Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
636. Why Aren’t We Having More Babies?
Episode 636
For decades, the great fear was overpopulation. Now it’s the opposite. How did this happen — and what’s being done about it? (Part one of a three-part series, “Cradle to Grave.”)
SOURCES:Matthias Doe…
Published on 6 months, 2 weeks ago
An Economics Lesson from a Talking Pencil (Update)
Episode 236
A famous essay argues that “not a single person on the face of this earth” knows how to make a pencil. How true is that? In this 2016 episode, we looked at what pencil-making can teach us about glob…
Published on 6 months, 2 weeks ago
635. Can a Museum Be the Conscience of a Nation?
Episode 635
Nicholas Cullinan, the new director of the British Museum, seems to think so. “I'm not afraid of the past,” he says — which means talking about looted objects, the basement storerooms, and the leakin…
Published on 6 months, 3 weeks ago
634. “Fault-Finder Is a Minimum-Wage Job”
Episode 634
Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, is less reserved than the average banker. He explains why vibes are overrated, why the Fed’s independence is non-negotiable, and why…
Published on 7 months ago
633. The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of
Episode 633
Just beneath the surface of the global economy, there is a hidden layer of dealmakers for whom war, chaos, and sanctions can be a great business opportunity. Javier Blas and Jack Farchy, the authors …
Published on 7 months, 1 week ago
How to Succeed at Failing, Part 4: Extreme Resiliency (Update)
Episode 564
Everyone makes mistakes. How do we learn from them? Lessons from the classroom, the Air Force, and the world’s deadliest infectious disease. (Part four of a four-part series.)
SOURCES:Will Coleman, f…
Published on 7 months, 1 week ago
How to Succeed at Failing, Part 3: Grit vs. Quit (Update)
Episode 563
Giving up can be painful. That's why we need to talk about it. Today: stories about glitchy apps, leaky paint cans, broken sculptures — and a quest for the perfect bowl of ramen. (Part three of a fou…
Published on 7 months, 2 weeks ago
How to Succeed at Failing, Part 2: Life and Death (Update)
Episode 562
In medicine, failure can be catastrophic. It can also produce discoveries that save millions of lives. Tales from the front line, the lab, and the I.T. department. (Part two of a four-part series.)
S…
Published on 7 months, 2 weeks ago
How to Succeed at Failing, Part 1: The Chain of Events (Update)
Episode 561
We tend to think of tragedies as a single terrible moment, rather than the result of multiple bad decisions. Can this pattern be reversed? We try — with stories about wildfires, school shootings, and…
Published on 7 months, 3 weeks ago
632. When Did We All Start Watching Documentaries?
Episode 632
It used to be that making documentary films meant taking a vow of poverty (and obscurity). The streaming revolution changed that. Award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler talks to Stephen Dubner about cap…
Published on 7 months, 4 weeks ago