Freakonomics Radio

174. What Do King Solomon and David Lee Roth Have in Common?

10 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

It isn’t easy to separate the guilty from the innocent, but a clever bit of game theory can help.

173. A Better Way to Eat

03 Jul 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Takeru Kobayashi revolutionized the sport of competitive eating. What can the rest of us learn from his breakthrough?

172. How to Screen Job Applicants, Act Your Age, and Get Your Brain Off Autopilot

26 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Dubner and Levitt answer reader questions in this first installment of the “Think Like a Freak” Book Club.

171. There’s No Such Thing as a Free Appetizer

19 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Is it really in a restaurant’s best interest to give customers free bread or chips before they even order?

170. Why America Doesn’t Love Soccer (Yet)

12 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Every four years, the U.S. takes a look at the World Cup and develops a slight crush. What would it take to really fall in love?

169. Failure Is Your Friend

05 Jun 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In which we argue that failure should not only be tolerated but celebrated.

The Upside of Quitting (Rebroadcast )

29 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

You know the saying: a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. To which Freakonomics Radio says ... Are you sure?

168. Think Like a Child

22 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to generating ideas and asking questions it can be really fruitful to have the mentality of an eight year old.

167. The Three Hardest Words in the English Language

15 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Why learning to say “I don’t know” is one of the best things you can do.

166. How to Think Like a Freak -- and Other FREAK-quently Asked Questions

08 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt talk about their new book and field questions about prestige, university life, and (yum yum) bacon.

165. The Perfect Crime

01 May 2014

Contributed by Lukas

If you are driving and kill a pedestrian, there's a good chance you'll barely be punished. Why?

164. Which Came First, the Chicken or the Avocado?

24 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

When it comes to exercising outrage, people tend to be very selective. Could it be that humans are our least favorite animal?

163. What’s More Dangerous: Marijuana or Alcohol?

17 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Imagine that both substances were undiscovered until today. How would we think about their relative risks?

162. “If Mayors Ruled the World”

10 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Unlike certain elected officials in Washington, mayors all over the country actually get stuff done. So maybe we should ask them to do more?

161. How to Make People Quit Smoking

03 Apr 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The war on cigarettes has been fairly successful in some places. But 1 billion humans still smoke -- so what comes next?

160. Why Everybody Who Doesn’t Hate Bitcoin Loves It

27 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Thinking of Bitcoin as just a digital currency is like thinking about the Internet as just e-mail. Its potential is much more exciting than that.

Women Are Not Men (Rebroadcast)

20 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In many ways, the gender gap is closing. In others, not so much. And that's not always a bad thing.

159. “It’s Fun to Smoke Marijuana”

13 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

A psychology professor argues that the brain's greatest attribute is knowing what other people are thinking. And that a Queen song, played backwards, ...

158. Is Learning a Foreign Language Really Worth It?

06 Mar 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Yes, it expands the mind but we usually don't retain much -- and then there's the opportunity cost.

157. Why Are Japanese Homes Disposable?

27 Feb 2014

Contributed by Lukas

In most countries, houses get more valuable over time. In Japan, a new buyer will often bulldoze the home. We'll tell you why.

156. Why Marry? (Part 2)

20 Feb 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The consequences of our low marriage rate -- and if the old model is less attractive, how about a new one?

155. Why Marry? (Part 1)

13 Feb 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The myths of modern marriage.

154. What You Don’t Know About Online Dating

06 Feb 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Thick markets, thin markets, and the triumph of attributes over compatibility.This episode is included in the Freakonomics #smartbinge podcast playlis...

153. Reasons to Not Be Ugly

30 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The "beauty premium" is real, for everyone from babies to NFL quarterbacks.

152. Everybody Gossips (and That’s a Good Thing)

23 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

The benefits of rumor-mongering

Fear Thy Nature (Rebroadcast)

16 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

What "Sleep No More" and the Stanford Prison Experiment tell us about who we really are.

151. Are We Ready to Legalize Drugs? And Other FREAK-Quently Asked Questions

09 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Dubner and Levitt talk about fixing the post office, putting cameras in the classroom, and wearing hats.

150. What’s the “Best” Exercise?

02 Jan 2014

Contributed by Lukas

Most people blame lack of time for being out of shape. So maybe the solution is to exercise more efficiently.

Save Me From Myself (Rebroadcast)

26 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A commitment device forces you to be the person you really want to be. What could possibly go wrong?

149. Pontiff-icating on the Free-Market System

19 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The Pope just gave it to the global economy with both barrels. Was he right to do so?

148. Are Gay Men Really Rich?

12 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

It’s easy to get that idea. But is the stereotype true?

147. The Most Dangerous Machine

05 Dec 2013

Contributed by Lukas

More than 1 million people die worldwide each year from traffic accidents. But there's never been a safer time to drive.

146. Fighting Poverty With Actual Evidence

27 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

It's time to do away with feel-good stories, gut hunches, and magical thinking.

145. What Do Skating Rinks, Ultimate Frisbee, and the World Have in Common?

21 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Spontaneous order is everywhere if you know where to look for it.

144. Who Runs the Internet?

14 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The online universe doesn't have nearly as many rules, or rulemakers, as the real world. Discuss.

Freakonomics Goes to College, Part 2 (Rebroadcast)

07 Nov 2013

Contributed by Lukas

College tends to make people happier, healthier, and wealthier. But how?

Freakonomics Goes to College, Part 1 (Rebroadcast)

31 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What's a college degree really worth these days?

143. Why Bad Environmentalism Is Such an Easy Sell

24 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Being green is rarely a black-and-white issue -- but that doesn't stop marketers and politicians from pretending it is.

142. The Troubled Cremation of Stevie the Cat

14 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

We spend billions on our pets, and one of the fastest-growing costs is pet "aftercare." But are those cremated remains you got back really f...

141. How to Raise Money Without Killing a Kitten

10 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The science of what works -- and doesn't work -- in fund-raising

140. How to Think About Money, Choose Your Hometown, and Buy an Electric Toothbrush

03 Oct 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Dubner and Levitt field your queries in this latest installment of our FREAK-quently Asked Questions.

139. Would a Big Bucket of Cash Really Change Your Life?

26 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A 19th-century Georgia land lottery may have something to teach us about today's income inequality.

The Economist’s Guide to Parenting (Rebroadcast)

19 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Think you know how much parents matter? Think again. Economists crunch the numbers to learn the ROI on child-rearing.

138. Whatever Happened to the Carpal Tunnel Epidemic?

12 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Once upon a time, office workers across America lived in fear of a dreaded infirmity. Was the computer keyboard really the villain -- and did carpal t...

The Suicide Paradox (Rebroadcast)

05 Sep 2013

Contributed by Lukas

There are more than twice as many suicides as murders in the U.S., but suicide attracts far less scrutiny. Freakonomics Radio digs through the numbers...

137. Who Are the Most Successful Immigrants in the World?

29 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

It's impossible to say for sure, but the Lebanese do remarkably well. Why?

The Folly of Prediction (Rebroadcast)

22 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Human beings love to predict the future, but we're quite terrible at it. So how about punishing all those bad predictions?

136. The Middle of Everywhere

15 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Chicago has given the world more than sausage, crooked politics, and Da Bears.

The Church of "Scionology" (Rebroadcast)

08 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

We worship the tradition of handing off a family business to the next generation. But is that really such a good idea?

135. Do Baby Girls Cause Divorce?

01 Aug 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Even American parents have a strong "son preference" -- which means that a newborn daughter can be bad news for a marriage.

The Upside of Quitting (Rebroadcast)

22 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

You know the saying: a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. To which Freakonomics Radio says ... Are you sure?

134. Government Employees Gone Wild

18 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The Encyclopedia of Ethical Failures catalogs the fiscal, sexual, and mental lapses of federal workers -- all with an eye toward preventing the next b...

133. A Burger a Day

11 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Is junk food an abomination or a modern miracle?

132. Jane Austen, Game Theorist

03 Jul 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What does "Pride and Prejudice" have to do with nuclear deterrence?

Legacy of a Jerk (Rebroadcast)

27 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

What happens to your reputation when you're no longer around to defend it?

131. Do You Really Want to Know Your Future?

20 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

You might think that someone with a 50-50 chance of getting a fatal disease would want to know for sure -- but you would be wrong. What does this say ...

130. Why Family and Business Don’t Mix

12 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Yet another reason to blame your parents for pretty much everything.

129. Should Tipping be Banned?

03 Jun 2013

Contributed by Lukas

It's awkward, random, confusing -- and probably discriminatory too.

128. Baby, You Can Program My Car

29 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A glimpse into our driverless future.

127. Can You Be Too Smart for Your Own Good? And Other FREAK-quently Asked Questions

23 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Dubner and Levitt talk about circadian rhythms, gay marriage, autism, and whether "pay what you want" is everything it's cracked up to be.

The Hidden Cost of False Alarms (Rebroadcast)

15 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

If any other product failed 94 percent of the time, you'd probably stop using it. So why do we put up with burglar alarms?

126. What Do Medieval Nuns and Bo Jackson Have in Common?

09 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A look at whether spite pays — and if it even exists.

125. It’s Crowded at the Top

01 May 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Why is unemployment still so high? It may be because of something that happened well before the Great Recession.

124. Running to Do Evil

25 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

An interview with Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, whose younger brother turned him in -- and what it says about the Boston bombers.

123. Help Wanted. No Smokers Need Apply

17 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

In many states, it is perfectly legal to not hire someone who smokes. Should employers also be able to weed out junk-food lovers or motorcyclists -- o...

122. How Much Does Your Name Matter?

08 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

A kid's name can tell us something about his parents -- their race, social standing, even their politics. But is your name really your destiny?

121. The Tax Man Nudgeth

03 Apr 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Real tax reform may or may not ever happen. In the meantime, how about making the current system work a bit better?

120. 100 Ways to Fight Obesity

27 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Freakonomics asks a dozen smart people for their best ideas. Get ready for a fat tax, a sugar ban, and a calorie-chomping tapeworm.

119. How Money Is March Madness?

21 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The NCAA basketball tournament grabs a lot of eyeballs, but turning them into dollars hasn't always been easy -- even when the "talent" is p...

118. Parking Is Hell

13 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

There ain't no such thing as a free parking spot. Somebody has to pay for it -- and that somebody is everybody.

117. When Is a Negative a Positive?

06 Mar 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Sure, we all like to hear compliments. But if you're truly looking to get better at something, it's the negative feedback that will get you there.

116. Women Are Not Men

24 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

In many ways, the gender gap is closing. In others, not so much. And that's not always a bad thing.

115. The Downside of More Miles Per Gallon

20 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The gas tax doesn't work well, and it's only going to get worse. What's next?

114. How to Think About Guns

13 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

No one wants mass shootings. Unfortunately, no one has a workable plan to stop them either.

113. Sure, I Remember That

06 Feb 2013

Contributed by Lukas

It is startlingly easy to create false memories, especially in politics.

112. Would You Let a Coin Toss Decide Your Future?

30 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Levitt and Dubner go deep on "Freakonomics Experiments," a new research project that lets you take a chance on life.

111. Introducing “Freakonomics Experiments”

23 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Steve Levitt has a novel idea for helping people make tough decisions

110. Who Owns the Words That Come Out of Your Mouth?

16 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

The very long reach of Winston Churchill -- and how the British government is remaking copyright law.

109. How to Live Longer

09 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Why do Hall of Fame inductees, Oscar winners, and Nobel laureates outlive their peers?

108. How Did “Freakonomics” Get Its Name? … and Other FREAK-quently Asked Questions

02 Jan 2013

Contributed by Lukas

Levitt and Dubner answer your questions about driving, sneezing, and ladies’ nights. Plus a remembrance of Levitt’s sister Linda.

107. How Much Does a Good Boss Really Matter?

26 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

It's harder than you'd think to measure the value of a boss. But some enterprising economists have done just that -- and the news is good.

106. The House of Dreams

19 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Dubner's childhood home goes from sacred to profane -- and then back again.

105. Have a Very Homo Economicus Christmas

12 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Who better than an economist to help with your shopping list?

104. The Things They Taught Me

05 Dec 2012

Contributed by Lukas

College, at its best, is about learning to think. Stephen Dubner chats up three of his former professors who made the magic happen.

103. Free-conomics

28 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Economists are a notoriously self-interested bunch. But a British outfit called Pro Bono Economics is giving away its services to selected charities.

102. I Consult, Therefore I Am

21 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

There are enough management consultants these days to form a small nation. But what do they actually do? And does it work?

101. Mass Transit Hysteria

14 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Adding more train and bus lines looks like an environmental slam dunk. Until you start to do the math.

100. Our 100th Episode!

05 Nov 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Turkey sex and chicken wings, selling souls and swapping organs, the power of the president and the price of wine: these are a few of our favorite thi...

99. How to Maximize Your Halloween Candy Haul

31 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Is it as simple as going to the richest neighborhood you can find? Of course not ...

98. We the Sheeple

24 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Politicians tell voters exactly what they want to hear, even when it makes no sense. Which is pretty much all the time.

97. Lying to Ourselves

17 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

We rely on polls and surveys to tell us how people will behave in the future. Too bad they're completely unreliable.

96. The Cobra Effect

10 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

When you want to get rid of a nasty pest, one obvious solution comes to mind: just offer a cash reward. But be careful -- because nothing backfires qu...

95. Why America’s Economic Growth May Be (Shh!) Over

03 Oct 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Sure, we love our computers and all the rest of our digital toys. But when it comes to real economic gains, can we ever match old-school innovations l...

94. The Tale of the $15 Tomato

23 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Trying to go rustic by baking, brewing, and knitting at home can be terribly inefficient. And that's a wonderful thing.

93. Why Online Poker Should Be Legal

19 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

The data show that poker is indeed a game of skill, not chance, and a Federal judge agrees. So why are players still being treated like criminals?

92. Fear Thy Nature

12 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

What "Sleep No More" and the Stanford Prison Experiment tell us about who we really are.

91. Can Selling Beer Cut Down on Public Drunkenness?

05 Sep 2012

Contributed by Lukas

Binge drinking is a big problem at college football games. Oliver Luck -- father of No. 1 NFL pick Andrew, and the athletic director at West Virginia ...

90. How Deep Is the Shadow Economy?

29 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

What we know -- and don't know -- about the gazillions of dollars that never show up on anyone's books.

89. There’s Cake in the Breakroom!

22 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

If you think working from home offers too many distractions, just think about what happens at the office.

88. Freakonomics Goes to College, Part 2

15 Aug 2012

Contributed by Lukas

College tends to make people happier, healthier, and wealthier. But how?