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Freakonomics Radio

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner uncovers the hidden side of everything. Why is it safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car? How do we decide whom to marry? Why is the media so full of bad news? Also: things you never knew you wanted to know about wolves, bananas, pollution, search engines, and the quirks of human behavior. To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple

society & culture documentary

All Episodes

00:49:25

689. Here’s Why Your Hamburger Just Got So Pricey

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/10/02

An economist calls America’s beef industry a “miracle.” An antitrust scholar calls it “broken.” Maybe they’re both right?SOURCES:Austin Frerick, agriculture antitrust expert, fellow at Yale University, author of Barons: Money, Power, and the Corruption of America's Food Industry.Robert Hodgen, C.E.O. of King Ranch.Roger Horowitz, food historian, director of the Center for the History of Business, Technology, and Society at the Hagley Museum and Library.Derrell Peel, Charles Breedlove Professorship

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00:50:32

688. When Is a Bet Not a Bet?

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/09/25

That’s the question at the heart of a battle between Kalshi and state gambling regulators. As prediction markets boom, there are other questions, too — about insider trading, market manipulation, and whether the public has turned against them. (Part two of a two-part series.)SOURCES:Gary Gensler, former chair of the S.E.C. and the C.F.T.C.Robin Hanson, professor of economics at George Mason University.Nicole Kagan, head of research at Kalshi.Tarek Mansour, co-founder and C.E.O. of

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00:48:39

687. Are Prediction Markets the Best Forecasting Tool...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/09/18

The promise is that they can beat the experts at predicting inflation, elections, and FDA approvals. But right now, roughly 90 percent of the action is sports. Is this a future we want to bet on? Stephen Dubner speaks with, among others, the C.E.O. of Kalshi. (Part one of a two-part series.)SOURCES:Robin Hanson, professor of economics at George Mason University.Nicole Kagan, head of research at Kalshi.Tarek Mansour, co-founder and C.E.O. of Kalshi.RESOURCE:"Kalshi and the Rise of Macro Markets," by

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00:32:32

How to Be a Double Unicorn, with John Urschel |...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/09/16

He was thriving in the N.F.L., but then he decided to focus on mathematics — a subject he now teaches at M.I.T. John walks Stephen Dubner through the whole story, teaches him some blocking techniques, and explains why some infinities are bigger than others.If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for

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00:58:20

686. Why Is It So Hard to Find an NFL Quarterback?

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/09/11

For decades, teams have tried (and mostly failed) to predict which college quarterbacks will thrive in the pros. Is the science finally catching up? Stephen Dubner speaks with a scout, a psychologist, a data warrior, and a Hall of Fame quarterback who nobody wanted.SOURCES:Scott Goldman, sports psychologist, owner of the Athletic Intelligence Quotient.Dan Hatman, director of scouting development at the Scouting Academy.Stephen Smith, founder and C.E.O. of Kitman Labs.Kurt Warner, Hall-of-Fame

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00:32:09

Amazon Was Supposed to Kill the Bookstore. James...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/09/09

He started with one small shop in London. He has since resuscitated both Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. He tells Stephen Dubner exactly how he does it.If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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00:57:37

685. How to Survive the A.I. Shock

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/09/04

Gina Raimondo, a former commerce secretary and governor, thinks A.I. will create plenty of jobs in the long run. She also thinks a poorly managed transition could tear the country apart. So she came up with a plan.SOURCES:Gina Raimondo, co-chair and C.E.O. of RAISE US.RESOURCES:"What Makes New Work Different from More Work?," by David Autor, Caroline Chin, Anna Salomons, and Bryan Seegmiller (NBER, 2026)."$500 million AI jobs push launches with bipartisan backing," by Christine Mui (POLITICO,

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00:37:35

How to Run an Institution in an Anti-Institution Era...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/09/02

Anne Pasternak (Brooklyn Museum) and Michael Roth (Wesleyan University) tell Stephen Dubner how they keep the peace in the middle of a culture war.If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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00:50:48

How to Return Stolen Art (Update)

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/08/28

Museums are purging their collections of looted treasures. Can they also get something in return? And what does it mean to be a museum in the 21st century? (Part 3 of an updated series originally published in 2023.)SOURCES: Patricia Allan, museum consultant, former curator of world cultures for the Glasgow Museums. Andrea Bayer, deputy director for collections and administration at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Lonnie G. Bunch III, Secretary of the Smithsonian

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00:42:42

“I Trust Almost Anyone More Than Myself” | Better in...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/08/26

The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jennifer Egan talks about confidence, luck, and why it takes 35 drafts to get to the finish line.If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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00:52:55

Is a Museum Just a Trophy Case? (Update)

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/08/21

The world’s great museums are full of art and artifacts that were plundered during an era when plunder was the norm. Now there’s a push to return these works to their rightful owners. Sounds simple, right? It's not. (Part 2 of an updated series originally published in 2023.)SOURCES: Matthew Bogdanos, assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and chief of the Antiquities Trafficking Unit. Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum. Victor

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00:50:40

Meet Warren Zanes, the Author and Rocker Behind the...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/08/19

When he joined the Del Fuegos, his big brother’s band, all Warren knew how to play was a record player. Things went great for a while — and then it all fell apart. So how did he wind up writing definitive books on Springsteen and Tom Petty? If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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00:54:10

The Case of the $4 Million Gold Coffin (Update)

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/08/14

How did a freshly looted Egyptian antiquity end up in the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Why did it take Kim Kardashian to crack the case? And how much of what you see in any museum is stolen? (Part 1 of “Stealing Art Is Easy. Giving It Back Is Hard,” first published in 2023.)SOURCES: Andrea Bayer, deputy director of collections and administration at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Matthew Bogdanos, assistant district attorney in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office and chief of the

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00:34:17

What if Being a Stranger Is Actually Your Superpower?...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/08/12

Angela Buchdahl was the first Asian American to be ordained as a rabbi, and now she is among the most influential rabbis in the world. She and Stephen Dubner talk about boundary-crossing, the aftermath of October 7, and whether you can be a good Jew without believing in God. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal

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01:06:59

684. He Helped Clean Up the Last Crash. Does He See...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/08/07

Former S.E.C. chair Gary Gensler has had a front-row seat to numerous financial booms and busts. How does he feel about America’s massive bet on A.I.? “Something has to give.”SOURCES: Gary Gensler, professor of the practice of global economics, management, and finance at M.I.T. RESOURCES: This Time Is Different: Eight Centuries of Financial Folly, by Carmen Reinhart and Kenneth Rogoff (2011). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information

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00:44:59

Does it Take a Twisted Mind to Write Twisted Stories?...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/08/05

Harlan Coben doesn’t think so. The mega-best-selling author talks suburbia, impostor syndrome, and what he learned from his college friend David Foster Wallace.If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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00:56:27

683. In the New Space Race, Who Makes the Rules?

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/07/31

Governments started the space age. Now, billionaires and private firms are reinventing it. Guest host Steve Levitt explores what the past can teach us about a high-stakes future. (Part two of a two-part series.)SOURCES: Blaise Agüera y Arcas, vice president and fellow at Google, C.T.O. of technology and society. Rosanna Hoffman, head of space law, policy, and sustainability at the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. Alex Macdonald, former first chief economist at NASA,

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00:47:06

How Gary Gulman Turned Depression Into Comedy Gold |...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/07/29

Gary and Stephen talk about creativity, recovery, getting fired, and holding grudges. They also get outside and play basketball, which is a big part of how Gary stays well. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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00:48:18

682. Should A.I. Move to Space?

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/07/24

At first it sounds ridiculous. But it might be inevitable. Guest host Steve Levitt talks to a team that hopes to push A.I. infrastructure off the planet. Part one of a two-part series.)SOURCES: Blaise Agüera y Arcas, vice president and fellow at Google, C.T.O. of technology and society. Travis Beals, senior director of product management at Google, Project Suncatcher lead. Will Marshall, co-founder and C.E.O. of Planet Labs. RESOURCES: What Is Intelligence?, by Blaise

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00:42:47

Why Cooking is Caregiving, with Chef Hillary Sterling...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2026/07/22

Hillary Sterling was a Brooklyn kid raised on cream cheese sandwiches and canned potatoes. So how did she become one of New York City's best chefs? The Ci Siamo executive chef explains on the second episode of Better in Person. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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