Best Steven Levitt Podcasts (2023)

B

Big Brains

1
A Radical Solution To Address Climate Change, with David Keith 33:34

12m ago33:34

33:34

Climate change can feel like an impossible crisis these days. Every week there is some new report about the irreversible damage we’re doing to our planet and the havoc it will bring to people’s lives. We all know cutting emissions is the solution, yet governments and companies seem no closer to meeting the goals that scientists say we must hit. It …

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
119. Higher Education Is Broken. Can It Be Fixed? 47:10

4d ago47:10

47:10

Economist Michael D. Smith says universities are scrambling to protect a status quo that deserves to die. He tells Steve why the current system is unsustainable, and what’s at stake if nothing changes. RESOURCES: The Abundant University: Remaking Higher Education for a Digital World, by Michael D. Smith (2023). "Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The …

S

Smart People Podcast

1
Reflecting on the Pandemic: What We Learned and What We Didn’t with Joe Nocera 54:57

11d ago54:57

54:57

Why and how did America, in a catastrophically enormous failure, become the world leader in COVID deaths? In this Episode, veteran journalist Joe Nocera offers fresh and provocative answers. We discuss what really happened when governments ran out of PPE due to snarled supply chains and the shock to the financial system when the world's biggest eco…

B

Big Brains

1
How PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Are Harming Our Health, with Linda Birnbaum 29:01

14d ago29:01

29:01

By now, you've probably heard about the dangers of PFAS “forever chemicals.” These chemicals are all around us—they're in waterproof hiking boots, electronics, nonstick pans and even our drinking water—but there's no way for them to break down in our environment. Epidemiological studies have linked to these chemicals to numerous diseases—from kidne…

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
118. “My God, This Is a Transformative Power” 43:36

18d ago43:36

43:36

Computer scientist Fei-Fei Li had a wild idea: download one billion images from the internet and teach a computer to recognize them. She ended up advancing the state of artificial intelligence — and she hopes that will turn out to be a good thing for humanity. RESOURCES: The Worlds I See: Curiosity, Exploration, and Discovery at the Dawn of A.I., b…

S

Smart People Podcast

1
The Neuroscience Behind the Power of Emotions with Dr. Julia DiGangi 58:50

22d ago58:50

58:50

You may feel as if you don't control your emotional energy, that it's an inevitable consequence of the world around you and the forces bearing down on you. But that's not the case. To reach your full potential, you can learn to recognize and harness the energy in your brain. Dr. Julia DiGangi is an expert in the connection between our brains, our e…

B

Big Brains

1
Are We Worse People Than We Used To Be? With Adam Mastroianni 31:32

28d ago31:32

31:32

How many times have you heard this phrase: “Back in the day, people were nicer” or “People aren’t as kind as they used to be?” Most of us have experienced the feeling that people are becoming meaner over time, year after year. But is it true? Are people really less kind than they used to be? That’s the question that has bothered psychologist Adam M…

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
117. Nate Silver Says We're Bad at Making Predictions 42:45

1M ago42:45

42:45

Data scientist Nate Silver gained attention for his election predictions. But even the best prognosticators get it wrong sometimes. He talks to Steve about making good decisions with data, why he’d rather write a newsletter than an academic paper, and how online poker led him to the world of politics. RESOURCES "Not Everyone Who Disagrees With You …

S

Smart People Podcast

1
Life is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way with Kieran Setiya 52:41

1M ago52:41

52:41

Kieran Setiya teaches philosophy at MIT, working mainly in ethics, epistemology, and the philosophy of mind. He is an author and also has a podcast called Five Questions. Kieran's book, Life Is Hard: How Philosophy Can Help Us Find Our Way, is available now. To learn more about Kieran, go to ksetiya.net. You can also find more of his writings on hi…

C

Choiceology with Katy Milkman

1
A Sticky Situation: With Guests Richard Thaler, Wendy Wood & Susan Budowski 37:36

1M ago37:36

37:36

Filling out an overly complicated form or waiting on hold for hours to speak with a customer service rep is a frustrating experience. And sometimes it seems like the process itself is designed to be difficult. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at how friction––time, distance, complexity, or anything that gets in the way of y…

B

Big Brains

1
Freakonomics’ Steven Levitt On The Secret To Making Tough Choices 39:55

1M ago39:55

39:55

Of the academic books that have become household names, “Freakonomics” must be at the top of the list. The 2005 book by University of Chicago scholar Steven Levitt and journalist Stephen Dubner created not only a whole new way of thinking about discovering answers to complex problems, but launched a media empire—from book sequel to a movie to a hit…

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
116. Abraham Verghese Thinks Medicine Can Do Better 48:37

2M ago48:37

48:37

Abraham Verghese is a physician and a best-selling author — in that order, he says. He explains the difference between curing and healing, and tells Steve why doctors should spend more time with patients and less with electronic health records. RESOURCES: The Covenant of Water, by Abraham Verghese (2023). "Abraham Verghese’s Sweeping New Fable of F…

S

Smart People Podcast

1
Threshold: Terminal Lucidity and the Border Between Life and Death, with Dr. Alexander Batthyany 1:11:43

2M ago1:11:43

1:11:43

Prof. Alexander Batthyány, PhD, holds the Chair of the Research Institute for Theoretical Psychology and Personalist Studies at Pázmány Péter Catholic University in Budapest, Hungary. Since 2012, Batthyány is Visiting Professor for Existential Psychotherapy at the Moscow University Institute of Psychoanalysis, Russia. He is Director of the Viktor F…

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
BONUS: Nobel Laureate Claudia Goldin on "Greedy Work" and the Wage Gap 43:13

2M ago43:13

43:13

Claudia Goldin is the newest winner of the Nobel Prize in Economics. Steve spoke to her in 2021 about how inflexible jobs and family responsibilities make it harder for women to earn wages equal to their male counterparts.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

C

Choiceology with Katy Milkman

1
Jumping to Conclusions: With Guests David Silbey & Ned Augenblick 37:15

2M ago37:15

37:15

A train was speeding along the tracks in 19th-century England when a passenger suddenly started smashing windows and waving a pistol in the air. People believed his actions were caused by what was, at the time, a new and unfamiliar form of transportation. Doctors posited the rattling motion and noise of trains could cause passengers to act erratica…

B

Big Brains

1
Will Political Violence Destroy Our Democracy?, With Robert Pape 28:51

2M ago28:51

28:51

Since the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, University of Chicago Prof. Robert Pape has been closely observing the threats to our democracy. Now, the renowned terrorism expert says that violent ideas coming from a dedicated minority are moving from fringe to mainstream. In 2021, Pape's team along with NORC at the University of Chicago launch…

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
115. The Future of Therapy Is Psychedelic 53:05

2M ago53:05

53:05

For 37 years, Rick Doblin has been pushing the F.D.A. to approve treating post-traumatic stress disorder with MDMA, better known as Ecstasy. He tells Steve why he persisted for so long, why he doesn’t like calling drug use “recreational,” and what he learned from his pet wolf. RESOURCES: "MDMA-Assisted Therapy for Moderate to Severe PTSD: A Randomi…

S

Smart People Podcast

1
If we are the only sentient beings, what does that mean for how we live? A manifesto for living with Physicist, Marcelo Gleiser. 57:30

2M ago57:30

57:30

Marcelo Gleiser is a theoretical physicist and public intellectual at Dartmouth College working on basic research ranging from cosmology and applications of information theory to complex phenomena to history and philosophy of science and how science and culture interact. He is devoted to the public understanding of science and is a popular speaker …

C

Choiceology with Katy Milkman

1
No Mean Feat: With Guests Albert Chen & Elizabeth Tipton 33:46

2M ago33:46

33:46

It’s halftime at a basketball game. A kid nervously steps onto center court. If he can score a basket from center court, he’ll take home the prize money. He tells the announcer that he plays on his elementary school team and that he has been practicing for this moment. The crowd holds their breath as the ball sails through the air, hits the backboa…

B

Big Brains

1
Defending Campus Free Speech In A Polarized Age, with Paul Alivisatos and Tom Ginsburg 32:52

2M ago32:52

32:52

Free speech is probably one of the most polarizing public topics of debate. And those arguments only become more intense when it comes to free expression on college and university campuses. Should professors be allowed to say whatever they want? What about speakers being invited to campus? Who gets to say what is acceptable and unacceptable? The Un…

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
114. Is Perfectionism Ruining Your Life? 58:30

3M ago58:30

58:30

Psychologist Thomas Curran argues that perfectionism isn’t about high standards — it’s about never being enough. He explains how the drive to be perfect is harming education, the economy, and our mental health.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

S

Smart People Podcast

1
The Perfection Trap - Learning to let go and focus on what matters most with Thomas Curran 48:56

3M ago48:56

48:56

Thomas Curran is an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychological and Behavioural Science at the London School of Economics. He is a world leading expert on perfectionism. He has written for the Harvard Business Review, was featured in the New Scientist, and his work has been covered by publications including the Guardian, Telegraph, and t…

C

Choiceology with Katy Milkman

1
A Cup of Knowledge: With Guests A.J. Jacobs & Steven Sloman 30:23

3M ago30:23

30:23

Why do ocean waves move the way they do? How does a toaster work? How might ink flow through a ballpoint pen without the help of gravity? You may know the answer to these questions, but explaining them in detail could reveal an unexpected truth. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at why people think they understand things bet…

B

Big Brains

1
Why The Secret To Health Lies In The Mind-body Connection, with Ellen Langer 32:42

3M ago32:42

32:42

Can you heal faster just by tricking your brain? Could you lose weight with only a change of mindset? Could you think yourself into being younger? If you think the answer to all these questions is no, you haven’t read the research from renowned Harvard University psychologist Ellen Langer. Langer is a bit of a legend. She’s the first woman to ever …

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
113. Do We Have Evidence of Alien Life? 49:54

3M ago49:54

49:54

Avi Loeb is a Harvard astronomer who argues that we’ve already encountered extraterrestrial technology. His approach to the search for interstellar objects is scientific, but how plausible is his argument?By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

S

Smart People Podcast

1
Interstellar: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life and Our Future in the Stars with Harvard Astronomer Avi Loeb 58:34

3M ago58:34

58:34

Avi Loeb, the longest serving Chair of Harvard’s Astronomy Department, presented a theory that shook the scientific community: our solar system, Loeb claimed, had likely been visited by a piece of advanced alien technology from a distant star. This provocative and persuasive argument opened millions of minds internationally to the vast possibilitie…

C

Choiceology with Katy Milkman

1
The Golden Misfits: With Guests Gary Lawless & Erika Kirgios 33:49

3M ago33:49

33:49

What is the difference between buying groceries for the whole week versus grabbing something to eat on the way home each day? Grouping choices together so that you make a bunch of selections all at once can seem daunting, but it can actually help you reach your goals faster. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at how taking a …

B

Big Brains

1
Phonics Vs. Whole Word: The Science Of Reading, With Adrian Johns 34:30

3M ago34:30

34:30

Reading is one of the most significant practices in the modern age of information, but it has a complicated history. Scientists began studying reading over a century ago; they built eye movement devices to study how fast and efficiently we read, and even proposed methods on the best ways to teach kids how to read. But all of this well-intentioned s…

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
112. Reading Dostoevsky Behind Bars 53:51

3M ago53:51

53:51

Reginald Dwayne Betts spent more than eight years in prison. Today he's a Yale Law graduate, a MacArthur Fellow, and a poet. His nonprofit works to build libraries in prisons so that more incarcerated people can find hope.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

S

Smart People Podcast

1
Dealing with Stress, Anxiety, and Panic. How to turn anxious energy into a useful tool with Dr. Luana Marques 56:25

4M ago56:25

56:25

Dr. Luana Marques is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Harvard Medical School and Director of Community Psychiatry PRIDE at Massachusetts General Hospital and serves as past-president of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA) Dr. Luana's book, Bold Move: A 3-Step Plan to Transform Anxiety into Power is available now. Find ou…

C

Choiceology with Katy Milkman

1
An Accidental Experiment: With Guests Steven Levitt, Solomon Ezra & Stephen Spector 32:57

4M ago32:57

32:57

Scientifically sound, randomized experiments can be expensive and difficult to run. But there’s an alternative: It turns out that certain real-life situations can also generate useful scientific data. The trick is finding them. In this episode of Choiceology with Katy Milkman, we look at how events outside of our control can create opportunities fo…

B

Big Brains

1
How AI Is Transforming Scientific Research, With Rebecca Willett 31:38

4M ago31:38

31:38

One of the first areas to be affected by AI has been science. Researchers have already started to integrate these new technologies into their work, but what does it mean to let these systems into our labs? Can they be trusted? And, if they so, how radically can they push science forward? Prof. Rebecca Willett is the faculty director of AI at the Un…

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
111. Can a Moonshot Approach to Mental Health Work? 56:28

4M ago56:28

56:28

Obi Felten used to launch projects for X, Google’s innovation lab, but she’s now tackling mental health. She explains why Steve’s dream job was soul-destroying for her, and how peer support could transform the therapeutic industry.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

S

Smart People Podcast

1
How to see things as they really are. A better way to pay attention in a distracted world with Christian Madsbjerg. 1:06:04

4M ago1:06:04

1:06:04

Paying attention is a crucial human skill, yet many of us have forgotten how to listen carefully and observe intentionally. In this episode, we talk about how we can recapture our ability to pay attention that helps all of us to see with more empathy, accuracy, and connection to others. Christian Madsbjerg founded (and sold) ReD Associates - a stra…

B

Big Brains

1
How AI Could Change The Law 27:50

4M ago27:50

27:50

AI promises to change every part of our society, but one area that has already started to be affected is law. And AI may do more than just upend the profession of lawyers. One professor here at the University of Chicago believes that, with its ability to handle massive data sets, AI could be used to entirely change the law itself, making it persona…

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
110. Drawing from Life (and Death) 1:01:34

4M ago1:01:34

1:01:34

Artist Wendy MacNaughton knows the difficulty of sitting in silence and the power of having fun. She explains to Steve the lessons she’s gleaned from drawing hospice residents, working in Rwanda, and reporting from Guantanamo Bay.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

B

Big Brains

1
How AI Can Predict Future Scientific Discoveries 29:21

4M ago29:21

29:21

Science is facing a perplexing problem. Although there are far more scientists today than ever before, publishing research at a faster and faster pace, new and novel advancements have slowed not increased. But one expert at the University of Chicago thinks he may have found a way out of this progress standstill…artificial intelligence. In the last …

S

Smart People Podcast

1
Your IQ doesn't matter, it's all about XQ. How to leverage experiential intelligence with Soren Kaplan 55:09

5M ago55:09

55:09

First we had IQ to predict success. Then Emotional Intelligence (EQ). Now, Experiential Intelligence (XQ) expands our understanding of what's needed to thrive in today's disruptive world. Experiential Intelligence reveals how our past experiences impact our present success and future opportunities in ways we often don't recognize. While you can't c…

P

People I (Mostly) Admire

1
Extra: An Update on the Khan World School 24:49

5M ago24:49

24:49

Sal Khan returns to discuss his innovative online high school’s first year — and Steve grills a member of the school’s class of 2026 about what it’s really like.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Steven Levitt Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Quick Reference Guide