Podcast Episodes
Back to Search87. How Much Are the Right Friends Worth?
Episode 87
Harvard economist Raj Chetty uses tax data to study inequality, kid success, and social mobility. He explains why you should be careful when choosing…
3 years, 9 months ago
86. A Million-Year View on Morality
Episode 86
Philosopher Will MacAskill thinks about how to do as much good as possible. But that's really hard, especially when you're worried about humans who w…
3 years, 10 months ago
85. What It Takes to Know Everything
Episode 85
Victoria Groce is one of the best trivia contestants on earth. She explains the structure of a good question, why she knits during competitions, and …
3 years, 10 months ago
84. Yuval Noah Harari Thinks Life Is Meaningless and Amazing
Episode 84
The author of Sapiens has a knack for finding the profound in the obvious. He tells Steve why money is fiction, traffic can be mind-blowing, and poli…
3 years, 11 months ago
83. “There's So Many Problems — Which Ones Can I Make a Difference On?”
Episode 83
When she's not rescuing chickens from coyotes, Susan Athey uses economics to address real-world challenges — from online ad auctions to carbon captur…
3 years, 11 months ago
82. Is This the Future of High School?
Episode 82
Khan Academy founder Sal Khan returns to share his vision for a new way to learn — and the conversation inspires Steve to make a big announcement.
Ho…
3 years, 11 months ago
81. Why Bother Searching for Aliens?
Episode 81
Astronomer Jill Tarter spent her career searching for extraterrestrial intelligence. She explains what civilizations from other planets could teach u…
3 years, 11 months ago
80. Get Your Share of the Pie
Episode 80
Game theorist Barry Nalebuff explains how he used basic economics to build Honest Tea into a multimillion-dollar business, and shares his innovative …
4 years ago
79. Solar Geoengineering Would Be Radical. It Might Also Be Necessary.
Episode 79
David Keith has spent his career studying ways to reflect sunlight away from the earth. It could reduce the risks of climate change — but it won’t sa…
4 years ago
78. Giving It Away
Episode 78
Billionaire John Arnold is figuring out how to do as much good as he can with his wealth. It takes hard work, risk tolerance, and a lot of spending.
…
4 years ago