Freakonomics Radio - podcast cover

Freakonomics Radio

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcherfreakonomics.com
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.
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Episodes

Should Tipping be Banned? (Rebroadcast)

It's awkward, random, confusing -- and probably discriminatory too. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Aug 07, 201441 min

How Much Does Your Name Matter? (Rebroadcast)

A kid's name can tell us something about his parents -- their race, social standing, even their politics. But is your name really your destiny? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jul 31, 201452 min

176. Does Religion Make You Happy?

It’s a hard question to answer, but we do our best. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jul 24, 201429 minEp. 176

175. Why You Should Bribe Your Kids

Educational messaging looks good on paper but kids don’t respond to it -- and adults aren’t much better. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jul 17, 201428 minEp. 175

174. What Do King Solomon and David Lee Roth Have in Common?

It isn’t easy to separate the guilty from the innocent, but a clever bit of game theory can help. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jul 10, 201433 minEp. 174

173. A Better Way to Eat

Takeru Kobayashi revolutionized the sport of competitive eating. What can the rest of us learn from his breakthrough? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jul 03, 201426 minEp. 173

171. There’s No Such Thing as a Free Appetizer

Is it really in a restaurant’s best interest to give customers free bread or chips before they even order? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jun 19, 201436 minEp. 171

170. Why America Doesn’t Love Soccer (Yet)

Every four years, the U.S. takes a look at the World Cup and develops a slight crush. What would it take to really fall in love? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jun 12, 201437 minEp. 170

169. Failure Is Your Friend

In which we argue that failure should not only be tolerated but celebrated. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jun 05, 201431 minEp. 169

The Upside of Quitting (Rebroadcast )

You know the saying: a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. To which Freakonomics Radio says ... Are you sure? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 29, 201458 min

168. Think Like a Child

When it comes to generating ideas and asking questions it can be really fruitful to have the mentality of an eight year old. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 22, 201428 minEp. 168

167. The Three Hardest Words in the English Language

Why learning to say “I don’t know” is one of the best things you can do. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 15, 201429 minEp. 167

166. How to Think Like a Freak -- and Other FREAK-quently Asked Questions

Stephen Dubner and Steve Levitt talk about their new book and field questions about prestige, university life, and (yum yum) bacon. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 08, 201427 minEp. 166

165. The Perfect Crime

If you are driving and kill a pedestrian, there's a good chance you'll barely be punished. Why? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

May 01, 201428 minEp. 165

164. Which Came First, the Chicken or the Avocado?

When it comes to exercising outrage, people tend to be very selective. Could it be that humans are our least favorite animal? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 24, 201429 minEp. 164

163. What’s More Dangerous: Marijuana or Alcohol?

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.

Apr 17, 201425 minEp. 163

162. “If Mayors Ruled the World”

Unlike certain elected officials in Washington, mayors all over the country actually get stuff done. So maybe we should ask them to do more? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 10, 201431 minEp. 162

161. How to Make People Quit Smoking

The war on cigarettes has been fairly successful in some places. But 1 billion humans still smoke -- so what comes next? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Apr 03, 201433 minEp. 161

160. Why Everybody Who Doesn’t Hate Bitcoin Loves It

Thinking of Bitcoin as just a digital currency is like thinking about the Internet as just e-mail. Its potential is much more exciting than that. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 27, 201435 minEp. 160

Women Are Not Men (Rebroadcast)

In many ways, the gender gap is closing. In others, not so much. And that's not always a bad thing. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 20, 201437 min

159. “It’s Fun to Smoke Marijuana”

A psychology professor argues that the brain's greatest attribute is knowing what other people are thinking. And that a Queen song, played backwards, can improve your mind-reading skills. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 13, 201423 minEp. 159

158. Is Learning a Foreign Language Really Worth It?

Yes, it expands the mind but we usually don't retain much -- and then there's the opportunity cost. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Mar 06, 201421 minEp. 158

157. Why Are Japanese Homes Disposable?

In most countries, houses get more valuable over time. In Japan, a new buyer will often bulldoze the home. We'll tell you why. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 27, 201423 minEp. 157

156. Why Marry? (Part 2)

The consequences of our low marriage rate -- and if the old model is less attractive, how about a new one? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 20, 201423 minEp. 156

155. Why Marry? (Part 1)

The myths of modern marriage. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 13, 201420 minEp. 155

154. What You Don’t Know About Online Dating

Thick markets, thin markets, and the triumph of attributes over compatibility. This episode is included in the Freakonomics #smartbinge podcast playlist at wnyc.org/smartbinge Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Feb 06, 201436 minEp. 154

153. Reasons to Not Be Ugly

The "beauty premium" is real, for everyone from babies to NFL quarterbacks. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jan 30, 201425 minEp. 153

152. Everybody Gossips (and That’s a Good Thing)

The benefits of rumor-mongering Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jan 23, 201435 minEp. 152
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