Podcast Episodes
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People Aren’t Dumb. The World Is Hard. (Rebroadcast)
You wouldn’t think you could win a Nobel Prize for showing that humans tend to make irrational decisions. But that’s what Richard Thaler has done. Th…
7 years, 2 months ago
Freakonomics Radio Live: “Where Does Fear Live in the Brain?”
Our co-host is comedian Christian Finnegan, and we learn: the difference between danger and fear; the role of clouds in climate change; and why (and …
7 years, 3 months ago
Freakonomics Radio Live: “The World’s a Mess. But Oysters, They Hold it Down.”
Celebrity chef Alex Guarnaschelli joins us to co-host an evening of delicious fact-finding: where a trillion oysters went, whether a soda tax can wor…
7 years, 3 months ago
Freakonomics Radio Live: “We Thought of a Way to Manipulate Your Perception of Time.”
We learn how to be less impatient, how to tell fake news from real, and the simple trick that nurses used to make better predictions than doctors. Jo…
7 years, 3 months ago
361. Freakonomics Radio Live: “Jesus Could Have Been a Pigeon.”
Episode 361
Our co-host is Grit author Angela Duckworth, and we learn fascinating, Freakonomical facts from a parade of guests. For instance: what we all get wro…
7 years, 3 months ago
360. Is the Protestant Work Ethic Real?
Episode 360
In the early 20th century, Max Weber argued that Protestantism created wealth. Finally, there are data to prove if he was right. All it took were som…
7 years, 3 months ago
359. Should America Be Run by … Trader Joe’s?
Episode 359
The quirky little grocery chain with California roots and German ownership has a lot to teach all of us about choice architecture, efficiency, frugal…
7 years, 3 months ago
There’s a War on Sugar. Is It Justified? (Rebroadcast)
Some people argue that sugar should be regulated, like alcohol and tobacco, on the grounds that it’s addictive and toxic. How much sense does that ma…
7 years, 3 months ago
358. Yes, the Open Office Is Terrible — But It Doesn’t Have to Be
Episode 358
It began as a post-war dream for a more collaborative and egalitarian workplace. It has evolved into a nightmare of noise and discomfort. Can the ope…
7 years, 4 months ago
357. Can an Industrial Giant Become a Tech Darling?
Episode 357
The Ford Motor Company is ditching its legacy sedans, doubling down on trucks, and trying to steer its stock price out of a long skid. But C.E.O. Jim…
7 years, 4 months ago