Podcast Episodes

How Stupid Is Our Obsession With Lawns? (Ep. 289 Rebroadcast)

Nearly two percent of America is grassy green. Sure, lawns are beautiful and useful and they smell great. But are the costs — financial, environmental and otherwise — worth the benefits?

Hosted by Si…

Published on 4 years, 5 months ago

467. Is the Future of Farming in the Ocean?

Episode 467

Bren Smith, who grew up fishing and fighting, is now part of a movement that seeks to feed the planet while putting less environmental stress on it. He makes his argument in a book called Eat Like a …

Published on 4 years, 6 months ago

466. She’s From the Government, and She’s Here to Help

Episode 466

Cecilia Rouse, the chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, is as cold-blooded as any economist. But she admits that her profession would do well to focus on policy that actually helps …

Published on 4 years, 6 months ago

465. Introducing a New “Freakonomics of Medicine” Podcast

Episode 465

Bapu Jena was already a double threat: a doctor who’s also an economist. Now he’s a podcast host too. In this sneak preview of the Freakonomics Radio Network’s newest show, Bapu discovers that marat…

Published on 4 years, 6 months ago

464. Will Work-from-Home Work Forever?

Episode 464

The pandemic may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean we’ll return to full-time commuting and packed office buildings. The greatest accidental experiment in the history of labor has lessons to teac…

Published on 4 years, 6 months ago

463. How to Get Anyone to Do Anything

Episode 463

The social psychologist Robert Cialdini is a pioneer in the science of persuasion. His 1984 book Influence is a classic, and he has just published an expanded and revised edition. In this episode of …

Published on 4 years, 7 months ago

These Shoes Are Killing Me! (Ep. 296 Rebroadcast)

The human foot is an evolutionary masterpiece, far more functional than we give it credit for. So why do we encase it in “a coffin” (as one foot scholar calls it) that stymies so much of its ability …

Published on 4 years, 7 months ago

462. The Future of New York City Is in Question. Could Andrew Yang Be the Answer?

Episode 462

The man who wants America to “think harder” has parlayed his quixotic presidential campaign into front-runner status in New York’s mayoral election. And he has some big plans.

Hosted by Simplecast, a…

Published on 4 years, 7 months ago

461. How to Stop Worrying and Love the Robot Apocalypse

Episode 461

It’s true that robots (and other smart technologies) will kill many jobs. It may also be true that newer collaborative robots (“cobots”) will totally reinvigorate how work gets done. That, at least, …

Published on 4 years, 7 months ago

460. The True Story of the Minimum-Wage Fight

Episode 460

Backers of a $15 federal wage say it’s a no-brainer if you want to fight poverty. Critics say it’s a blunt instrument that leads to job loss. Even the economists can’t agree! We talk to a bunch of th…

Published on 4 years, 8 months ago