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Freakonomics

Freakonomics Radio explores the hidden side of everything with stories about cheating schoolteachers, shadow economies, and smart people who make stupid mistakes. Prepare to be enlightened, engaged, perhaps enraged and definitely surprised by this podcast, hosted by Stephen J. Dubner, one of the co-authors of the “Freakonomics” series of books and blog.

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Latest Episodes

  • Why Family and Business Don’t Mix

    Released 06.12.13

    Yet another reason to blame your parents for pretty much everything.

  • Should Tipping be Banned?

    Released 06.03.13

    It's awkward, random, confusing -- and probably discriminatory too.

  • Baby, You Can Program My Car

    Released 05.29.13

    A glimpse into our driverless future

  • Can You Be Too Smart for Your Own Good? And Other FREAK-quently Asked Questions

    Released 05.23.13

    Dubner and Levitt talk about circadian rhythms, gay marriage, autism, and whether "pay what you want" is everything it's cracked up to be.

  • REBROADCAST: The Hidden Cost of False Alarms

    Released 05.15.13

    If any other product failed 94 percent of the time, you'd probably stop using it. So why do we put up with burglar alarms?

  • What Do Medieval Nuns and Bo Jackson Have in Common?

    Released 05.09.13

    A look at whether spite pays -- and if it even exists.

  • It’s Crowded at the Top

    Released 05.01.13

    Why is unemployment still so high? It may be because of something that happened well before the Great Recession.

  • Running to Do Evil

    Released 04.25.13

    An interview with Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, whose younger brother turned him in -- and what it says about the Boston bombers.

  • Help Wanted. No Smokers Need Apply

    Released 04.17.13

    In many states, it is perfectly legal to not hire someone who smokes. Should employers also be able to weed out junk-food lovers or motorcyclists -- or anyone who wants to have a baby?

  • How Much Does Your Name Matter?

    Released 04.08.13

    A kid's name can tell us something about his parents -- their race, social standing, even their politics.

  • The Tax Man Nudgeth

    Released 04.03.13

    Real tax reform may or may not ever happen. In the meantime, how about making the current system work a bit better?

  • 100 Ways to Fight Obesity

    Released 03.27.13

    Freakonomics asks a dozen smart people for their best ideas. Get ready for a fat tax, a sugar ban, and a calorie-chomping tapeworm.

  • How Money Is March Madness?

    Released 03.21.13

    The NCAA basketball tournament grabs a lot of eyeballs, but turning them into dollars hasn't always been easy -- even when the "talent" is playing for free.

  • Parking Is Hell

    Released 03.13.13

    There ain't no such thing as a free parking spot. Somebody has to pay for it -- and that somebody is everybody.

  • When Is a Negative a Positive?

    Released 03.06.13

    Sure, we all like to hear compliments. But if you're truly looking to get better at something, it's the negative feedback that will get you there.

  • Women Are Not Men

    Released 02.24.13

    In many ways, the gender gap is closing. In others, not so much. And that's not always a bad thing.

  • The Downside of More Miles Per Gallon

    Released 02.20.13

    The gas tax doesn't work well, and it's only going to get worse. What's next?

  • How to Think About Guns

    Released 02.13.13

    No one wants mass shootings. Unfortunately, no one has a workable plan to stop them either.

  • Sure, I Remember That

    Released 02.06.13

    It is startlingly easy to create false memories, especially in politics.

  • Would You Let a Coin Toss Decide Your Future?

    Released 01.30.13

    Levitt and Dubner go deep on "Freakonomics Experiments," a new research project that lets you take a chance on life.

  • Introducing “Freakonomics Experiments”

    Released 01.23.13

    Steve Levitt has a novel idea for helping people make tough decisions

  • Who Owns the Words That Come Out of Your Mouth?

    Released 01.16.13

    The very long reach of Winston Churchill -- and how the British government is remaking copyright law.

  • How to Live Longer

    Released 01.09.13

    Why do Hall of Fame inductees, Oscar winners, and Nobel laureates outlive their peers?

  • How Did “Freakonomics” Get Its Name? … and Other FREAK-quently Asked Questions

    Released 01.02.13

    Levitt and Dubner answer your questions about driving, sneezing, and ladies’ nights. Plus a remembrance of Levitt’s sister Linda.

  • How Much Does a Good Boss Really Matter?

    Released 12.26.12

    It's harder than you'd think to measure the value of a boss. But some enterprising economists have done just that -- and the news is good.

  • The House of Dreams

    Released 12.19.12

    Dubner's childhood home goes from sacred to profane -- and then back again.

  • Have a Very Homo Economicus Christmas

    Released 12.12.12

    Who better than an economist to help with your shopping list?

  • The Things They Taught Me

    Released 12.05.12

    College, at its best, is about learning to think. Stephen Dubner chats up three of his former professors who made the magic happen.

  • Free-conomics

    Released 11.28.12

    Economists are a notoriously self-interested bunch. But a British outfit called Pro Bono Economics is giving away its services to selected charities.

  • I Consult, Therefore I Am

    Released 11.21.12

    There are enough management consultants these days to form a small nation. But what do they actually do?

  • Mass Transit Hysteria

    Released 11.14.12

    Adding more train and bus lines looks like an environmental slam dunk. Until you start to do the math.

  • Our 100th Episode!

    Released 11.05.12

    Turkey sex and chicken wings, selling souls and swapping organs, the power of the president and the price of wine: these are a few of our favorite things.

  • How to Maximize Your Halloween Candy Haul

    Released 10.31.12

    Is it as simple as going to the richest neighborhood you can find? Of course not ...

  • We the Sheeple

    Released 10.24.12

    Politicians tell voters exactly what they want to hear, even when it makes no sense. Which is pretty much all the time.

  • Lying to Ourselves

    Released 10.17.12

    We rely on polls and surveys to tell us how people will behave in the future. Too bad they're completely unreliable.

  • The Cobra Effect

    Released 10.10.12

    When you want to get rid of a nasty pest, one obvious solution comes to mind: just offer a cash reward.

  • Why America’s Economic Growth May Be (Shh!) Over

    Released 10.03.12

    Sure, we love our computers and all the rest of our digital toys. But when it comes to real economic gains, can we ever match old-school innovations like the automobile and electricity?

  • The Tale of the $15 Tomato

    Released 09.23.12

    Trying to go rustic by baking, brewing, and knitting at home can be terribly inefficient. And that's a wonderful thing.

  • Why Online Poker Should Be Legal

    Released 09.19.12

    The data show that poker is indeed a game of skill, not chance, and a Federal judge agrees. So why are players still being treated like criminals?

  • Fear Thy Nature

    Released 09.12.12

    What "Sleep No More" and the Stanford Prison Experiment tell us about who we really are.

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