x

75% of people globally want unbiased news (Pew Research) but are concerned they're not getting that.

Get balanced coverage with Symby. See how stories are covered across diverse outlets and spot when one side covers a story the other skips.

PODCAST

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

00:47:22

643. Why Do Candles Still Exist?

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/08/01

They should have died out when the lightbulb was invented. Instead they’re a $10 billion industry. What does it mean that we still want tiny fires inside our homes? SOURCES:Tim Cooper, professor emeritus of sustainable design and consumption at Nottingham Trent University.Gökçe Günel, professor of anthropology at Rice University.Steve Horenziak, president of the National Candle Association.Meik Wiking, Danish happiness researcher, C.E.O. of the Happiness Research Institute. RESOURCES:"The Great

en-us

01:06:28

642. How to Wage Peace, According to Tony Blinken

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/07/25

The former secretary of state isn’t a flamethrower, but he certainly has strong opinions. In this wide-ranging conversation with Stephen Dubner, he gives them all: on Israel, Gaza, China, Iran, Russia, Biden, Trump — and the rest of the world. SOURCES:Antony Blinken, former Secretary of State. RESOURCES:"Evaluating the impact of two decades of USAID interventions and projecting the effects of defunding on mortality up to 2030: a retrospective impact evaluation and forecasting analysis," by Daniella

en-us

00:47:02

Why Does One Tiny State Set the Rules for Everyone?...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/07/23

Until recently, Delaware was almost universally agreed to be the best place for companies to incorporate. Now, with Elon Musk leading a corporate stampede out of the First State, we revisit an episode from 2023 that asked if Delaware’s “franchise” is wildly corrupt, wildly efficient … or both? SOURCES:John Cassara, retired Special Agent detailee to the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Terrorism Finance and Financial Intelligence.Doneene Damon, director with Richards, Layton, and Finger.Travis

en-us

00:46:22

641. What Does It Cost to Lead a Creative Life?

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/07/18

For years, the playwright David Adjmi was considered “polarizing and difficult.” But creating Stereophonic seems to have healed him. Stephen Dubner gets the story — and sorts out what Adjmi has in common with Richard Wagner. SOURCES:David Adjmi, author and playwright. RESOURCES:"The West End is enjoying a theatre revival. Can Broadway keep up?" by Daniel Thomas (Financial Times, 2025).Lot Six: A Memoir, by David Adjmi (2020).Stereophonic, (2023). EXTRAS:"How Is Live Theater Still Alive?" by

en-us

00:50:12

640. Why Governments Are Betting Big on Sports

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/07/11

The Gulf States and China are spending billions to build stadiums and buy up teams — but what are they really buying? And can an entrepreneur from Cincinnati make his own billions by bringing baseball to Dubai? SOURCES:Simon Chadwick, professor of afroeurasian sport at Emlyon Business School.Derek Fisher, high school basketball coach, former N.B.A. coach and player.Kash Shaikh, chairman, C.E.O., and co-founder of Baseball United.Rory Smith, football correspondent at The Observer. RESOURCES:"China

en-us

00:58:07

How to Make Your Own Luck (Update)

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/07/09

Before she decided to become a poker pro, Maria Konnikova didn’t know how many cards are in a deck. But she did have a Ph.D. in psychology, a brilliant coach, and a burning desire to know whether life is driven more by skill or chance. She found some answers in poker — and she’s willing to tell us everything she learned. SOURCES:Maria Konnikova, author of The Biggest Bluff. RESOURCES:“Gender Differences in Performance Predictions: Evidence from the Cognitive Reflection Test,” by Patrick Ring, Levent

en-us

00:53:46

639. “This Country Kicks My Ass All the Time”

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/07/04

Cory Booker on the politics of fear, the politics of hope, and how to split the difference. SOURCES:Cory Booker, senior United States Senator from New Jersey. RESOURCES:"'When Are More Americans Going to Speak Up?'" by The New Yorker Radio Hour (2025)."Cory Booker’s Marathon Floor Speech," (2025)."Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girls, Company Documents Show," by Georgia Wells, Jeff Horwitz, and Deepa Seetharaman (Wall Street Journal, 2021)."Tucked Into the Tax Bill, a Plan to Help

en-us

00:54:53

638. Are You Ready for the Elder Swell?

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/06/27

In the U.S., there will soon be more people over 65 than there are under 18 — and it’s not just lifespan that’s improving, it’s “healthspan” too. Unfortunately, the American approach to aging is stuck in the 20th century. In less than an hour, we try to unstick it. (Part three of a three-part series, “Cradle to Grave.”) SOURCES:James Chappel, professor of history at Duke University.Katy Fike, co-founder of Aging 2.0 and managing partner of Generator Ventures.Kristen Fortney, co-founder and C.E.O. of

en-us

00:36:13

What Do Medieval Nuns and Bo Jackson Have in Common?...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/06/25

In this episode from 2013, we look at whether spite pays — and if it even exists. SOURCES:Benedikt Herrmann, research officer at the European Commission.Steve Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics and host of People I (Mostly) Admire.Dave O'Connor, president of Times Studios.Lisi Oliver, professor of English at Louisiana State University.E.O. Wilson, naturalist and university research professor emeritus at Harvard University. RESOURCES:You Don't Know Bo: The Legend of Bo Jackson, documentary

en-us

00:45:54

637. What It’s Like to Be Middle-Aged (in the Middle...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/06/20

The simplicity of life back then is appealing today, as long as you don’t mind Church hegemony, the occasional plague, trial by gossip — and the lack of ibuprofen. (Part two of a three-part series, “Cradle to Grave.”) SOURCES:Jordan Cavalier, performer at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire.Matt Schwarz, harpist at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire.Phillipp Schofield, professor of history at Aberystywth University.Neslihan Şenocak, professor of history at Columbia University. RESOURCES:A People's

en-us

00:50:28

636. Why Aren’t We Having More Babies?

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/06/13

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 Doepke, professor of economics at the London School of Economics.Amy Froide, professor of history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.Diana Laird, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of California, San Francisco.Catherine Pakaluk, professor of economics at The Catholic

en-us

00:39:45

An Economics Lesson from a Talking Pencil (Update)

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/06/11

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 global manufacturing — and the proper role of government in the economy. SOURCES:Caroline Weaver, creator of the Locavore Guide.Matt Ridley, science writer, British viscount and retired member of the House of LordsTim Harford, economist, author and columnist for the Financial TimesJim Weissenborn, former CEO

en-us

00:50:55

635. Can a Museum Be the Conscience of a Nation?

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/06/06

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 leaking roof. We take the guided tour. SOURCES:Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum. RESOURCES:"Inside the British Museum: stolen treasures and a £1bn revamp," by Alice Thomson (The Times, 2025)."British Museum gems for sale on eBay - how a theft was exposed," by Katie Razzall, Larissa Kennelly,

en-us

01:02:15

634. “Fault-Finder Is a Minimum-Wage Job”

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/05/30

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 tariffs could bring the economy back to the Covid era. SOURCES:Austan Goolsbee, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. RESOURCES:"Internet Rising, Prices Falling: Measuring Inflation in a World of E-Commerce," by Austan Goolsbee and Peter Klenow (American Economic

en-us

01:05:42

633. The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/05/23

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 of The World for Sale, help us shine a light on the shadowy realm of commodity traders. SOURCES:Javier Blas, opinion columnist at Bloomberg News.Jack Farchy, energy and commodities senior reporter at Bloomberg News. RESOURCES:The World For Sale: Money, Power, and the Traders Who Barter the Earth's

en-us

00:52:50

How to Succeed at Failing, Part 4: Extreme Resiliency...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/05/21

Everyone makes mistakes. How do we learn from them? Lessons from the classroom, the Air Force, and the world’s deadliest infectious disease. SOURCES:Will Coleman, founder and C.E.O. of Alto.Amy Edmondson, professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School.Babak Javid, physician-scientist and associate director of the University of California, San Francisco Center for Tuberculosis.Gary Klein, cognitive psychologist and pioneer in the field of naturalistic decision making.Theresa MacPhail,

en-us

01:03:37

How to Succeed at Failing, Part 3: Grit vs. Quit...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/05/16

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. SOURCES:John Boykin, website designer and failed paint can re-inventor.Angela Duckworth, host of No Stupid Questions, co-founder of Character Lab, and professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.Amy Edmondson, professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School.Helen Fisher, former senior research

en-us

00:53:19

How to Succeed at Failing, Part 2: Life and Death...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/05/14

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. SOURCES:Amy Edmondson, professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School.Carole Hemmelgarn, co-founder of Patients for Patient Safety U.S. and director of the Clinical Quality, Safety & Leadership Master’s program at Georgetown University.Gary Klein, cognitive psychologist and pioneer in the field of naturalistic decision

en-us

00:55:38

How to Succeed at Failing, Part 1: The Chain of...

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/05/09

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 love. SOURCES:Amy Edmondson, professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School.Helen Fisher, former senior research fellow at The Kinsey Institute and former chief science advisor to Match.com.Ed Galea, founding director of the Fire Safety Engineering Group at the University of

en-us

00:54:21

632. When Did We All Start Watching Documentaries?

Freakonomics Radio ·

2025/05/02

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 capturing Billie Eilish’s musical genius and Martha Stewart’s vulnerability — and why he really, really, really needs to make a film about the New York Mets. SOURCES:R.J. Cutler, filmmaker. RESOURCES:Fight for Glory, documentary (2025).Martha, documentary (2024)."Reality Check: The Boom—or Glut—in Streaming

en-us

126 results

Similar Podcasts

Voices of Life

APG Mannheim

Promo Estereo Podcast

Promo Estereo

Talking Timelines Podcast

Talkingtimelines

גיקונומי

ראם שרמן ודורון ניר

Drømmefanger

Drømmefanger