Freakonomics Radio

Cory Booker on the politics of fear, the politics of hope, and how to split the difference.   SOURCES: Cory Booker , senior United States Senator from New Jersey.   RESOURCES: " 'When Are More Americans Going to Speak Up? '" by The New Yorker Radio Hour (2025). " Cory Booker’s Marathon Floor Speech ," (2025). " Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show ," by Georgia...

In the U.S., there will soon be more people over 65 than there are under 18 — and it’s not just lifespan that’s improving, it’s “healthspan” too. Unfortunately, the American approach to aging is stuck in the 20th century. In less than an hour, we try to unstick it. (Part three of a three-part series, “ Cradle to Grave .”)   SOURCES: James Chappel , professor of history at Duke University. Katy Fik...

In this episode from 2013, we look at whether spite pays — and if it even exists.   SOURCES: Benedikt Herrmann , research officer at the European Commission. Steve Levitt , co-author of Freakonomics and host of People I (Mostly) Admire . Dave O'Connor , president of Times Studios. Lisi Oliver , professor of English at Louisiana State University. E.O. Wilson , naturalist and university research pro...

The simplicity of life back then is appealing today, as long as you don’t mind Church hegemony, the occasional plague, trial by gossip — and the lack of ibuprofen. (Part two of a three-part series, “ Cradle to Grave .”)   SOURCES: Jordan Cavalier , performer at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire. Matt Schwarz , harpist at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire. Phillipp Schofield , professor of history at...

For decades, the great fear was overpopulation. Now it’s the opposite. How did this happen — and what’s being done about it? (Part one of a three-part series , “Cradle to Grave.”)   SOURCES: Matthias Doepke , professor of economics at the London School of Economics. Amy Froide , professor of history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Diana Laird , professor of obstetrics and gynecolo...

A famous essay argues that “not a single person on the face of this earth” knows how to make a pencil. How true is that? In this 2016 episode, we looked at what pencil-making  can teach us about global manufacturing — and the proper role of government in the economy.   SOURCES: Caroline Weaver , creator of the Locavore Guide. Matt Ridley , science writer, British viscount and retired member of the...

Nicholas Cullinan, the new director of the British Museum, seems to think so. “I'm not afraid of the past,” he says — which means talking about looted objects, the basement storerooms, and the leaking roof. We take the guided tour.   SOURCES: Nicholas Cullinan , director of the British Museum.   RESOURCES: " Inside the British Museum: stolen treasures and a £1bn revamp ," by Alice Thomson (The Tim...

Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, is less reserved than the average banker. He explains why vibes are overrated, why the Fed’s independence is non-negotiable, and why tariffs could bring the economy back to the Covid era.   SOURCES: Austan Goolsbee , president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.   RESOURCES: " Internet Rising, Prices...

Just beneath the surface of the global economy, there is a hidden layer of dealmakers for whom war, chaos, and sanctions can be a great business opportunity. Javier Blas and Jack Farchy, the authors of The World for Sale , help us shine a light on the shadowy realm of commodity traders.   SOURCES: Javier Blas , opinion columnist at Bloomberg News. Jack Farchy , energy and commodities senior report...

Everyone makes mistakes. How do we learn from them? Lessons from the classroom, the Air Force, and the world’s deadliest infectious disease. (Part four of a four-part series .)   SOURCES: Will Coleman , founder and C.E.O. of Alto. Amy Edmondson , professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School. Babak Javid , physician-scientist and associate director of the University of California,...

Giving up can be painful. That's why we need to talk about it. Today: stories about glitchy apps, leaky paint cans, broken sculptures — and a quest for the perfect bowl of ramen. (Part three of a four-part series .)   SOURCES: John Boykin , website designer and failed paint can re-inventor. Angela Duckworth , host of No Stupid Questions , co-founder of Character Lab, and professor of psychology at...

In medicine, failure can be catastrophic. It can also produce discoveries that save millions of lives. Tales from the front line, the lab, and the I.T. department. (Part two of a four-part series .)   SOURCES: Amy Edmondson , professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School. Carole Hemmelgarn , co-founder of Patients for Patient Safety U.S. and director of the Clinical Quality, Safety...

We tend to think of tragedies as a single terrible moment, rather than the result of multiple bad decisions. Can this pattern be reversed? We try — with stories about wildfires, school shootings, and love. (Part one of a four-part series .)   SOURCES: Amy Edmondson , professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School. Helen Fisher , former senior research fellow at The Kinsey Institute...

It used to be that making documentary films meant taking a vow of poverty (and obscurity). The streaming revolution changed that. Award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler talks to Stephen Dubner about capturing Billie Eilish’s musical genius and Martha Stewart’s vulnerability — and why he really, really, really needs to make a film about the New York Mets.   SOURCES: R.J. Cutler , filmmaker.   RESOURCE...

It’s been in development for five years and has at least a year to go. On the eve of its out-of-town debut, the actor playing Lincoln quit. And the producers still need to raise another $15 million to bring the show to New York. There really is no business like show business. (Part three of a three-part series .)   SOURCES: Christopher Ashley , artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse. Debby Buchho...

In an episode from 2012, we looked at what Sleep No More and the Stanford Prison Experiment can tell us about who we really are.   SOURCES: Felix Barrett , artistic director of Punchdrunk. Steven Levitt , professor of economics at the University of Chicago. Philip Zimbardo , professor emeritus at Stanford University.   RESOURCES: “ Philip Zimbardo, the psychologist behind the ‘Stanford Prison Expe...

A hit like Hamilton can come from nowhere while a sure bet can lose $20 million in a flash. We speak with some of the biggest producers in the game — Sonia Friedman, Jeffrey Seller, Hal Luftig — and learn that there is only one guarantee: the theater owners always win. (Part two of a three-part series .)   SOURCES: Debby Buchholz , managing director of La Jolla Playhouse. Sonia Friedman , Broadway...

It has become fiendishly expensive to produce, and has more competition than ever. And yet the believers still believe. Why? And does the world really want a new musical about ... Abraham Lincoln?! (Part one of a three-part series .)   SOURCES: Christopher Ashley , artistic director of La Jolla Playhouse. Quentin Darrington , actor. Joe DiPietro , playwright and lyricist. Crystal Monee Hall , comp...

Why do so many promising solutions in education, medicine, and criminal justice fail to scale up into great policy? And can a new breed of “implementation scientists” crack the code?   SOURCES: Patti Chamberlain , senior research scientist at the Oregon Social Learning Center. John List , professor of economics at the University of Chicago. Lauren Supplee , former deputy chief operating officer at...

There is no sludgier place in America than Washington, D.C. But there are signs of a change. We’ll hear about this progress — and ask where Elon Musk and DOGE fit in. (Part two of a two-part series .)   SOURCES: Benjamin Handel , professor of economics at UC Berkeley. Neale Mahoney , professor of economics at Stanford University. Jennifer Pahlka , founder of Code for America. Richard Thaler , prof...

Insurance forms that make no sense. Subscriptions that can’t be cancelled. A never-ending blizzard of automated notifications. Where does all this sludge come from — and how much is it costing us? (Part one of a two-part series .)   SOURCES: Benjamin Handel, professor of economics at UC Berkeley. Neale Mahoney, professor of economics at Stanford University. Richard Thaler, professor of economics a...

The quirky little grocery chain with California roots and German ownership has a lot to teach all of us about choice architecture, efficiency, frugality, collaboration, and team spirit.   SOURCES: Kirk DesErmia , facilities manager in Seward, Alaska. Mark Gardiner , journalist and author. Sheena Iyengar , professor of business at Columbia Business School. Michael Roberto , professor of management...

Nearly everything that politicians say about taxes is at least half a lie. They are also dishonest when it comes to the national debt. Stephen Dubner finds one of the few people in Washington who is willing to tell the truth — and it’s even worse than you think.   SOURCES: Jessica Riedl, senior fellow in budget, tax, and economic policy at the Manhattan Institute.   RESOURCES: " The House Wants to...

Lina Khan, the youngest F.T.C. chair in history, reset U.S. antitrust policy by thwarting mega-mergers and other monopolistic behavior. This earned her enemies in some places, and big fans in others — including the Trump administration. Stephen Dubner speaks with Khan about her tactics, her track record, and her future.   SOURCES: Lina Khan, former commissioner of the Federal Trade Commission and...

It’s a powerful biological response that has preserved our species for millennia. But now it may be keeping us from pursuing strategies that would improve the environment, the economy, even our own health. So is it time to dial down our disgust reflex?  You can help fix things — as Stephen Dubner does in this 2021 episode — by chowing down on some delicious insects.   SOURCES: Paul Rozin, professo...