Podcast Episodes
Back to Search501. The University of Impossible-to-Get-Into
Episode 501
America’s top colleges are facing record demand. So why don’t they increase supply? (Part 2 of “Freakonomics Radio Goes Back to School.”)
Hosted by S…
3 years, 10 months ago
500. What Exactly Is College For?
Episode 500
We think of them as intellectual enclaves and the surest route to a better life. But U.S. colleges also operate like firms, trying to differentiate t…
3 years, 10 months ago
Is the U.S. Really Less Corrupt Than China — and How About Russia? (Ep. 481 Update)
The political scientist Yuen Yuen Ang argues that different forms of government create different styles of corruption. The U.S. and China have more i…
3 years, 11 months ago
499. Don't Worry, Be Tacky
Episode 499
The British art superstar Flora Yukhnovich, the Freakonomist Steve Levitt, and the upstart American Basketball Association were all unafraid to follo…
3 years, 11 months ago
498. In the 1890s, the Best-Selling Car Was … Electric
Episode 498
After a huge false start, electric cars are finally about to flourish. We speak with a technology historian about this all-too-common story, and what…
3 years, 11 months ago
497. 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…
3 years, 11 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 …
3 years, 11 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. pr…
4 years 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 — …
4 years 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 sta…
4 years ago