Podcast Episodes

400. How to Hate Taxes a Little Bit Less

Episode 400

Every year, Americans short the I.R.S. nearly half a trillion dollars. Most ideas to increase compliance are more stick than carrot — scary letters, audits, and penalties. But what if we gave taxpaye…

Published on 6 years ago

399. Honey, I Grew the Economy

Episode 399

Innovation experts have long overlooked where a lot of innovation actually happens. The personal computer, the mountain bike, the artificial pancreas — none of these came from some big R&D lab, but f…

Published on 6 years ago

How to Change Your Mind (Rebroadcast)

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 6 years, 1 month ago

398. The Truth About the Vaping Crisis

Episode 398

A recent outbreak of illness and death has gotten everyone’s attention — including late-to-the-game regulators. But would a ban on e-cigarettes do more harm than good? We smoke out the facts.

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Published on 6 years, 1 month ago

397. How to Save $32 Million in One Hour

Episode 397

For nearly a decade, governments have been using behavioral nudges to solve problems — and the strategy is catching on in healthcare, firefighting, and policing. But is that thinking too small? Could…

Published on 6 years, 1 month ago

396. Why Does Tipping Still Exist?

Episode 396

It’s an acutely haphazard way of paying workers, and yet it keeps expanding. We dig into the data to find out why.

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Published on 6 years, 1 month ago

395. Speak Softly and Carry Big Data

Episode 395

Do economic sanctions work? Are big democracies any good at spreading democracy? What is the root cause of terrorism? It turns out that data analysis can help answer all these questions — and make be…

Published on 6 years, 2 months ago

394. Does Hollywood Still Have a Princess Problem?

Episode 394

For decades, there’s been a huge gender disparity both on-screen and behind the scenes. But it seems like cold, hard data — with an assist from the actor Geena Davis — may finally be moving the needl…

Published on 6 years, 2 months ago

393. Can Britain Get Its “Great” Back?

Episode 393

It used to be a global capital of innovation, invention, and exploration. Now it’s best known for its messy European divorce. We visit London to see if the British spirit of discovery is still alive.…

Published on 6 years, 2 months ago

392. The Prime Minister Who Cried Brexit

Episode 392

In 2016, David Cameron held a referendum on whether the U.K. should stay in the European Union. A longtime Euroskeptic, he nevertheless led the Remain campaign. So what did Cameron really want? We as…

Published on 6 years, 2 months ago