541. The Case of the $4 Million Gold Coffin
04 May 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How did a freshly looted Egyptian antiquity end up in the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Why did it tak...
Why Your Projects Are Always Late — and What to Do About It (Ep. 323 Replay)
27 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Whether it’s a giant infrastructure plan or a humble kitchen renovation, it’ll inevitably take w...
540. Swearing Is More Important Than You Think
20 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Every language has its taboo words (which many people use all the time). But the list of forbidden w...
539. Why Does One Tiny State Set the Rules for Everyone?
13 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Delaware is beloved by corporations, bankruptcy lawyers, tax avoiders, and money launderers. Critics...
538. A Radically Simple Way to Boost a Neighborhood
06 Apr 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Many companies say they want to create more opportunities for Black Americans. One company is doing ...
How to Hate Taxes a Little Bit Less (Ep. 400 Replay)
30 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Every year, Americans short the I.R.S. nearly half a trillion dollars. Most ideas to increase compli...
537. “Insurance Is Sexy.” Discuss.
23 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In this installment of the Freakonomics Radio Book Club, the economist Amy Finkelstein explains why ...
Why Are There So Many Bad Bosses? (Ep. 495 Replay)
16 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
People who are good at their jobs routinely get promoted into bigger jobs they’re bad at. We expla...
536. Is Your Plane Ticket Too Expensive — or Too Cheap?
09 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Most travelers want the cheapest flight they can find. Airlines, meanwhile, need to manage volatile ...
535. Why Is Flying Safer Than Driving?
02 Mar 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Thanks to decades of work by airlines and regulators, plane crashes are nearly a thing of the past. ...
534. Air Travel Is a Miracle. Why Do We Hate It?
23 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
It’s an unnatural activity that has become normal. You’re stuck in a metal tube with hundreds of...
Why Does the Most Monotonous Job in the World Pay $1 Million? (Ep. 493 Update)
16 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Adam Smith famously argued that specialization is the key to prosperity. In the N.F.L., the long sna...
The Economics of Everyday Things: Used Hotel Soaps
13 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Hotel guests adore those cute little soaps, but is it just a one-night stand? In our fourth episode ...
533. Will the Democrats “Make America Great Again”?
09 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For decades, the U.S. let globalization run its course and hoped China would be an ally. Now the Bid...
The Economics of Everyday Things: “My Sharona”
06 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Can a hit single from four decades ago still pay the bills? Zachary Crockett f-f-f-finds out in the ...
Is Economic Growth the Wrong Goal? (Ep. 429 Update)
02 Feb 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The economist Kate Raworth says the aggressive pursuit of G.D.P. is trashing the planet and shortcha...
The Economics of Everyday Things: Girl Scout Cookies
30 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How does America's cutest sales force get billions of Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs into our han...
532. Do You Know Who Owns Your Vet?
26 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When small businesses get bought by big investors, the name may stay the same — but customers and ...
Introducing “The Economics of Everyday Things”
23 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A new podcast hosted by Zachary Crockett. In the first episode: Gas stations. When gas prices skyroc...
531. Should You Trust Private Equity to Take Care of Your Dog?
19 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Big investors are buying up local veterinary practices (and pretty much everything else). What does ...
Extra: Samin Nosrat Always Wanted to Be Famous
16 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
And with her book "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat," she succeeded. Now she's not so sure how to feel about al...
530. What's Wrong with Being a One-Hit Wonder?
12 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We tend to look down on artists who can't match their breakthrough success. Should we be celebrating...
529. Can Our Surroundings Make Us Smarter?
05 Jan 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In a special episode of No Stupid Questions, Stephen Dubner and Angela Duckworth discuss classroom d...
528. Yuval Noah Harari Thinks Life is Meaningless and Amazing
29 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of People I (Mostly) Admire, Steve Levitt talks to the best-selling author o...
527. Can Adam Smith Fix Our Economy?
22 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Labor exploitation! Corporate profiteering! Government corruption! The 21st century can look a lot l...
526. Was Adam Smith Really a Right-Winger?
15 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Economists and politicians have turned him into a mascot for free-market ideology. Some on the left ...
Freakonomics Radio Needs Your Help
12 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
A sneak peek at an upcoming series — and a call for would-be radio reporters.
525. In Search of the Real Adam Smith
08 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
How did an affable 18th-century “moral philosopher” become the patron saint of cutthroat capital...
524. How Important Is Breastfeeding, Really?
01 Dec 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of Freakonomics, M.D., host Bapu Jena looks at a clever new study that could...
523. Did Michael Lewis Just Get Lucky with “Moneyball”?
24 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
No — but he does have a knack for stumbling into the perfect moment, including the recent FTX deba...
522. Is Google Getting Worse?
17 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It used to feel like magic. Now it can feel like a set of cheap tricks. Is the problem with Google —...
The Most Interesting Fruit in the World (Ep. 375 Update)
10 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The banana, once a luxury good, rose to become America’s favorite fruit. Now a deadly fungus threa...
521. I’m Your Biggest Fan!
03 Nov 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It’s fun to obsess over pop stars and racecar drivers — but is fandom making our politics even m...
The Unintended Consequences of Working from Home
27 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The last two years have radically changed the way we work — producing winners, losers, and a lot o...
519. Has Globalization Failed?
20 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It was supposed to boost prosperity and democracy at the same time. What really happened? According ...
518. Are Personal Finance Gurus Giving You Bad Advice?
13 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
One Yale economist certainly thinks so. But even if he’s right, are economists any better?
517. Are M.B.A.s to Blame for Wage Stagnation?
06 Oct 2022
Contributed by Lukas
New research finds that bosses who went to business school pay their workers less. So what are M.B.A...
Please Get Your Noise Out of My Ears (Ep. 439 Update)
29 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The pandemic provided city dwellers with a break from the din of the modern world. Now the noise is ...
516. Nuclear Power Isn’t Perfect. Is It Good Enough?
22 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Liberals endorse harm reduction when it comes to the opioid epidemic. Are they ready to take the sam...
Extra: Ken Burns | People I (Mostly) Admire
19 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The documentary filmmaker, known for The Civil War, Jazz, and Baseball, turns his attention to the H...
515. When You Pray to God Online, Who Else Is Listening?
15 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The pandemic moved a lot of religious activity onto the internet. With faith-based apps, Silicon Val...
This Is Your Brain on Pollution (Ep. 472 Update)
08 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the Biden administration rushes to address climate change, Stephen Dubner looks at another, hidde...
514. Roland Fryer Refuses to Lie to Black America
01 Sep 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The controversial Harvard economist, recently back from a suspension, “broke a lot of glass early ...
513. Should Public Transit Be Free?
25 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It’s good for the environment. So why do we ch...
Why Is U.S. Media So Negative? (Ep. 477 Replay)
18 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Breaking news! Sources say American journalism exploits our negativity bias to maximize profits, and...
The Pros and Cons of America’s (Extreme) Individualism (Ep. 470 Replay)
11 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
According to a decades-long research project, the U.S. is not only the most individualistic country ...
The U.S. Is Just Different — So Let’s Stop Pretending We’re Not (Ep. 469 Replay)
04 Aug 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We often look to other countries for smart policies on education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. B...
512. Does Philosophy Still Matter?
28 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
It used to be at the center of our conversations about politics and society. Scott Hershovitz (autho...
511. Why Did You Marry That Person?
21 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Sure, you were “in love.” But economists — using evidence from Bridgerton to Tinder — point ...
The Economist’s Guide to Parenting: 10 Years Later (Ep. 479 Replay)
14 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In one of the earliest Freakonomics Radio episodes, we asked a bunch of economists with young kids h...
510. What Problems Does Crypto Solve, Anyway?
07 Jul 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Boosters say blockchain technology will usher in a brave new era of decentralization. Are they right...
509. Are N.F.T.s All Scams?
30 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Some of them are. With others, it’s more complicated (and more promising). We try to get past the ...
508. Does the Crypto Crash Mean the Blockchain Is Over?
23 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
No. But now is a good time to sort out the potential from the hype. Whether you’re bullish, bearis...
507. 103 Pieces of Advice That May or May Not Work
16 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Kevin Kelly calls himself “the most optimistic person in the world.” And he has a lot to say abo...
506. What Is Sportswashing (and Does It Work)?
09 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In ancient Rome, it was bread and circuses. Today, it’s a World Cup, an Olympics, and a new Saudi-...
505. Did Domestic Violence Really Spike During the Pandemic?
02 Jun 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When the world went into lockdown, experts predicted a rise in intimate-partner assaults. What actua...
504. Introducing “Off Leash”
26 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this new podcast from the Freakonomics Radio Network, dog-cognition expert and bestselling author...
503. What Is the Future of College — and Does It Have Room for Men?
19 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Educators and economists tell us all the reasons college enrollment has been dropping, especially fo...
Abortion and Crime, Revisited (Ep. 384 Update)
12 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
As the Supreme Court considers overturning Roe v. Wade, we look back at Steve Levitt’s controversi...
502. “I Don’t Think the Country Is Turning Away From College.”
05 May 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Enrollment is down for the first time in memory, and critics complain college is too expensive, too ...
501. The University of Impossible-to-Get-Into
28 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
America’s top colleges are facing record demand. So why don’t they increase supply? (Part 2 of “...
500. What Exactly Is College For?
21 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
We think of them as intellectual enclaves and the surest route to a better life. But U.S. colleges a...
Is the U.S. Really Less Corrupt Than China — and How About Russia? (Ep. 481 Update)
14 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The political scientist Yuen Yuen Ang argues that different forms of government create different sty...
499. Don't Worry, Be Tacky
07 Apr 2022
Contributed by Lukas
The British art superstar Flora Yukhnovich, the Freakonomist Steve Levitt, and the upstart American ...
498. In the 1890s, the Best-Selling Car Was … Electric
31 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
After a huge false start, electric cars are finally about to flourish. We speak with a technology hi...
497. Can the Big Bad Wolf Save Your Life?
24 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Every year, there are more than a million collisions in the U.S. between drivers and deer. The resul...
How to Change Your Mind (Ep. 379 Update)
17 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
There are a lot of barriers to changing your mind: ego, overconfidence, inertia — and cost. Politi...
Do Unions Still Work?
10 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Organized labor hasn’t had this much public support in 50 years, and yet the percentage of America...
Why Are There So Many Bad Bosses?
03 Mar 2022
Contributed by Lukas
People who are good at their jobs routinely get promoted into bigger jobs they’re bad at. We expla...
494. Why Do Most Ideas Fail to Scale?
24 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In a new book called The Voltage Effect, the economist John List — who has already revolutionized ...
Why Does the Richest Country in the World Have So Many Poor Kids? (Ep. 475 Update)
17 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Among O.E.C.D. nations, the U.S. has one of the highest rates of child poverty. Until recently, it l...
493. Why Does the Most Monotonous Job in the World Pay $1 Million?
10 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Adam Smith famously argued that specialization is the key to prosperity. In the N.F.L., the long sna...
Are You Ready for a Fresh Start? (Ep. 455 Replay)
03 Feb 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Behavioral scientists have been exploring if — and when — a psychological reset can lead to last...
492. How Did a Hayfield Become One of America’s Hottest Cities?
27 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Frisco used to be just another sleepy bedroom community outside of Dallas. Now it’s got corporate ...
491. Why Is Everyone Moving to Dallas?
20 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
When Stephen Dubner learned that Dallas–Fort Worth will soon overtake Chicago as the third-biggest...
490. What Do Broken-Hearted Knitters, Urinating Goalkeepers, and the C.I.A. Have in Common?
13 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
Curses and other superstitions may have no basis in reality, but that doesn’t stop us from believi...
489. Is “Toxic Positivity” a Thing?
06 Jan 2022
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of No Stupid Questions, Stephen Dubner and Angela Duckworth discuss the co...
488. Does Death Have to Be a Death Sentence?
30 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of People I (Mostly) Admire, Steve Levitt speaks with the palliative physici...
487. Is It Okay to Have a Party Yet?
23 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In this special episode of Freakonomics, M.D., host Bapu Jena looks at data from birthday parties, M...
486. “The Art Market Is in Massive Disruption.”
16 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Is art really meant to be an “asset class”? Will the digital revolution finally democratize a ma...
485. “I’ve Been Working My Ass Off for You to Make that Profit?”
09 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The more successful an artist is, the more likely their work will later be resold at auction for a h...
484. “A Fascinating, Sexy, Intellectually Compelling, Unregulated Global Market.”
02 Dec 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The art market is so opaque and illiquid that it barely functions like a market at all. A handful of...
How Do You Cure a Compassion Crisis? (Ep. 444 Replay)
25 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Patients in the U.S. healthcare system often feel they’re treated with a lack of empathy. Doctors ...
483. What’s Wrong With Shortcuts?
18 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
You know the saying: “There are no shortcuts in life.” What if that saying is just wrong? In his...
482. Is Venture Capital the Secret Sauce of the American Economy?
11 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. is home to seven of the world’s 10 biggest companies. How did that happen? The answer may...
481. Is the U.S. Really Less Corrupt Than China?
04 Nov 2021
Contributed by Lukas
A new book by an unorthodox political scientist argues that the two rivals have more in common than ...
480. How Much Does Discrimination Hurt the Economy?
28 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Evidence from Nazi Germany and 1940’s America (and pretty much everywhere else) shows that discrim...
479. The Economist’s Guide to Parenting: 10 Years Later
21 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In one of the earliest Freakonomics Radio episodes (No. 39!), we asked a bunch of economists with ...
478. How Can We Break Our Addiction to Contempt?
14 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Arthur Brooks is an economist who for 10 years ran the American Enterprise Institute, one of the mos...
477. Why Is U.S. Media So Negative?
07 Oct 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Breaking news! Sources say American journalism exploits our negativity bias to maximize profits, and...
That’s a Great Question! (Ep. 192 Rebroadcast)
30 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Verbal tic or strategic rejoinder? Whatever the case: it’s rare to come across an interview these ...
“This Didn't End the Way It’s Supposed to End.” (Bonus)
27 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The N.B.A. superstar Chris Bosh was still competing at the highest level when a blood clot abruptly ...
476. What Are the Police for, Anyway?
23 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
The U.S. is an outlier when it comes to policing, as evidenced by more than 1,000 fatal shootings by...
475. Why Does the Richest Country in the World Have So Many Poor Kids?
16 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Among O.E.C.D. nations, the U.S. has one of the highest rates of child poverty. How can that be? To ...
474. All You Need Is Nudge
09 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
When Richard Thaler published Nudge in 2008 (with co-author Cass Sunstein), the world was just start...
Is There Really a “Loneliness Epidemic”? (Ep. 407 Rebroadcast)
02 Sep 2021
Contributed by Lukas
That’s what some health officials are saying, but the data aren’t so clear. We look into what’...
473. These Jobs Were Not Posted on ZipRecruiter
26 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
In a conversation fresh from the Freakonomics Radio Network’s podcast laboratory, Michèle Flourno...
Reasons to Be Cheerful (Ep. 417 Rebroadcast)
19 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Humans have a built-in “negativity bias,” which means we give bad news much more power than good...
472. This Is Your Brain on Pollution
12 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Air pollution is estimated to cause 7 million deaths a year and cost the global economy nearly $3 tr...
471. Mayor Pete and Elaine Chao Hit the Road
05 Aug 2021
Contributed by Lukas
While other countries seem to build spectacular bridges, dams, and even entire cities with ease, the...