Best Freakonomics Network Podcasts (2024)

1
EXTRA: People Aren’t Dumb. The World Is Hard. (Update) 53:13

11h ago53:13

53:13

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. In an interview from 2018, the founder of behavioral economics describes his unlikely route to success; his reputation for being lazy; and his efforts to fix the world — one nudge at a time. SOURCES: Ric…

1
56. Snake Venom 22:20

41m ago22:20

22:20

Why does treating a venomous snake bite cost as much as a house? Zachary Crockett slithers over to North Carolina to find out. SOURCES: Steve Anderson, emergency medicine business unit leader at BTG Pharmaceuticals. Nick Brandehoff, professor of emergency medicine at the University of Colorado and executive director of the Asclepius Snakebite Found…

1
203. Do You Need a Hug? 39:11

38m ago39:11

39:11

Do humans need touch to survive? Do any of us get enough touch throughout our lives? And why doesn’t Angela want to hug anyone for eight seconds? SOURCES: Ophelia Deroy, chair of the department of philosophy of mind and cognitive neuroscience at Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich. Kory Floyd, professor of communications at the University of Ari…

1
596. Farewell to a Generational Talent 52:41

3d ago52:41

52:41

Daniel Kahneman left his mark on academia (and the real world) in countless ways. A group of his friends and colleagues recently gathered in Chicago to reflect on this legacy — and we were there, with microphones. SOURCES: Maya Bar-Hillel, professor emeritus of psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Shane Frederick, professor of marketin…

1
55. Direct-to-Consumer Mattresses 21:21

6d ago21:21

21:21

Online companies promised to bring transparency to the mattress-buying experience. Did that work out? Zachary Crockett takes a look under the sheets. SOURCES: Derek Hales, founder and editor-in-chief of NapLab.com. Joe Megibow, C.E.O. of Casper Sleep. RESOURCES: "Drake Has a $400,000 Bed − We Asked Why and Where You Can Buy It," by Emilia Hitching …

1
How Effective Are Ultimatums? (Replay) 36:04

7d ago36:04

36:04

How final is a final offer, really? Does anonymity turn nice people into jerks? And should you tell your crush that you dreamed about marrying them? SOURCES: Max Bazerman, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. Deepak Malhotra, professor of business administration at Harvard Business School. Elon Musk, owner and C.T.O. of …

1
135. How to Grow a White Rhino 55:57

8d ago55:57

55:57

Thomas Hildebrandt is trying to bring the northern white rhinoceros back from the brink of extinction. The wildlife veterinarian tells Steve about the far-out techniques he employs, why we might see woolly mammoths in the future, and why he was frustrated the day the Berlin Wall came down. SOURCES: Thomas Hildebrandt, head of the department of repr…

1
595. Why Don't We Have Better Candidates for President? 1:01:50

10d ago1:01:50

1:01:50

American politics is trapped in a duopoly, with two all-powerful parties colluding to stifle competition. We revisit a 2018 episode to explain how the political industry works, and talk to a reformer (and former presidential candidate) who is pushing for change. SOURCES: Katherine Gehl, former president and C.E.O. of Gehl Foods. Michael Porter, pro…

1
54. Ghostwriters 20:29

13d ago20:29

20:29

Channeling the voices of celebrities can be a lucrative career — one that requires empathy and discretion as well as literary chops. Zachary Crockett checks the acknowledgements. SOURCES: Valerie Frankel, ghostwriter. Madeleine Morel, President and Lead Agent of 2M Communications. Daniel Paisner, ghostwriter. RESOURCES: "Ghostwriting History: Churc…

1
202. Why Can’t We Tolerate Discomfort? 40:29

14d ago40:29

40:29

Are we using technology to make ourselves numb? What’s the downside of air conditioning? And was Angela the most annoying person in her college classes? SOURCES: Paul Bloom, professor of psychology at the University of Toronto. Ed Diener, professor emeritus at the University of Illinois. Michael Easter, author. Alex Hutchinson, journalist. Shigehir…

1
REPLAY Sue Bird: “You Have to Pay the Superstars.” 42:30

15d ago42:30

42:30

She is one of the best basketball players ever. She’s won multiple championships, including five Olympic gold medals and four W.N.B.A. titles. She also helped negotiate a landmark contract for the league’s players. Sue Bird tells Steve Levitt the untold truth about clutch players, her thoughts about the pay gap between male and female athletes, and…

1
594. Your Brand’s Spokesperson Just Got Arrested — Now What? 43:38

17d ago43:38

43:38

It’s hard to know whether the benefits of hiring a celebrity are worth the risk. We dig into one gruesome story of an endorsement gone wrong, and find a surprising result. SOURCES: John Cawley, professor of economics at Cornell University. Elizabeth (Zab) Johnson, executive director and senior fellow with the Wharton Neuroscience Initiative at the …

1
53. Food Trucks 19:15

20d ago19:15

19:15

How did mobile kitchens become popular with hipster gourmands? And just how much money can a popular truck make from a lunch shift? Zachary Crocket drops some napkins. SOURCES: Mariel-Leona Edwards, senior operations manager for Señor Sisig. Matthew Geller, founding president of the National Food Truck Association and C.E.O. of the Southern Califor…

1
201. Are You Dreaming Too Big? 41:44

21d ago41:44

41:44

Are fantasies helpful or harmful? How is daydreaming like a drug? And what did Angela fantasize about during ninth-grade English class? SOURCES: Patrick Bet-David, YouTuber and founding C.E.O. of PHP Agency Inc. Barbara Corcoran, "Shark" and executive producer on ABC’s Shark Tank and founder of The Corcoran Group. Peter Gollwitzer, professor of psy…

51
134. Why Do We Still Teach People to Calculate? 58:44

22d ago58:44

58:44

Conrad Wolfram wants to transform the way we teach math — by taking advantage of computers. The creator of Computer-Based Maths convinced the Estonian government to give his radical curriculum a try — so why is the rest of the world so resistant? SOURCE: Conrad Wolfram, strategic director and European cofounder/C.E.O. of Wolfram Research, and found…

1
593. You Can Make a Killing, but Not a Living 49:39

24d ago49:39

49:39

Broadway operates on a winner-take-most business model. A runaway hit like Stereophonic — which just won five Tony Awards — will create a few big winners. But even the stars of the show will have to go elsewhere to make real money. (Part two of a two-part series.) SOURCES: David Adjmi, author and playwright. Sonia Friedman, theater producer and fou…

1
265: Building a Sparkling Soda Fireworks Store?!? | 🎉 Mark Lazarchic of Serenity Ventures 1:15:20

26d ago1:15:20

1:15:20

Mark Lazarchic is the CEO of Serenity Venture Group. He describes himself as a serial entrepreneur with eyes always open. Mark is the owner of multiple successful startup businesses in very competitive markets. Mark has spent the last 10 years being amazed at the level of mediocrity accepted by the public in business. At all levels... This Episode …

1
EXTRA: The Fascinatingly Mundane Secrets of the World’s Most Exclusive Nightclub 44:58

26d ago44:58

44:58

The Berlin dance mecca Berghain is known for its eight-hour line and inscrutable door policy. PJ Vogt, host of the podcast Search Engine, joins us to crack the code. It has to do with Cold War rivalries, German tax law, and one very talented bouncer. SOURCES: Lutz Leichsenring, executive board member of Clubcommission Berlin and co-founder of VibeL…

1
52. Little League 21:08

27d ago21:08

21:08

Youth baseball — long a widely accessible American pastime — has become overrun by $10,000-per-year, for-profit travel leagues. Zachary Crockett peers inside the dugout. SOURCES: Linda Flanagan, author. Nick Mackenzie, future New York Yankees shortstop. R.J. Mackenzie, physical education teacher and baseball dad. John Miller, journalist and basebal…

1
200. What’s the Difference Between Empathy and Sympathy? 40:48

28d ago40:48

40:48

Can you ever really know how another person feels? What’s the best way to support a grieving person? And why doesn’t Hallmark sell empathy cards? SOURCES: Daniel Batson, professor emeritus of psychology at the University of Kansas. Paul Bloom, professor of psychology at University of Toronto. Paul Polman, businessman, author, and former C.E.O. of U…

1
592. How to Make the Coolest Show on Broadway 1:05:08

1M ago1:05:08

1:05:08

Hit by Covid, runaway costs, and a zillion streams of competition, serious theater is in serious trouble. A new hit play called Stereophonic — the most Tony-nominated play in history — has something to say about that. We speak with the people who make it happen every night. (Part one of a two-part series.) SOURCES: David Adjmi, author and playwrigh…

1
51. Wine Corks 16:25

1M ago16:25

16:25

Why do we use a specific kind of tree-bark tissue to seal up 70 percent of wine bottles? Zachary Crockett takes a sniff and gives the waiter a nod. SOURCES: Carlos De Jesus, director of communications at Amorim Cork. RESOURCES: "This Ancient Material Is Displacing Plastics and Creating a Billion-Dollar Industry," by Marta Vidal (The Washington Post…

1
199. What Makes a Good Gathering? 36:59

1M ago36:59

36:59

Why do so many book clubs fall apart? Do the best parties have rules? And does Angela’s husband want to date you? SOURCES: Fredrik Backman, author. David Chavis, senior fellow at Community Science. Daniel Gilbert, professor of psychology at Harvard University. Sebastian Junger, journalist and author. David McMillan, clinical and community psycholog…

101
133. Pay Attention! (Your Body Will Thank You) 59:30

1M ago59:30

59:30

Ellen Langer is a psychologist at Harvard who studies the mind-body connection. She’s published some of the most remarkable scientific findings Steve has ever encountered. Can we really improve our physical health by changing our mind? SOURCE: Ellen Langer, professor of psychology at Harvard University. RESOURCES: Brave New Words: How AI Will Revol…

1
591. Signs of Progress, One Year at a Time 53:20

1M ago53:20

53:20

Every December, a British man named Tom Whitwell publishes a list of 52 things he’s learned that year. These fascinating facts reveal the spectrum of human behavior, from fraud and hypocrisy to Whitwell’s steadfast belief in progress. Should we also believe? SOURCES: Tom Whitwell, managing consultant at Magnetic. RESOURCES: "Supercentenarian and Re…

1
EXTRA: The Opioid Tragedy — How We Got Here 41:59

1M ago41:59

41:59

An update of our 2020 series, in which we spoke with physicians, researchers, and addicts about the root causes of the crisis — and the tension between abstinence and harm reduction. SOURCES: Gail D’Onofrio, professor and chair of emergency medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and chief of emergency services at Yale-New Haven Health. Keith Humph…

1
50. Self-Checkout 18:55

1M ago18:55

18:55

Grocery stores have turned shoppers into cashiers. Zachary Crockett runs two bags of chips and a Gatorade over the scanner. SOURCES: Sara Alloy, experience retail lead for North America at Publicis Sapient. Christopher Andrews, professor of sociology at Drew University. Phil Lempert, founder and C.E.O. of SupermarketGuru. RESOURCES: "Feeling Reward…

1
198. What Does It Mean to Be “Cool”? 40:10

1M ago40:10

40:10

What’s the difference between being popular and being cool? How has social media changed the trend cycle? And what do Taylor Swift and Walmart have in common? SOURCES: Anette Asp, project manager and research coordinator at the California Institute of Technology. Lalin Anik, professor of marketing at Vrije University Amsterdam. Marc Bain, journalis…

301
UPDATE: John Green’s Reluctant Rocket Ship Ride 1:01:46

1M ago1:01:46

1:01:46

Author and YouTuber John Green thought his breakout bestseller wouldn’t be a commercial success, wrote 40,000 words for one sentence, and brought Steve to tears. SOURCE: John Green, best-selling author and YouTube creator. RESOURCES: "The Deadliest Infectious Disease Isn’t a Science Problem. It’s a Money Problem," by John Green (The Washington Post…

1
590. Can $55 Billion End the Opioid Epidemic? 40:56

1M ago40:56

40:56

Thanks to legal settlements with drug makers and distributors, states have plenty of money to boost prevention and treatment. Will it work? (Part two of a two-part series.) SOURCES: Keith Humphreys, professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford University. Stephen Loyd, chief medical officer of Cedar Recovery and chair of the Tennesse…

1
Carnival Games (Replay) 16:44

2M ago16:44

16:44

Does anyone ever win the giant teddy bear? Zachary Crockett steps right up. SOURCES: Matthew Gryczan, retired journalist and engineer. Elliot Simmons, former carnival game worker. Olivia Turner, general manager of Redbone Products. RESOURCES: "AG Platkin Announces 10-Year Ban of Amusement Games Licenses and a Fine for Wildwood Games Operator," by t…

1
197. Is It Wrong to Lie to Children? 38:47

2M ago38:47

38:47

Why do we tell kids that a fairy will give them cash in exchange for their teeth? How should we talk to them about scary things in the world? And is Mike one of the greatest operatic tenors of all time? SOURCES: Laura Wheatman Hill, journalist. George Lin, Ph.D. student in psychology at the University of Pennsylvania. Melinda Wenner Moyer, journali…

401
132. Suleika Jaouad’s Survival Mechanisms 1:04:04

2M ago1:04:04

1:04:04

Suleika Jaouad was diagnosed with cancer at 22. She made her illness the subject of a New York Times column and a memoir, Between Two Kingdoms. She and Steve talk about what it means to live with a potentially fatal illness, how to talk to people who've gone through a tragedy, and ways to encourage medical donations. SOURCE: Suleika Jaouad, author.…

1
Extra: Angela Duckworth on “Masters of Scale” 33:55

2M ago33:55

33:55

WaitWhat C.E.O. Jeff Berman interviews Angela about “grit-scaling” and her unlikely path to academic celebrity.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

1
589. Why Has the Opioid Crisis Lasted So Long? 48:33

2M ago48:33

48:33

Most epidemics flare up, do their damage, and fade away. This one has been raging for almost 30 years. To find out why, it’s time to ask some uncomfortable questions. (Part one of a two-part series.) SOURCES: David Cutler, professor of economics at Harvard University. Travis Donahoe, professor of health policy and management at the University of Pi…

1
Extra: Car Colors & Storage Units 35:15

2M ago35:15

35:15

Presenting two stories from The Economics of Everyday Things: Why does it seem like every car is black, white, or gray these days? And: How self-storage took over America. SOURCES: Tom Crockett, classic car enthusiast. Zachary Dickens, executive vice president and chief investment officer of Extra Space Storage. Mark Gutjahr, global head of design …

1
49. Weather Forecasts 13:46

2M ago13:46

13:46

With industries relying on them and profits to be made, weather forecasts are more precise and more popular than ever. But there are clouds on the horizon. Zachary Crockett grabs an umbrella. SOURCES: Steve Adelman, head of Adelman Law Group, PLLC and vice president of the Event Safety Alliance. Peter Neilley, director of weather forecasting scienc…

1
196. What’s Wrong With Being a Little Neurotic? 38:36

2M ago38:36

38:36

Is there any upside to negative emotions? What can comedians teach us about dealing with pain? And why did Angela eat off of a stranger’s plate at a sushi bar? SOURCES: Ludwig van Beethoven, 18th-19th century composer and pianist. Jen Christensen, reporter and producer at CNN. Lauren Eskreis-Winkler, professor of management & organizations at North…

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