Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics Radio

Society EN ↓ 918 episodes

Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner uncovers the hidden side of everything. Why is it safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car? How do we decide whom to marry? Why is the media so full of bad news? Also: things you never knew you wanted to know about wolves, bananas, pollution, search engines, and the quirks of human behavior. To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

Author

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Episodes

196. Is There a Better Way to Fight Terrorism? 12.02.2015 42:48

The White House is hosting an anti-terror summit next week. Summits being what they are, we try to offer some useful advice. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

195. How Efficient Is Energy Efficiency? 05.02.2015 32:35

It's a centerpiece of U.S. climate policy and a sacred cow among environmentalists. Does it work? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

194. How Safe Is Your Job? 29.01.2015 33:38

Economists preach the gospel of "creative destruction," whereby new industries -- and jobs -- replace the old ones. But has creative destruction become too destructive? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

193. Someone Else’s Acid Trip 22.01.2015 29:15

As Kevin Kelly tells it, the hippie revolution and the computer revolution are nearly one and the same. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

192. That’s a Great Question! 15.01.2015 25:23

Verbal tic or strategic rejoinder? Whatever the case: it’s rare to come across an interview these days where at least one question isn’t a “great” one. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

191. Why Doesn’t Everyone Get the Flu Vaccine? 08.01.2015 36:16

Influenza kills, but you’d never know it by how few of us get the vaccine. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What’s the “Best” Exercise? (Rebroadcast) 01.01.2015 15:20

Most people blame lack of time for being out of shape. So maybe the solution is to exercise more efficiently. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

What’s More Dangerous: Marijuana or Alcohol? (Rebroadcast) 25.12.2014 25:22

Imagine that both substances were undiscovered until today. How would we think about their relative risks? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

190. Time to Take Back the Toilet 18.12.2014 34:45

Public bathrooms are noisy, poorly designed, and often nonexistent. What to do? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Troubled Cremation of Stevie the Cat (Rebroadcast) 11.12.2014 44:38

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 from your pet? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

189. How to Fix a Broken High Schooler, in Four Easy Steps 04.12.2014 29:18

Okay, maybe the steps aren’t so easy. But a program run out of a Toronto housing project has had great success in turning around kids who were headed for trouble. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

188. Is America’s Education Problem Really Just a Teacher Problem? 27.11.2014 34:24

If U.S. schoolteachers are indeed “just a little bit below average,” it’s not really their fault. So what should be done about it? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

187. The Man Who Would Be Everything 20.11.2014 27:44

Boris Johnson -- mayor of London, biographer of Churchill, cheese-box painter and tennis-racket collector -- answers our FREAK-quently Asked Questions. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

186. Why Do People Keep Having Children? 13.11.2014 38:33

Even a brutal natural disaster doesn’t diminish our appetite for procreating. This surely means we’re heading toward massive overpopulation, right? Probably not. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

185. Should the U.S. Merge With Mexico? 06.11.2014 55:59

Corporations around the world are consolidating like never before. If it’s good enough for companies, why not countries? Welcome to Amexico! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

184. What Can Vampires Teach Us About Economics? 30.10.2014 24:51

A lot! “The Economics of the Undead” is a book about dating strategy, job creation, and whether there should be a legal market for blood. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

183. “Tell Me Something I Don’t Know” 23.10.2014 1:02:28

The debut of a live game show from Freakonomics Radio, with judges Malcolm Gladwell, Ana Gasteyer, and David Paterson. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

182. How Can Tiny Norway Afford to Buy So Many Teslas? 16.10.2014 36:11

The Norwegian government parleys massive oil wealth into huge subsidies for electric cars. Is that carbon laundering or just pragmatic environmentalism? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

How to Raise Money Without Killing a Kitten (Rebroadcast) 09.10.2014 33:15

The science of what works -- and doesn't work -- in fund-raising Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

181. Fixing the World, Bang-for-the-Buck Edition 02.10.2014 41:59

A team of economists has been running the numbers on the U.N.'s development goals. They have a different view of how those billions of dollars should be spent. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

180. Fitness Apartheid 25.09.2014 30:42

Markets are hardly perfect, but the results can be ugly when you try to subvert them. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

179. Outsiders by Design 18.09.2014 40:25

What does it mean to pursue something that everyone else thinks is nuts? And what does it take to succeed? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

178. How to Save $1 Billion Without Even Trying 11.09.2014 33:41

Doctors, chefs, and other experts are much more likely than the rest of us to buy store-brand products. What do they know that we don’t? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

177. Regulate This! 04.09.2014 56:13

Airbnb, Uber, Lyft, EatWith, and other companies in the “sharing economy” are practically daring government regulators to shut them down. The regulators are happy to comply. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Who Runs the Internet? (Rebroadcast) 28.08.2014 32:15

The online universe doesn't have nearly as many rules, or rulemakers, as the real world. Discuss. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.