Podcast Episodes
Back to Search497. Can the Big Bad Wolf Save Your Life?
Episode 497
Every year, there are more than a million collisions in the U.S. between drivers and deer. The result: hundreds of deaths, thousands of injuries, and billions in damages. Enter the wolf …
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Published on 3 years, 9 months ago
How to Change Your Mind (Ep. 379 Update)
There are a lot of barriers to changing your mind: ego, overconfidence, inertia — and cost. Politicians who flip-flop get mocked; family and friends who cross tribal borders are shunned. But shouldn’…
Published on 3 years, 9 months ago
Do Unions Still Work?
Episode 496
Organized labor hasn’t had this much public support in 50 years, and yet the percentage of Americans in a union is near a record low. A.F.L-C.I.O. president Liz Shuler tries to explain this gap — and…
Published on 3 years, 9 months ago
Why Are There So Many Bad Bosses?
Episode 495
People who are good at their jobs routinely get promoted into bigger jobs they’re bad at. We explain why firms keep producing incompetent managers — and why that’s unlikely to change.
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Published on 3 years, 9 months ago
494. Why Do Most Ideas Fail to Scale?
Episode 494
In a new book called The Voltage Effect, the economist John List — who has already revolutionized how his profession does research — is trying to start a scaling revolution. In this installment of th…
Published on 3 years, 10 months ago
Why Does the Richest Country in the World Have So Many Poor Kids? (Ep. 475 Update)
Among O.E.C.D. nations, the U.S. has one of the highest rates of child poverty. Until recently, it looked as if Washington was about to change that. But then … Washington happened.
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Published on 3 years, 10 months ago
493. Why Does the Most Monotonous Job in the World Pay $1 Million?
Episode 493
Adam Smith famously argued that specialization is the key to prosperity. In the N.F.L., the long snapper is proof of that argument. Just in time for the Super Bowl, here’s everything there is to know…
Published on 3 years, 10 months ago
Are You Ready for a Fresh Start? (Ep. 455 Replay)
Behavioral scientists have been exploring if — and when — a psychological reset can lead to lasting change. We survey evidence from the London Underground, Major League Baseball, and New Year’s resol…
Published on 3 years, 10 months ago
492. How Did a Hayfield Become One of America’s Hottest Cities?
Episode 492
Frisco used to be just another sleepy bedroom community outside of Dallas. Now it’s got corporate headquarters, billions of investment dollars, and a bunch of Democrats in a place that used to be dee…
Published on 3 years, 11 months ago
491. Why Is Everyone Moving to Dallas?
Episode 491
When Stephen Dubner learned that Dallas–Fort Worth will soon overtake Chicago as the third-biggest metro area in the U.S., he got on a plane to find out why. Despite getting stood up by the mayor, ne…
Published on 3 years, 11 months ago