People I (Mostly) Admire
Episodes
EXTRA: Nobel Laureate Claudia Goldin on "Greedy Work" and the Wage Gap
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Claudia Goldin is the newest winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. Steve spoke to her in 2021 about how inflexible jobs and family responsibilities ...
115. The Future of Therapy Is Psychedelic
30 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For 37 years, Rick Doblin has been pushing the F.D.A. to approve treating post-traumatic stress disorder with MDMA, better known as Ecstasy. He tells ...
114. Is Perfectionism Ruining Your Life?
16 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Psychologist Thomas Curran argues that perfectionism isn’t about high standards — it’s about never being enough. He explains how the drive to be...
113. Do We Have Evidence of Alien Life?
02 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Avi Loeb is a Harvard astronomer who argues that we’ve already encountered extraterrestrial technology. His approach to the search for interstellar ...
112. Reading Dostoevsky Behind Bars
19 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Reginald Dwayne Betts spent more than eight years in prison. Today he's a Yale Law graduate, a MacArthur Fellow, and a poet. His nonprofit works to bu...
111. Can a Moonshot Approach to Mental Health Work?
05 Aug 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Obi Felten used to launch projects for X, Google’s innovation lab, but she’s now tackling mental health. She explains why Steve’s dream job was ...
110. Drawing from Life (and Death)
22 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Artist Wendy MacNaughton knows the difficulty of sitting in silence and the power of having fun. She explains to Steve the lessons she’s gleaned fro...
Extra: An Update on the Khan World School
15 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Sal Khan returns to discuss his innovative online high school’s first year — and Steve grills a member of the school’s class of 2026 about what ...
109. David Simon Is On Strike. Here’s Why.
08 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The creator of "The Wire", "The Deuce", and other shows is leading the Writers Guild on the picket lines. He and Steve break down the economics of TV ...
The Economics of Everyday Things: T. rex Skeletons
01 Jul 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the newest show from the Freakonomics Radio Network, host Zachary Crockett explores the hidden side of the things around us. This week: How do dino...
108. Ninety-Eight Years of Economic Wisdom
24 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Robert Solow is 98 years old and a giant among economists. He tells Steve about cracking German codes in World War II, why it’s so hard to reduce in...
107. Bringing Data to Life
10 Jun 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Talithia Williams thinks you should rigorously track your body's data. She and Steve Levitt trade birth stories and bemoan the state of STEM education...
106. Will A.I. Make Us Smarter?
27 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Kevin Kelly believes A.I. will create more problems for humanity — and help us solve them. He talks to Steve about embracing complexity, staying ent...
105. Can Data Keep People Out of Prison?
13 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Clementine Jacoby went from performing in a circus to founding a nonprofit that works to shrink the prison population. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsW...
104. The Joy of Math With Sarah Hart
29 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Steve is on a mission to reform math education, and Sarah Hart is ready to join the cause. In her return visit to the show, Sarah explains how pattern...
103. Rick Rubin on How to Make Something Great
15 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From recording some of the first rap hits to revitalizing Johnny Cash's career, the legendary producer has had an extraordinary creative life. In this...
102. Adding Ten Healthy Years to Your Life
01 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Physician Peter Attia returns to the show to talk about the science of longevity — which focuses not only on extending life but on maintaining good ...
101. Celebrating 100 People I (Mostly) Admire
18 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Steve and producer Morgan Levey look back at the first 100 episodes of the podcast, including surprising answers, spectacular explanations, and listen...
100. Chicago’s Renegade Sheriff Wants to Fix Law Enforcement
04 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tom Dart is transforming Cook County’s jail, reforming evictions, and, with Steve Levitt, trying a new approach to electronic monitoring. Hosted by ...
99. Greg Norman Takes On the P.G.A. Tour
18 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Since his last visit to People I (Mostly) Admire, the formerly top-ranked golfer has become the sport's most controversial figure. Why has he partnere...
98. Searching for Our Aquatic Ancestors
04 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Neil Shubin hunts for fossils in the Arctic and experiments with D.N.A. in the lab, hoping to find out how fish evolved to walk on land. He explains w...
97. How Smart Is a Forest?
21 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ecologist Suzanne Simard studies the relationships between trees in a forest: they talk to each other, punish each other, and depend on each other. Wh...
96. Steven Strogatz Thinks You Don’t Know What Math Is
07 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The mathematician and author sees mathematical patterns everywhere — from DNA to fireflies to social connections. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz c...
95. The One Thing Stephen Dubner Hasn’t Quit
24 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Freakonomics co-authors Steve Levitt and Stephen Dubner first met, one of them hated the other. Two decades later, Levitt grills Dubner about ask...
94. The Price of Doing Business with John List
10 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
From baseball card conventions to Walmart, John List has always used field experiments to say revolutionary things about economics. He explains the va...
93. Annie Duke Thinks You Should Quit
26 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Former professional poker player Annie Duke has a new book on Steve’s favorite subject: quitting. They talk about why quitting is so hard, how to do...
92. John Green’s Reluctant Rocket Ship Ride
12 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Author and YouTuber John Green thought his breakout bestseller wouldn’t be a commercial success, wrote 40,000 words for one sentence, and brought St...
91. Jane Goodall Changed the Way We See Animals. She’s Not Done.
29 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The ethologist and conservationist discusses the thrill of observing chimpanzees in the wild, the value of challenging orthodoxy, and why dying is her...
90. Peter Singer Isn’t a Saint, But He’s Better Than Steve Levitt
15 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The philosopher known for his rigorous ethics explains why Steve is leading a morally inconsistent life. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. S...
Extra: A Rockstar Chemist Wins the Nobel Prize
08 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Stanford professor Carolyn Bertozzi’s imaginative ideas for treating disease have led to ten start-ups. She talks with Steve about the next generati...
89. A Cross Between Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones
01 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Heeding the warnings of public health officer Charity Dean about Covid-19 could have saved lives. Charity explains why she loves infectious diseases a...
88. Ken Burns on Heroism, Horror, and History
17 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The documentary filmmaker, known for The Civil War, Jazz, and Baseball, turns his attention to the Holocaust, and asks what we can learn from the evil...
87. How Much Are the Right Friends Worth?
03 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Harvard economist Raj Chetty uses tax data to study inequality, kid success, and social mobility. He explains why you should be careful when choosing ...
86. A Million-Year View on Morality
20 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Philosopher Will MacAskill thinks about how to do as much good as possible. But that's really hard, especially when you're worried about humans who wo...
85. What It Takes to Know Everything
06 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Victoria Groce is one of the best trivia contestants on earth. She explains the structure of a good question, why she knits during competitions, and h...
84. Yuval Noah Harari Thinks Life Is Meaningless and Amazing
23 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The author of Sapiens has a knack for finding the profound in the obvious. He tells Steve why money is fiction, traffic can be mind-blowing, and polit...
83. “There's So Many Problems — Which Ones Can I Make a Difference On?”
09 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When she's not rescuing chickens from coyotes, Susan Athey uses economics to address real-world challenges — from online ad auctions to carbon captu...
82. Is This the Future of High School?
02 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Khan Academy founder Sal Khan returns to share his vision for a new way to learn — and the conversation inspires Steve to make a big announcement. H...
81. Why Bother Searching for Aliens?
25 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Astronomer Jill Tarter spent her career searching for extraterrestrial intelligence. She explains what civilizations from other planets could teach us...
80. Get Your Share of the Pie
18 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Game theorist Barry Nalebuff explains how he used basic economics to build Honest Tea into a multimillion-dollar business, and shares his innovative a...
79. Solar Geoengineering Would Be Radical. It Might Also Be Necessary.
11 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
David Keith has spent his career studying ways to reflect sunlight away from the earth. It could reduce the risks of climate change — but it won’t...
78. Giving It Away
04 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Billionaire John Arnold is figuring out how to do as much good as he can with his wealth. It takes hard work, risk tolerance, and a lot of spending. H...
77. Can Games Prepare Us for Catastrophes? (Part 2)
28 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us hate to think about future crises. Game designer Jane McGonigal wants to make it fun. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.a...
76. Is Gaming Good for You?
21 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Jane McGonigal designed a game to help herself recover from a traumatic brain injury — and she thinks playing games can help us all lead our best li...
75. Self-Help for Data Nerds
14 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Seth Stephens-Davidowitz combs through mountains of information to find advice for everyday life. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm....
74. Getting Our Hands Dirty
07 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Soil scientist Asmeret Asefaw Berhe could soon hold one of the most important jobs in science. She explains why the ground beneath our feet is one of ...
73. Turning Work into Play
30 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How psychologist Dan Gilbert went from high school dropout to Harvard professor, found the secret of joy, and inspired Steve Levitt's divorce. Hosted ...
72. “Leaving Black People in the Lurch”
23 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Linguist and social commentator John McWhorter explains how good intentions may be hurting Black America — and where the word “motherf*cker” com...
71. Bombs Away
16 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Beatrice Fihn wants to rid the world of nuclear weapons. As Russian aggression raises the prospect of global conflict, can she put disarmament on the ...
70. You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Experiment
09 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Nobel Prize winner Joshua Angrist explains how the draft lottery, the Talmud, and West Point let economists ask — and answer — tough questions. Ho...
69. Does Death Have to Be a Death Sentence?
02 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Palliative physician B.J. Miller asks: Is there a better way to think about dying? And can death be beautiful? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz comp...
68. “No One Can Resist a Jolly, Happy Pig.”
26 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Naturalist Sy Montgomery explains how she learned to be social from a pig, discovered octopuses have souls, and came to love a killer that will never ...
67. We Can Play God Now
19 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Gene-editing pioneer Jennifer Doudna worries that humanity might not be ready for the technology she helped develop. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWiz...
66. The Professor Who Said “No” to Tenure
12 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Columbia astrophysicist David Helfand is an academic who does things his own way — from turning down job security to helping found a radically uncon...
65. A Rockstar Chemist and Her Cancer-Attacking “Lawn Mower”
05 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Stanford professor Carolyn Bertozzi’s imaginative ideas for treating disease have led to ten start-ups. She talks with Steve about the next generati...
64. How Larry Miller Went from Prison Valedictorian to Nike Executive
26 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Climbing the corporate ladder to become head of Nike’s Jordan brand, he kept his teenage murder conviction a secret from employers. Larry talks abou...
63. The Only Covid-19 Book Worth Reading
19 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Steve loved Michael Lewis’s latest, The Premonition, but has one critique: Why aren’t there even more villains? Also, why the author of best-selle...
62. How Does Historian Brad Gregory Make a Boring Topic So Mind-Blowing?
12 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A leading expert on the Reformation era, Brad, a University of Notre Dame professor, tells Steve about how the “blood gets sucked out of history,”...
61. Was Austan Goolsbee’s First Visit to the Oval Office Almost His Last?
05 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The former chairman of the Obama administration’s Council of Economic Advisors tells Steve how improv comedy was a better training ground for teachi...
60. Cassandra Quave Thinks the Way Antibiotics Are Developed Might Kill Us
29 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
By mid-century, 10 million people a year are projected to die from untreatable infections. Can Cassandra, an ethnobotanist at Emory University convinc...
Why Aren’t All Drugs Legal? (Replay Ep. 28)
22 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Columbia neuroscientist and psychology professor Carl Hart believes that recreational drug use, even heroin, methamphetamines, and cocaine, is an ...
Are We Under Threat from a New Kind of Terror? (Replay Ep. 24)
15 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Amaryllis Fox is a former C.I.A. operative and host of the Netflix show The Business of Drugs. She explains why intelligence work requires empathy, an...
59. Who Gives the Worst Advice?
08 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Steve usually asks his guests for advice, whether they’re magicians or Nobel laureates. After nearly 60 episodes, is any of it worth following — o...
58. Why Is Richard Thaler Such a ****ing Optimist?
01 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The Nobel laureate and pioneering behavioral economist spars with Steve over what makes a nudge a nudge, and admits that even economists have plenty o...
57. What Makes John Doerr Think He Can Save the Planet?
25 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The legendary venture capitalist believes the same intuition that led him to bet early on Google can help us reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. ...
56. Claudia Goldin: What’s “Greedy Work” and Why Is It a Problem?
18 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Harvard economist Claudia Goldin and Steve talk about how inflexible jobs and family responsibilities make it harder for women to earn wages equal to ...
55. Jared Diamond on the Downfall of Civilizations — and His Optimism for Ours
11 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He’s the award-winning author of hugely popular books like Guns, Germs, and Steel; Collapse; and Upheaval. But Jared actually started his varied car...
54. Andrew Yang Is Not Giving Up on Politics — or the U.S. — Yet
04 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He’s tried to shake up the status quo — as a Democratic presidential candidate, a New York City mayoral candidate, and now the founder of the Forw...
53. The Simple Economics of Saving the Amazon Rainforest
27 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Everyone agrees that massive deforestation is an environmental disaster. But most of the standard solutions — scolding the Brazilians, invoking univ...
52. Max Tegmark on Why Superhuman Artificial Intelligence Won’t be Our Slave (Part 2)
20 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He’s an M.I.T. cosmologist, physicist, and machine-learning expert, and once upon a time, almost an economist. Max and Steve continue their conversa...
51. Max Tegmark on Why Treating Humanity Like a Child Will Save Us All
13 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
How likely is it that this conversation is happening in more than one universe? Should we worry more about Covid or about nuclear war? Is economics a ...
50. Edward Miguel on Collecting Economic Data by Canoe and Correlating Conflict with Rainfall
06 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He’s a pioneer of using randomized control experiments in economics — studying the long-term benefits of a $1 health intervention in Africa. Steve...
49. Mathematician Sarah Hart on Why Numbers are Music to Our Ears
30 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Playing notes on her piano, she demonstrates for Steve why whole numbers sound pleasing, why octaves are mathematically imperfect, and how math underl...
48. Marc Davis Can’t Stop Watching Basketball — But He Doesn’t Care Who Wins
23 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
His childhood dream of playing in the N.B.A. led him to a career as a referee. Marc is one of the league’s top performers after over 20 seasons, but...
Ken Jennings on How a Midlife Crisis Led Him to Jeopardy! (People I (Mostly) Admire, Ep. 4 Replay)
16 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
It was only in his late twenties that America’s favorite brainiac began to seriously embrace his love of trivia. Jeopardy!’s newest host also hold...
Mayim Bialik on the Surprising Risks of Academia and Stability of Show Biz (People I (Mostly) Admire, Ep. 2 Replay)
09 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
This new Jeopardy! host is best known for playing neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory, but she has a rich life outside of her acti...
47. Robert Axelrod on Why Being Nice, Forgiving, and Provokable are the Best Strategies for Life
02 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The prisoner’s dilemma is a classic game-theory problem. Robert, a political scientist at the University of Michigan, has spent his career studying ...
46. Amanda & Lily Levitt Share What It’s Like to be Steve’s Daughters
25 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Steve shows a different side of himself in very personal interviews with his two oldest daughters. Amanda talks about growing up with social anxiety a...
45. Leidy Klotz on Why the Best Solutions Involve Less — Not More
18 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When we try to improve things, our first thought is often: What can we add to make this better? But Leidy, a professor of engineering, says we tend to...
44. Edward Glaeser Explains Why Some Cities Thrive While Others Fade Away
11 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
An expert on urban economics and co-author of the new book Survival of the City, Ed says cities have faced far worse than Covid. Steve talks with the ...
43. Arne Duncan Says All Kids Deserve a Chance — and Criminals Deserve a Second One
04 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Former U.S. Secretary of Education, 3x3 basketball champion, and leader of an anti-gun violence organization are all on Arne’s resume. He’s also S...
42. America’s Math Curriculum Doesn’t Add Up
28 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A special episode: Steve reports on a passion of his. Most high-school math classes are still preparing students for the Sputnik era. Steve wants to g...
41. Dr. Bapu Jena on Why Freakonomics Is the Best Medicine
21 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He’s a Harvard physician and economist who just started a third job: host of the new podcast Freakonomics, M.D. He’s also Steve’s former student...
40. Harold Pollack on Why Managing Your Money Is as Easy as Taking Out the Garbage
14 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He argues that personal finance is so simple all you need to know can fit on an index card. How will he deal with Steve’s suggestion that Harold’s...
39. Aicha Evans Wants You to Take Your Eyes Off the Road
07 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
She’s the C.E.O. of Zoox, an autonomous vehicle company. Steve asks Aicha about the big promises the A.V. industry hasn’t yet delivered — and th...
38. Sendhil Mullainathan Explains How to Generate an Idea a Minute (Part 2)
31 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Steve continues his conversation with his good friend, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and fellow University of Chicago economist. Sendhil bre...
37. Sendhil Mullainathan Thinks Messing Around Is the Best Use of Your Time
24 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He’s a professor of computation and behavioral science at the University of Chicago, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and author. Steve and S...
36. How Rahm Emanuel Would Run the World
17 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this interview, first heard on Freakonomics Radio last year, Steve talks with the former top adviser to presidents Clinton and Obama, about his rec...
35. David Epstein Knows Something About Almost Everything
10 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He’s been an Arctic scientist, a sports journalist, and is now a best-selling author of science books. His latest, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in...
34. Maya Shankar Is Changing People’s Behavior — and Her Own
03 Jul 2021
Contributed by Lukas
She used to run a behavioral unit in the Obama administration, and now has a similar role at Google. Maya and Steve talk about the power (and limits) ...
33. Travis Tygart Is Coming for Cheaters — Just Ask Lance Armstrong
26 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He’s the C.E.O. of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which, under his charge, exposed the most celebrated American cyclist as a cheater....
32. Angela Duckworth Explains How to Manage Your Goal Hierarchy
19 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
She’s the author of the bestselling book Grit, and a University of Pennsylvania professor of psychology — a field Steve says he knows nothing abou...
31. Peter Leeson on Why Trial-by-Fire Wasn’t Barbaric and Why Pirates Were Democratic
12 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He’s an economist who studies even weirder things than Steve. They discuss whether economics is the best of the social sciences, and why it’s a go...
30. Dambisa Moyo Says Foreign Aid Can’t Solve Problems, but Maybe Corporations Can
05 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The African-born economist has written four bestselling books, including Dead Aid, which Bill Gates described as “promoting evil.” In her new book...
29. Bruce Friedrich Thinks There’s a Better Way to Eat Meat
29 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Levitt rarely interviews advocates, but the founder of the Good Food Institute is different. Once an outspoken — and sometimes outlandish — animal...
28. Professor Carl Hart Argues All Drugs Should Be Legal — Can He Convince Steve?
22 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
As a neuroscientist and psychology professor at Columbia University who studies the immediate and long-term effects of illicit substances, Carl Hart b...
27. Daniel Kahneman on Why Our Judgment is Flawed — and What to Do About It
15 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Nobel laureate, best-selling author, and groundbreaking psychologist Daniel Kahneman is also a friend and former business partner of Steve’s. In dis...
26. Memory Champion Nelson Dellis Helps Steve Train His Brain
08 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He’s one of the world’s leading competitors, having won four U.S. memory tournaments and holding the record for most names memorized in 15 minutes...
25. Sam Harris: “Spirituality Is a Loaded Term.”
01 May 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He’s a cognitive neuroscientist and philosopher who has written five best-selling books. Sam Harris also hosts the Making Sense podcast and helps pe...
Nathan Myhrvold: “I Am Interested in Lots of Things, and That's Actually a Bad Strategy.” (Episode 6 Rebroadcast)
24 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
He graduated high school at 14, and by 23 had several graduate degrees and was a research assistant with Stephen Hawking. He became the first chief te...