Freakonomics Radio
WNYC
Discover the hidden side of everything with Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the Freakonomics books. Each week, Freakonomics Radio tells you things you always thought you knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) — from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything. Dubner speaks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, and various other underachievers.
Location:
New York, NY
Description:
Discover the hidden side of everything with Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the Freakonomics books. Each week, Freakonomics Radio tells you things you always thought you knew (but didn’t) and things you never thought you wanted to know (but do) — from the economics of sleep to how to become great at just about anything. Dubner speaks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, intellectuals and entrepreneurs, and various other underachievers.
Language:
English
Contact:
160 Varick St. New York, NY 10013
Episodes
Is Economic Growth the Wrong Goal? (Ep. 429 Update)
2/1/2023
The economist Kate Raworth says the aggressive pursuit of G.D.P. is trashing the planet and shortchanging too many people. She has proposed an alternative — and the city of Amsterdam is giving it a try. How's it going?
Duration:00:41:45
The Economics of Everyday Things: Girl Scout Cookies
1/29/2023
How does America's cutest sales force get billions of Thin Mints, Samoas, and Tagalongs into our hands every year? Zachary Crockett finds out in the second episode of our newest podcast, The Economics of Everyday Things.
Duration:00:14:14
532. Do You Know Who Owns Your Vet?
1/25/2023
When small businesses get bought by big investors, the name may stay the same — but customers and employees can feel the difference. (Part 2 of 2.)
Duration:00:46:42
Introducing “The Economics of Everyday Things”
1/22/2023
A new podcast hosted by Zachary Crockett. In the first episode: Gas stations. When gas prices skyrocket, do station owners get a windfall? And where do their profits really come from?
Duration:00:15:23
531. Should You Trust Private Equity to Take Care of Your Dog?
1/18/2023
Big investors are buying up local veterinary practices (and pretty much everything else). What does this mean for scruffy little Max* — and for the U.S. economy? (Part 1 of 2.)
*The most popular dog name in the U.S. in 2022.
Duration:00:42:05
Extra: Samin Nosrat Always Wanted to Be Famous
1/15/2023
And with her book "Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat," she succeeded. Now she's not so sure how to feel about all the attention.
Duration:00:40:26
530. What's Wrong with Being a One-Hit Wonder?
1/11/2023
We tend to look down on artists who can't match their breakthrough success. Should we be celebrating them instead?
Duration:00:52:34
529. Can Our Surroundings Make Us Smarter?
1/4/2023
In a special episode of No Stupid Questions, Stephen Dubner and Angela Duckworth discuss classroom design, open offices, and cognitive drift.
Duration:00:51:30
528. Yuval Noah Harari Thinks Life is Meaningless and Amazing
12/28/2022
In this special episode of People I (Mostly) Admire, Steve Levitt talks to the best-selling author of Sapiens and Homo Deus about finding the profound in the obvious.
Duration:00:56:24
527. Can Adam Smith Fix Our Economy?
12/21/2022
Labor exploitation! Corporate profiteering! Government corruption! The 21st century can look a lot like the 18th. In the final episode of a series, we turn to “the father of economics” for solutions. (Part 3 of “In Search of the Real Adam Smith.”)
Duration:00:52:27
526. Was Adam Smith Really a Right-Winger?
12/14/2022
Economists and politicians have turned him into a mascot for free-market ideology. Some on the left say the right has badly misread him. Prepare for a very Smithy tug of war. (Part 2 of “In Search of the Real Adam Smith.”)
Duration:01:16:24
Freakonomics Radio Needs Your Help
12/11/2022
A sneak peek at an upcoming series — and a call for would-be radio reporters.
Duration:00:07:01
525. In Search of the Real Adam Smith
12/7/2022
How did an affable 18th-century “moral philosopher” become the patron saint of cutthroat capitalism? Does “the invisible hand” mean what everyone thinks it does? We travel to Smith’s hometown in Scotland to uncover the man behind the myth. (Part 1 of a series.)
Duration:00:46:42
524. How Important Is Breastfeeding, Really?
11/30/2022
In this special episode of Freakonomics, M.D., host Bapu Jena looks at a clever new study that could help answer one of parenting’s most contentious questions.
Duration:00:35:46
523. Did Michael Lewis Just Get Lucky with “Moneyball”?
11/23/2022
No — but he does have a knack for stumbling into the perfect moment, including the recent FTX debacle. In this installment of the Freakonomics Radio Book Club, we revisit the book that launched the analytics revolution.
Duration:01:00:24
522. Is Google Getting Worse?
11/16/2022
It used to feel like magic. Now it can feel like a set of cheap tricks. Is the problem with Google — or with us?
Duration:00:54:12
The Most Interesting Fruit in the World (Ep. 375 Update)
11/9/2022
The banana, once a luxury good, rose to become America’s favorite fruit. Now a deadly fungus threatens to wipe it out. Can it be saved?
Duration:00:40:07
521. I’m Your Biggest Fan!
11/2/2022
It’s fun to obsess over pop stars and racecar drivers — but is fandom making our politics even more toxic?
Duration:00:44:18
520. The Unintended Consequences of Working from Home
10/26/2022
The last two years have radically changed the way we work — producing winners, losers, and a lot of surprises.
Duration:00:40:10
519. Has Globalization Failed?
10/19/2022
It was supposed to boost prosperity and democracy at the same time. What really happened? According to the legal scholar Anthea Roberts, it depends which story you believe.
Duration:00:46:03