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.
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For years, whale oil was used as lighting fuel, industrial lubricant, and the main ingredient in (yum!) margarine. Whale meat was also on a few menus. But today, demand for whale products is at a historic low. And yet some countries still have a whaling industry. We find out why. (Part 2 of “ Everything You Never Knew About Whaling .”) SOURCES: Jay Alabaster , doctoral student at Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism. Bjorn Basberg , professor emeritus of economic histo...
This episode delves into the fascinating history of the 19th-century American whaling industry, from its origins in Nantucket to its peak as a major economic powerhouse. It examines the entrepreneurial spirit, the high-stakes business models akin to modern venture capital, and the inherent dangers faced by whalers. The discussion also covers the industry's eventual collapse due to the advent of petroleum and explores the long-term impact on whale populations and ongoing conservation efforts.
It’s a haphazard way of paying workers, and yet it keeps expanding. With federal tax policy shifting in a pro-tip direction, we revisit an episode from 2019 to find out why. SOURCES: John List , economist at the University of Chicago. Michael Lynn , professor of consumer behavior and marketing at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. Uri Gneezy , economist at the University of California, San Diego’s Rady School of Management. Danny Meyer , founder of Union Square Hospitality Grou...
They should have died out when the lightbulb was invented. Instead they’re a $10 billion industry. What does it mean that we still want tiny fires inside our homes? SOURCES: Tim Cooper , professor emeritus of sustainable design and consumption at Nottingham Trent University. Gökçe Günel , professor of anthropology at Rice University. Steve Horenziak , president of the National Candle Association. Meik Wiking , Danish happiness researcher, C.E.O. of the Happiness Research Institute. RESOURCES:...
The former secretary of state isn’t a flamethrower, but he certainly has strong opinions. In this wide-ranging conversation with Stephen Dubner, he gives them all: on Israel, Gaza, China, Iran, Russia, Biden, Trump — and the rest of the world. SOURCES: Antony Blinken , former Secretary of State. RESOURCES: " Evaluating the impact of two decades of USAID interventions and projecting the effects of defunding on mortality up to 2030: a retrospective impact evaluation and forecasting analysis ," by ...
Until recently, Delaware was almost universally agreed to be the best place for companies to incorporate. Now, with Elon Musk leading a corporate stampede out of the First State, we revisit an episode from 2023 that asked if Delaware’s “franchise” is wildly corrupt, wildly efficient … or both? SOURCES: John Cassara , retired Special Agent detailee to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Terrorism Finance and Financial Intelligence. Doneene Damon , director with Richards, Layton, and Finge...
For years, the playwright David Adjmi was considered “polarizing and difficult.” But creating Stereophonic seems to have healed him. Stephen Dubner gets the story — and sorts out what Adjmi has in common with Richard Wagner. SOURCES: David Adjmi , author and playwright. RESOURCES: " The West End is enjoying a theatre revival. Can Broadway keep up? " by Daniel Thomas (Financial Times, 2025). Lot Six: A Memoir , by David Adjmi (2020). Stereophonic , (2023). EXTRAS: " How Is Live Theater Still Aliv...
The Gulf States and China are spending billions to build stadiums and buy up teams — but what are they really buying? And can an entrepreneur from Cincinnati make his own billions by bringing baseball to Dubai? SOURCES: Simon Chadwick , professor of afroeurasian sport at Emlyon Business School. Derek Fisher , high school basketball coach, former N.B.A. coach and player. Kash Shaikh , chairman, C.E.O., and co-founder of Baseball United. Rory Smith , football correspondent at The Observer. RESOURC...
Before she decided to become a poker pro, Maria Konnikova didn’t know how many cards are in a deck. But she did have a Ph.D. in psychology, a brilliant coach, and a burning desire to know whether life is driven more by skill or chance. She found some answers in poker — and she’s willing to tell us everything she learned. SOURCES: Maria Konnikova , author of The Biggest Bluff. RESOURCES: “ Gender Differences in Performance Predictions: Evidence from the Cognitive Reflection Test ,” by Patrick Rin...
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 Wells, Jeff Horwitz, and Deepa Seetharaman (Wall Street Journal, 2021). " Tucked Into the Tax Bill, a Pl...
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 Fike , co-founder of Aging 2.0 and managing partner of Generator Ventures. Kristen Fortney , co-founder a...
This episode explores the concept of spite, examining whether it's a rational economic behavior. It delves into historical examples like medieval nuns, modern behavioral economics experiments on human nastiness, and the famous case of Bo Jackson rejecting a multi-million dollar NFL contract. The discussion questions if true spite exists or if seemingly self-destructive actions always contain an element of self-interest or emotional reward.
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 Aberystywth University. Neslihan Şenocak , professor of history at Columbia University. RESOURCES: A ...
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 gynecology at the University of California, San Francisco. Catherine Pakaluk , professor of economics at The C...
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 House of Lords Tim Harford , economist, author and columnist for the Financial Times Jim Weissenborn ,...
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 Times, 2025). " British Museum gems for sale on eBay - how a theft was exposed ," by Katie Razzall, Larissa...
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 Falling: Measuring Inflation in a World of E-Commerce ," by Austan Goolsbee and Peter Klenow (American ...
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 reporter at Bloomberg News. RESOURCES: The World For Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Eart...
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, San Francisco Center for Tuberculosis. Gary Klein , cognitive psychologist and pioneer in the field of...
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 the University of Pennsylvania. Amy Edmondson , professor of leadership management at Harvard Busines...
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 & Leadership Master’s program at Georgetown University. Gary Klein , cognitive psychologist and p...
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 and former chief science advisor to Match.com. Ed Galea , founding director of the Fire Safety Enginee...
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. RESOURCES: Fight for Glory , documentary (2025). Martha , documentary (2024). " Reality Check: The Boom—or Glut—...
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 Buchholz , managing director of La Jolla Playhouse. Carmen Cusack , actor. Quentin Earl Darrington , actor. ...
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 Experiment,’ dies at 91, ” by Melissa De Witte ( Stanford Report, 2024). “ Debunking the Stanford Prison Exp...
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 producer. Rocco Landesman , Broadway producer, former owner of Jujamcyn Theaters, former chairman of ...
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 , composer, singer, actor. Rocco Landesman , Broadway producer, former owner of Jujamcyn Theaters, former ch...
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 Child Trends. Dana L. Suskind , professor of surgery at the University of Chicago. RESOURCES: “ How C...
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 , professor of economics at The University of Chicago. RESOURCES: " How Big Is the Subscription Cancellation...
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 at The University of Chicago. RESOURCES: " Selling Subscriptions, " by Liran Einav, Ben Klopack, and Ne...
