Like tens of millions of people, Stephen Dubner thought he had a penicillin allergy. Like the vast majority, he didn’t.... more

Incarcerated people grow crops, fight wildfires, and manufacture everything from prescription glasses to highway signs — often for pennies an... more

Probably not — the incentives are too strong. But a few reformers are trying. We check in on their progress,... more

Some of the biggest names in behavioral science stand accused of faking their results. Last year, an astonishing 10,000 research... more

David Eagleman upends myths and describes the vast possibilities of a brainscape that even neuroscientists are only beginning to understand.... more

Adam Moss was the best magazine editor of his generation. When he retired, he took up painting. But he wasn’t... more

In a wide-ranging conversation with Ezekiel Emanuel, the policymaking physician and medical gadfly, we discuss the massive effects of GLP-1... more

Last week, we heard a former U.S. ambassador describe Russia’s escalating conflict with the U.S. Today, we revisit a 2019... more

John J. Sullivan, a former State Department official and U.S. ambassador, says yes: “Our politicians aren’t leading — Republicans or... more

Macy’s wants to recapture its glorious past. The author of the Wimpy Kid books wants to rebuild his dilapidated hometown.... more

The 166-year-old chain, which is fighting extinction, calls the parade its “gift to the nation.” With 30 million TV viewers,... more

It’s true that robots (and other smart technologies) will kill many jobs. It may also be true that newer collaborative... more

After a dramatic election, Donald Trump has returned from exile. We hear what to expect at home and abroad —... more

Some people want the new cannabis economy to look like the craft-beer movement. Others are hoping to build the Amazon... more

Chris Weld worked for years in emergency rooms, then ditched that career and bought an old farm in Massachusetts. He... more

With abortion on the Nov. 5 ballot, we look back at Steve Levitt’s controversial research about an unintended consequence of... more

There are a lot of reasons, including heavy regulations, high taxes, and competition from illegal weed shops. Most operators are... more

We have always been a nation of drinkers — but now there are more daily users of cannabis than alcohol.... more

Are betting markets more accurate than polls? What kind of chaos would a second Trump term bring? And is U.S.... more

Sure, we all pay lip service to the Madisonian system of checks and balances. But presidents have been steadily expanding... more

Sixty percent of the jobs that Americans do today didn’t exist in 1940. What happens as our labor becomes more... more

His research on police brutality and school incentives won him acclaim, but also enemies. He was suspended for two years... more

What happened when the Rooney Rule made its way from pro football to corporate America? Some progress, some backsliding, and... more

The biggest sports league in history had a problem: While most of its players were Black, almost none of its... more

We revisit an episode from 2016 that asks: Has our culture’s obsession with innovation led us to neglect the fact... more

Young people have been reporting a sharp rise in anxiety and depression. This maps neatly onto the global rise of... more

Only a tiny number of “supertaskers” are capable of doing two things at once. The rest of us are just... more

Educators and economists tell us all the reasons college enrollment has been dropping, especially for men, and how to stop... more

Stephen Dubner appears as a guest on "Fail Better," a new podcast hosted by David Duchovny. The two of them... more

America’s top colleges are facing record demand. So why don’t they increase supply? (Part 2 of our series from 2022,... more

We think of them as intellectual enclaves and the surest route to a better life. But U.S. colleges also operate... more

There are a lot of factors that go into greatness, many of which are not obvious. As the Olympics come... more

Tania Tetlow, a former federal prosecutor and now the president of Fordham University, thinks the modern campus could use a... more

It’s not oil or water or plutonium — it’s human hours. We've got an idea for putting them to use,... more

A new proposal from the Biden administration calls for a nationwide cap on rent increases. Economists think that’s a terrible... more

That’s the worry. Even the humble eyeglass industry is dominated by a single firm. We look into the global spike... more

A single company, EssilorLuxottica, owns so much of the eyewear industry that it’s hard to escape their gravitational pull —... more

You wouldn’t think you could win a Nobel Prize for showing that humans tend to make irrational decisions. But that’s... more

Daniel Kahneman left his mark on academia (and the real world) in countless ways. A group of his friends and... more

American politics is trapped in a duopoly, with two all-powerful parties colluding to stifle competition. We revisit a 2018 episode... more

It’s hard to know whether the benefits of hiring a celebrity are worth the risk. We dig into one gruesome... more

Broadway operates on a winner-take-most business model. A runaway hit like "Stereophonic" — which just won five Tony Awards —... more

The Berlin dance mecca Berghain is known for its eight-hour line and inscrutable door policy. PJ Vogt, host of the... more

Hit by Covid, runaway costs, and a zillion streams of competition, serious theater is in serious trouble. A new hit... more

Every December, a British man named Tom Whitwell publishes a list of 52 things he’s learned that year. These fascinating... more

An update of our 2020 series, in which we spoke with physicians, researchers, and addicts about the root causes of... more

Thanks to legal settlements with drug makers and distributors, states have plenty of money to boost prevention and treatment. Will... more

Most epidemics flare up, do their damage, and fade away. This one has been raging for almost 30 years. To... more

Presenting two stories from "The Economics of Everyday Things": Why does it seem like every car is black, white, or... more

The economist and social critic Glenn Loury has led a remarkably turbulent life, both professionally and personally. In a new... more

The employee ownership movement is growing, and one of its biggest champions is also a private equity heavyweight. Is this... more

From politics and economics to psychology and the arts, many of the modern ideas we take for granted emerged a... more

Five years ago, we published an episode about the boom in home DNA testing kits, focusing on the high-flying firm... more

Justin Trudeau, facing record-low approval numbers, is doubling down on his progressive agenda. But he is so upbeat (and Canada-polite)... more

So you want to help people? That’s great — but beware the law of unintended consequences. Three stories from the... more

The psychologist Daniel Kahneman — a Nobel laureate and the author of “Thinking, Fast and Slow” — recently died at... more

People who are good at their jobs routinely get promoted into bigger jobs they’re bad at. We explain why firms... more

Fareed Zakaria says yes. But it’s not just political revolution — it’s economic, technological, even emotional. He doesn’t offer easy... more

The political debates over immigration can generate a lot of fuzzy facts. We wanted to test Americans’ knowledge — so,... more

As the U.S. tries to fix its messy immigration system, our neighbor to the north is scooping up more talented... more

The U.S. immigration system is a massively complicated machine, with a lot of worn-out parts. How to fix it? Step... more

She arrived in the U.S. as an 11-year-old refugee, then rose to become Secretary of State. Her views on immigration,... more

How did a nation of immigrants come to hate immigration? We start at the beginning, sort through the evidence, and... more

Economists have discovered an odd phenomenon: many people who use social media (even you, maybe?) wish it didn’t exist. But... more

In ancient Rome, it was bread and circuses. Today, it’s a World Cup, an Olympics, and a new Saudi-backed golf... more

What surprises lurk in our sewage? How did racist city planners end up saving Black lives? Why does Arizona grow... more

It used to feel like magic. Now it can feel like a set of cheap tricks. Is the problem with... more

A wide-open conversation with three women who guided Richard Feynman through some big adventures at the Esalen Institute. (Part of... more

In his final years, Richard Feynman's curiosity took him to some surprising places. We hear from his companions on the... more

What happens when an existentially depressed and recently widowed young physicist from Queens gets a fresh start in California? We... more

They’re heading to the Super Bowl for the second time in five years. But back in 2018, they were coming... more

From the Manhattan Project to the Challenger investigation, the physicist Richard Feynman loved to shoot down what he called “lousy... more

Michael Roth of Wesleyan University doesn’t hang out with other university presidents. He also thinks some of them have failed... more

We all like to throw around terms that describe human behavior — “bystander apathy” and “steep learning curve” and “hard-wired.”... more

Probably not — the incentives are too strong. Scholarly publishing is a $28 billion global industry, with misconduct at every... more

Some of the biggest names in behavioral science stand accused of faking their results. Last year, an astonishing 10,000 research... more

In a special episode of The Economics of Everyday Things, host Zachary Crockett explains what millennials do to show they... more

In a special episode of People I (Mostly) Admire, Steve Levitt talks to Cat Bohannon about her new book "Eve:... more

In a special episode of No Stupid Questions, Angela Duckworth and Mike Maughan talk about unfinished tasks, recurring arguments, and... more

Lewis got incredible access to Sam Bankman-Fried, the billionaire behind the spectacular FTX fraud. His book is a bestseller, but... more

In policing, as in most vocations, the best employees are often promoted into leadership without much training. One economist thinks... more

It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It’s good for the environment. So why do we charge people to use... more

Most industries have become more productive over time. But not construction! We identify the causes — and possible solutions. (Can... more

Pro footballer and star podcaster Jason Kelce is ubiquitous right now (almost as ubiquitous as his brother and co-host Travis,... more

They say they make companies more efficient through savvy management. Critics say they bend the rules to enrich themselves at... more

Evidence from Nazi Germany and 1940’s America (and pretty much everywhere else) shows that discrimination is incredibly costly — to... more

Everyone makes mistakes. How do you learn from them? Lessons from the classroom, the Air Force, and the world’s deadliest... more

Giving up can be painful. That's why we need to talk about it. Today: stories about glitchy apps, leaky paint... more

In medicine, failure can be catastrophic. It can also produce discoveries that save millions of lives. Tales from the front... more

We tend to think of tragedies as a single terrible moment, rather than the result of multiple bad decisions. Can... more

Claudia Goldin is the newest winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. We spoke with her in 2016 about why... more

John Ray is an emergency C.E.O., a bankruptcy expert who takes over companies that have succumbed to failure or fraud.... more

If two parents can run a family, why shouldn’t two executives run a company? We dig into the research and... more

In her new book "The Two-Parent Privilege," the economist Melissa Kearney says it’s time for liberals to face the facts:... more

The union that represents N.F.L. players conducted their first-ever survey of workplace conditions, and issued a report card to all... more

For all the speculation about the future, A.I. tools can be useful right now. Adam Davidson discovers what they can... more

Guest host Adam Davidson looks at what might happen to your job in a world of human-level artificial intelligence, and... more

Artificial intelligence, we’ve been told, will destroy humankind. No, wait — it will usher in a new age of human... more

The famously profane politician and operative is now U.S. ambassador to Japan, where he’s trying to rewrite the rules of... more

Americans are so accustomed to the standard intersection that we rarely consider how dangerous it can be — as well... more

Bjorn Andersen killed 111 minke whales this season. He tells us how he does it, why he does it, and... more

In three stories from our newest podcast, host Zachary Crockett digs into sports mascots, cashmere sweaters, and dinosaur skeletons.

In the final episode of our whale series, we learn about fecal plumes, shipping noise, and why "Moby-Dick" is still... more

For years, whale oil was used as lighting fuel, industrial lubricant, and the main ingredient in (yum!) margarine. Whale meat... more

Whaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come... more

Actually, the reasons are pretty clear. The harder question is: Will we ever care enough to stop?

Sure, you were “in love.” But economists — using evidence from "Bridgerton" to Tinder — point to what’s called “assortative... more

But as C.E.O. of the resurgent Microsoft, he is firmly at the center of the A.I. revolution. We speak with... more

Probably not. The economist Kelly Shue argues that E.S.G. investing just gives more money to firms that are already green... more

Gun control, abortion rights, drug legalization — it seems like every argument these days claims that if X happens, then... more

He turned a small Hollywood talent agency into a massive sports-and-entertainment empire. In a freewheeling conversation, he explains how he... more

Sure, markets work well in general. But for some transactions — like school admissions and organ transplants — money alone... more

Museums are purging their collections of looted treasures. Can they also get something in return? And what does it mean... more

The world’s great museums are full of art and artifacts that were plundered during an era when plunder was the... more

How did a freshly looted Egyptian antiquity end up in the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Why did it take Kim... more

Whether it’s a giant infrastructure plan or a humble kitchen renovation, it’ll inevitably take way too long and cost way... more

Every language has its taboo words (which many people use all the time). But the list of forbidden words is... more

Delaware is beloved by corporations, bankruptcy lawyers, tax avoiders, and money launderers. Critics say the Delaware “franchise” is undemocratic and... more

Many companies say they want to create more opportunities for Black Americans. One company is doing something concrete about it.... more

Every year, Americans short the I.R.S. nearly half a trillion dollars. Most ideas to increase compliance are more stick than... more

In this installment of the Freakonomics Radio Book Club, the economist Amy Finkelstein explains why insurance markets are broken and... more

People who are good at their jobs routinely get promoted into bigger jobs they’re bad at. We explain why firms... more

Most travelers want the cheapest flight they can find. Airlines, meanwhile, need to manage volatile fuel costs, a pricey workforce,... more

Thanks to decades of work by airlines and regulators, plane crashes are nearly a thing of the past. Can we... more

It’s an unnatural activity that has become normal. You’re stuck in a metal tube with hundreds of strangers (and strange... more

Adam Smith famously argued that specialization is the key to prosperity. In the N.F.L., the long snapper is proof of... more

Hotel guests adore those cute little soaps, but is it just a one-night stand? In our fourth episode of "The... more

For decades, the U.S. let globalization run its course and hoped China would be an ally. Now the Biden administration... more

Can a hit single from four decades ago still pay the bills? Zachary Crockett f-f-f-finds out in the third episode... more

The economist Kate Raworth says the aggressive pursuit of G.D.P. is trashing the planet and shortchanging too many people. She... more

How does America's cutest sales force get billions of Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs into our hands every year? Zachary... more

When small businesses get bought by big investors, the name may stay the same — but customers and employees can... more

A new podcast hosted by Zachary Crockett. In the first episode: Gas stations. When gas prices skyrocket, do station owners... more

Big investors are buying up local veterinary practices (and pretty much everything else). What does this mean for scruffy little... more

And with her book "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat," she succeeded. Now she's not so sure how to feel about all... more

We tend to look down on artists who can't match their breakthrough success. Should we be celebrating them instead?

In a special episode of No Stupid Questions, Stephen Dubner and Angela Duckworth discuss classroom design, open offices, and cognitive... more

In this special episode of People I (Mostly) Admire, Steve Levitt talks to the best-selling author of "Sapiens" and "Homo... more

Labor exploitation! Corporate profiteering! Government corruption! The 21st century can look a lot like the 18th. In the final episode... more

Economists and politicians have turned him into a mascot for free-market ideology. Some on the left say the right has... more

A sneak peek at an upcoming series — and a call for would-be radio reporters.

How did an affable 18th-century “moral philosopher” become the patron saint of cutthroat capitalism? Does “the invisible hand” mean what... more

In this special episode of Freakonomics, M.D., host Bapu Jena looks at a clever new study that could help answer... more

No — but he does have a knack for stumbling into the perfect moment, including the recent FTX debacle. In... more

It used to feel like magic. Now it can feel like a set of cheap tricks. Is the problem with... more

The banana, once a luxury good, rose to become America’s favorite fruit. Now a deadly fungus threatens to wipe it... more

It’s fun to obsess over pop stars and racecar drivers — but is fandom making our politics even more toxic?

The last two years have radically changed the way we work — producing winners, losers, and a lot of surprises.

It was supposed to boost prosperity and democracy at the same time. What really happened? According to the legal scholar... more

One Yale economist certainly thinks so. But even if he’s right, are economists any better?

New research finds that bosses who went to business school pay their workers less. So what are M.B.A. programs teaching... more

The pandemic provided city dwellers with a break from the din of the modern world. Now the noise is coming... more

Liberals endorse harm reduction when it comes to the opioid epidemic. Are they ready to take the same approach to... more

The documentary filmmaker, known for "The Civil War," "Jazz," and "Baseball," turns his attention to the Holocaust, and asks what... more

The pandemic moved a lot of religious activity onto the internet. With faith-based apps, Silicon Valley is turning virtual prayers... more

As the Biden administration rushes to address climate change, Stephen Dubner looks at another, hidden cost of air pollution —... more

The controversial Harvard economist, recently back from a suspension, “broke a lot of glass early in my career,” he says.... more

It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It’s good for the environment. So why do we charge people to use... more

Breaking news! Sources say American journalism exploits our negativity bias to maximize profits, and social media algorithms add fuel to... more

According to a decades-long research project, the U.S. is not only the most individualistic country on earth; we’re also high... more

We often look to other countries for smart policies on education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. But can a smart policy be... more

It used to be at the center of our conversations about politics and society. Scott Hershovitz (author of "Nasty, Brutish,... more

Sure, you were “in love.” But economists — using evidence from "Bridgerton" to Tinder — point to what’s called “assortative... more

In one of the earliest Freakonomics Radio episodes, we asked a bunch of economists with young kids how they approached... more

Boosters say blockchain technology will usher in a brave new era of decentralization. Are they right — and would it... more

Some of them are. With others, it’s more complicated (and more promising). We try to get past the Bored Apes... more

No. But now is a good time to sort out the potential from the hype. Whether you’re bullish, bearish, or... more

Kevin Kelly calls himself “the most optimistic person in the world.” And he has a lot to say about parenting,... more

In ancient Rome, it was bread and circuses. Today, it’s a World Cup, an Olympics, and a new Saudi-backed golf... more

When the world went into lockdown, experts predicted a rise in intimate-partner assaults. What actually happened was more complicated.

In this new podcast from the Freakonomics Radio Network, dog-cognition expert and bestselling author Alexandra Horowitz (Inside of a Dog)... more

Educators and economists tell us all the reasons college enrollment has been dropping, especially for men, and how to stop... more

As the Supreme Court considers overturning Roe v. Wade, we look back at Steve Levitt’s controversial research on an unintended... more

Enrollment is down for the first time in memory, and critics complain college is too expensive, too elitist, and too... more

America’s top colleges are facing record demand. So why don’t they increase supply? (Part 2 of “Freakonomics Radio Goes Back... more

We think of them as intellectual enclaves and the surest route to a better life. But U.S. colleges also operate... more

The political scientist Yuen Yuen Ang argues that different forms of government create different styles of corruption. The U.S. and... more

The British art superstar Flora Yukhnovich, the Freakonomist Steve Levitt, and the upstart American Basketball Association were all unafraid to... more

After a huge false start, electric cars are finally about to flourish. We speak with a technology historian about this... more

Every year, there are more than a million collisions in the U.S. between drivers and deer. The result: hundreds of... more

There are a lot of barriers to changing your mind: ego, overconfidence, inertia — and cost. Politicians who flip-flop get... more

Organized labor hasn’t had this much public support in 50 years, and yet the percentage of Americans in a union... more

People who are good at their jobs routinely get promoted into bigger jobs they’re bad at. We explain why firms... more

In a new book called "The Voltage Effect," the economist John List — who has already revolutionized how his profession... more

Among O.E.C.D. nations, the U.S. has one of the highest rates of child poverty. Until recently, it looked as if... more

Adam Smith famously argued that specialization is the key to prosperity. In the N.F.L., the long snapper is proof of... more

Behavioral scientists have been exploring if — and when — a psychological reset can lead to lasting change. We survey... more

Frisco used to be just another sleepy bedroom community outside of Dallas. Now it’s got corporate headquarters, billions of investment... more

When Stephen Dubner learned that Dallas–Fort Worth will soon overtake Chicago as the third-biggest metro area in the U.S., he... more

Curses and other superstitions may have no basis in reality, but that doesn’t stop us from believing.

In this special episode of No Stupid Questions, Stephen Dubner and Angela Duckworth discuss the consequences of seeing every glass... more

In this special episode of People I (Mostly) Admire, Steve Levitt speaks with the palliative physician B.J. Miller about modern... more

In this special episode of Freakonomics, M.D., host Bapu Jena looks at data from birthday parties, March Madness parties, and... more

Is art really meant to be an “asset class”? Will the digital revolution finally democratize a market that just keeps... more

The more successful an artist is, the more likely their work will later be resold at auction for a huge... more

The art market is so opaque and illiquid that it barely functions like a market at all. A handful of... more

Patients in the U.S. healthcare system often feel they’re treated with a lack of empathy. Doctors and nurses have tragically... more

You know the saying: “There are no shortcuts in life.” What if that saying is just wrong? In his new... more

The U.S. is home to seven of the world’s 10 biggest companies. How did that happen? The answer may come... more

A new book by an unorthodox political scientist argues that the two rivals have more in common than we’d like... more

Evidence from Nazi Germany and 1940’s America (and pretty much everywhere else) shows that discrimination is incredibly costly — to... more

In one of the earliest Freakonomics Radio episodes (No. 39!), we asked a bunch of economists with young kids how... more

Arthur Brooks is an economist who for 10 years ran the American Enterprise Institute, one of the most influential conservative... more

Breaking news! Sources say American journalism exploits our negativity bias to maximize profits, and social media algorithms add fuel to... more

Verbal tic or strategic rejoinder? Whatever the case: it’s rare to come across an interview these days where at least... more

The N.B.A. superstar Chris Bosh was still competing at the highest level when a blood clot abruptly ended his career.... more

The U.S. is an outlier when it comes to policing, as evidenced by more than 1,000 fatal shootings by police... more

Among O.E.C.D. nations, the U.S. has one of the highest rates of child poverty. How can that be? To find... more

When Richard Thaler published Nudge in 2008 (with co-author Cass Sunstein), the world was just starting to believe in his... more

That’s what some health officials are saying, but the data aren’t so clear. We look into what’s known (and not... more

In a conversation fresh from the Freakonomics Radio Network’s podcast laboratory, Michèle Flournoy (one of the highest-ranking women in Defense... more

Humans have a built-in “negativity bias,” which means we give bad news much more power than good. Would the Covid-19... more

Air pollution is estimated to cause 7 million deaths a year and cost the global economy nearly $3 trillion. But... more

While other countries seem to build spectacular bridges, dams, and even entire cities with ease, the U.S. is stuck in... more

The environmentalists say we’re doomed if we don’t drastically reduce consumption. The technologists say that human ingenuity can solve just... more

According to a decades-long research project, the U.S. is not only the most individualistic country on earth; we’re also high... more

We often look to other countries for smart policies on education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. But can a smart policy be... more

The benefits of sleep are by now well established, and yet many people don’t get enough. A new study suggests... more

Nearly two percent of America is grassy green. Sure, lawns are beautiful and useful and they smell great. But are... more

Bren Smith, who grew up fishing and fighting, is now part of a movement that seeks to feed the planet... more

Cecilia Rouse, the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, is as cold-blooded as any economist. But she... more

Bapu Jena was already a double threat: a doctor who’s also an economist. Now he’s a podcast host too. In... more

The pandemic may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean we’ll return to full-time commuting and packed office buildings. The... more

The social psychologist Robert Cialdini is a pioneer in the science of persuasion. His 1984 book Influence is a classic,... more

The human foot is an evolutionary masterpiece, far more functional than we give it credit for. So why do we... more

The man who wants America to “think harder” has parlayed his quixotic presidential campaign into front-runner status in New York’s... more

It’s true that robots (and other smart technologies) will kill many jobs. It may also be true that newer collaborative... more

Backers of a $15 federal wage say it’s a no-brainer if you want to fight poverty. Critics say it’s a... more

The state-by-state rollout of legalized weed has given economists a perfect natural experiment to measure its effects. Here’s what we... more

In this special crossover episode, People I (Mostly) Admire host Steve Levitt admits to No Stupid Questions co-host Angela Duckworth... more

Kidney failure is such a catastrophic (and expensive) disease that Medicare covers treatment for anyone, regardless of age. Since Medicare... more

Medicine has evolved from a calling into an industry, adept at dispensing procedures and pills (and gigantic bills), but less... more

Why do so many promising solutions — in education, medicine, criminal justice, etc. — fail to scale up into great... more

In a word: networks. Once it embraced information as its main currency, New York was able to climb out of... more

Behavioral scientists have been exploring if — and when — a psychological reset can lead to lasting change. We survey... more

Americans are so accustomed to the standard intersection that we rarely consider how dangerous it can be — as well... more

New York Times columnist Charles Blow argues that white supremacy in America will never fully recede, and that it’s time... more

Researchers are trying to figure out who gets bored — and why — and what it means for ourselves and... more

Not so long ago, G.E. was the most valuable company in the world, a conglomerate that included everything from light... more

Most of us are are afraid to ask sensitive questions about money, sex, politics, etc. New research shows this fear... more

Caitlin Doughty is a mortician who would like to put herself out of business. Our corporate funeral industry, she argues,... more

For all the progress made in fighting cancer, it still kills 10 million people a year, and some types remain... more

It’s a powerful biological response that has preserved our species for millennia. But now it may be keeping us from... more

They can’t vote or hire lobbyists. The policies we create to help them aren’t always so helpful. Consider the car... more

We’ve collected some of our favorite moments from People I (Mostly) Admire, the latest show from the Freakonomics Radio Network.... more

Societies where people trust one another are healthier and wealthier. In the U.S. (and the U.K. and elsewhere), social trust... more

In this episode of No Stupid Questions — a Freakonomics Radio Network show launched earlier this year — Stephen Dubner... more

Patients in the U.S. healthcare system often feel they’re treated with a lack of empathy. Doctors and nurses have tragically... more

The incoming president argues that the economy and the environment are deeply connected. This is reflected in his choice for... more

Tony Hsieh, the longtime C.E.O. of Zappos, was an iconoclast and a dreamer. Five years ago, we sat down with... more

G.M. produces more than 20 times as many cars as Tesla, but Tesla is worth nearly 10 times as much.... more

Google and Facebook are worth a combined $2 trillion, with the vast majority of their revenue coming from advertising. In... more

Companies around the world spend more than half-a-trillion dollars each year on ads. The ad industry swears by its efficacy... more

The modern world overwhelms us with sounds we didn’t ask for, like car alarms and cell-phone “halfalogues.” What does all... more

John Mackey, the C.E.O. of Whole Foods, has learned the perils of speaking his mind. But he still says what... more

The sociologist Sudhir Venkatesh spent years studying crack dealers, sex workers, and the offspring of billionaires. Then he wandered into... more

A fine reading of most policies for “business interruption” reveals that viral outbreaks aren’t covered. Some legislators are demanding that... more

As beloved and familiar as they are, we rarely stop to consider life from the dog’s point of view. That... more

It isn’t just supply and demand. We look at the complicated history and skewed incentives that make “affordable housing” more... more

The pandemic has hit America's biggest city particularly hard. Amidst a deep fiscal hole, rising homicides, and a flight to... more

It was only in his late twenties that America’s favorite brainiac began to seriously embrace his love of trivia. Now... more

Three leading researchers from the Mount Sinai Health System discuss how ketamine, cannabis, and ecstasy are being used (or studied)... more

The families of U.S. troops killed and wounded in Afghanistan are suing several companies that did reconstruction there. Why? These... more

The dean of Yale’s School of Management grew up in a small village in Guyana. During his unlikely journey, he... more

Trump says it would destroy us. Biden needs the voters who support it (especially the Bernie voters). The majority of... more

Netflix co-founder Reed Hastings came to believe that corporate rules can kill creativity and innovation. In this latest edition of... more

Thanks to daily Covid testing and regimented protocols, the new football season is underway. Meanwhile, most teachers, students, and parents... more

She’s best known for playing neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory, but the award-winning actress has a... more

We all know our political system is “broken” — but what if that’s not true? Some say the Republicans and... more

We explore the science, scalability, and (of course) economics surrounding the global vaccine race. Guests include the chief medical officer... more

A new interview show with host Steve Levitt. Today he speaks with the Harvard psychologist and linguist Steven Pinker. By... more

What happens when tens of millions of fantasy-sports players are suddenly able to bet real money on real games? We’re... more

The endless pursuit of G.D.P., argues the economist Kate Raworth, shortchanges too many people and also trashes the planet. Economic... more

Aisle upon aisle of fresh produce, cheap meat, and sugary cereal — a delicious embodiment of free-market capitalism, right? Not... more

Everyone agrees that massive deforestation is an environmental disaster. But most of the standard solutions — scolding the Brazilians, invoking... more

Most Americans agree that racial discrimination has been, and remains, a big problem. But that is where the agreement ends.

The racial wealth gap in the U.S. is massive. We explore the causes, consequences, and potential solutions. Also: another story... more

Christina Romer was a top White House economist during the Great Recession. As a researcher, she specializes in the Great... more

Before she decided to become a poker pro, Maria Konnikova didn’t know how many cards are in a deck. But... more

Thanks to the pandemic, the telehealth revolution we’ve been promised for decades has finally arrived. Will it stick? Will it... more

In this new addition to the Freakonomics Radio Network, co-hosts Stephen Dubner and Angela Duckworth discuss the relationship between age... more

Millions and millions are out of work, with some jobs never coming back. We speak with four economists — and... more

Covid-19 is the biggest job killer in a century. As the lockdown eases, what does re-employment look like? Who will... more

In the U.S. alone, we hold 55 million meetings a day. Most of them are woefully unproductive, and tyrannize our... more

The accidental futurist Kevin Kelly on why enthusiasm beats intelligence, how to really listen, and why the solution to bad... more

Three university presidents try to answer our listeners’ questions. The result? Not much pomp and a whole lot of circumstance.

Humans have a built-in “negativity bias,” which means we give bad news much more power than good. Would the Covid-19... more

We speak with a governor, a former C.D.C. director, a pandemic forecaster, a hard-charging pharmacist, and a pair of economists... more

As a former top adviser to presidents Clinton and Obama, he believes in the power of the federal government. But... more

The U.S. spent the past few decades waiting for China to act like the global citizen it said it wanted... more