wins and a v...
341. Why We Choke Under Pressure (and How Not To)
19 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It happens to just about everyone, whether you’re going for Olympic gold or giving a wedding toast...
340. People Aren’t Dumb. The World Is Hard.
12 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
You wouldn’t think you could win a Nobel Prize for showing that humans tend to make irrational dec...
339. The Future of Freakonomics Radio
03 Jul 2018
Contributed by Lukas
After 8 years and more than 300 episodes, it was time to either 1) quit, or 2) make the show bigger ...
In Praise of Incrementalism (Rebroadcast)
28 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
What do Renaissance painting, civil-rights movements, and Olympic cycling have in common? In each ca...
In Praise of Maintenance (Rebroadcast)
21 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Has our culture's obsession with innovation led us to neglect the fact that things also need to be t...
338. How to Catch World Cup Fever
14 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
For soccer fans, it's easy. For the rest of us? Not so much, especially since the U.S. team didn't q...
337. How to Build a Smart City
07 Jun 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We are in the midst of a historic (and wholly unpredicted) rise in urbanization. But it's hard to re...
How Stupid Is Our Obsession With Lawns? (Rebroadcast)
31 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Nearly two percent of America is grassy green. Sure, lawns are beautiful and useful and they smell g...
336. The Most Vilified Industry in America Is Also the Most Charitable
24 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Pharmaceutical firms donate an enormous amount of their products (and some cash too). But it doesn't...
335. Does Doing Good Give You License to Be Bad?
17 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Corporate Social Responsibility programs can attract better job applicants who'll work for less mone...
334. 5 Psychology Terms You’re Probably Misusing
10 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We all like to throw around terms that describe human behavior — “bystander apathy” and “ste...
Evolution, Accelerated (Rebroadcast)
03 May 2018
Contributed by Lukas
A breakthrough in genetic technology has given humans more power than ever to change nature. It coul...
333. The Most Ambitious Thing Humans Have Ever Attempted
26 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, medical progress has been astounding. But today the U.S. spends more on healthcare than any ot...
332. Why the Trump Tax Cuts Are Terrible/Awesome (Part 2)
19 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Three former White House economists weigh in on the new tax bill. A sample: "The overwhelming e...
331. Why the Trump Tax Cuts are Awesome/Terrible (Part 1)
12 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Kevin Hassett, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, explains the thinking behind the contro...
330. Extra: Ray Dalio Full Interview
09 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Dubner's conversation with the founder and longtime C.E.O. of Bridgewater Associates, record...
329. The Invisible Paw
05 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Humans, it has long been thought, are the only animal to engage in economic activity. But what if we...
328. Extra: Mark Zuckerberg Full Interview
02 Apr 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Dubner's conversation with the Facebook founder and C.E.O., recorded for the Freakonomics Ra...
Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Money (But Were Afraid to Ask) (Rebroadcast)
29 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The bad news: roughly 70 percent of Americans are financially illiterate. The good news: all the imp...
327. Extra: Carol Bartz Full Interview
26 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Dubner's conversation with the former C.E.O. of Yahoo, recorded for the Freakonomics Radio s...
The Stupidest Thing You Can Do With Your Money (Rebroadcast)
22 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
It's hard enough to save for a house, tuition, or retirement. So why are we willing to pay big fees ...
326. Extra: Jack Welch Full Interview
19 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Dubner's conversation with the former longtime C.E.O. of General Electric, recorded for the ...
325. How to Train Your Dragon Child
15 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Every 12 years, there's a spike in births among certain communities across the globe, including the ...
324. Extra: Satya Nadella Full Interview
12 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Dubner's conversation with the C.E.O. of Microsoft, recorded for the Freakonomics Radio seri...
323. Here’s Why All Your Projects Are Always Late — and What to Do About It
08 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Whether it's a giant infrastructure plan or a humble kitchen renovation, it'll inevitably take way t...
322. Extra: David Rubenstein Full Interview
05 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Dubner's conversation with the co-founder and longtime co-C.E.O. of the Carlyle Group, recor...
Does “Early Education” Come Way Too Late? (Rebroadcast)
01 Mar 2018
Contributed by Lukas
In our collective zeal to reform schools and close the achievement gap, we may have lost sight of wh...
321. Extra: Richard Branson Full Interview
26 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Stephen Dubner's conversation with the Virgin Group founder, recorded for the Freakonomics Radio ser...
320. Letting Go
22 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
If you're a C.E.O., there are a lot of ways to leave your job, from abrupt firing to carefully plann...
319. After the Glass Ceiling, a Glass Cliff
15 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Only 5 percent of Fortune 500 companies are run by women. Why? Research shows that female executives...
318. It’s Your Problem Now
08 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
No, it's not your fault the economy crashed. Or that consumer preferences changed. Or that new techn...
317. What Can Uber Teach Us About the Gender Pay Gap?
06 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
The gig economy offers the ultimate flexibility to set your own hours. That's why economists thought...
An Egghead’s Guide to the Super Bowl (Rebroadcast)
03 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
We assembled a panel of smart dudes -- a two-time Super Bowl champ; a couple of N.F.L. linemen, incl...
316. “I Wasn’t Stupid Enough to Say This Could Be Done Overnight”
01 Feb 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Indra Nooyi became C.E.O. of PepsiCo just in time for a global financial meltdown. She also had a po...
315. How to Become a C.E.O.
25 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Mark Zuckerberg's dentist dad was an early adopter of digital x-rays. Jack Welch blew the roof off a...
What Does a C.E.O. Actually Do?
18 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
They're paid a fortune — but for what, exactly? What makes a good C.E.O. — and how can you even ...
313. How to Be a Modern Democrat — and Win
11 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Gina Raimondo, the governor of tiny Rhode Island, has taken on unions, boosted big business, and mad...
Why Is My Life So Hard? (Rebroadcast)
04 Jan 2018
Contributed by Lukas
Most of us feel we face more headwinds and obstacles than everyone else — which breeds resentment....
Trust Me (Rebroadcast)
28 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Societies where people trust one another are healthier and wealthier. In the U.S. (and the U.K. and ...
Make Me a Match (Rebroadcast)
21 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, markets generally work well. But for some transactions — like school admissions and organ tr...
312. Not Your Grandmother’s I.M.F.
14 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The International Monetary Fund has long been the "lender of last resort" for economies in crisis. C...
311. Why Is the Live-Event Ticket Market So Screwed Up?
07 Dec 2017
Contributed by Lukas
The public has almost no chance to buy good tickets to the best events. Ticket brokers, meanwhile, m...
310. Are We Running Out of Ideas?
30 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Economists have a hard time explaining why productivity growth has been shrinking. One theory: true ...
Is America Ready for a “No-Lose Lottery”? (Update)
23 Nov 2017
Contributed by Lukas
Most people don't enjoy the simple, boring act of putting money in a savings account. But we do love...