Freakonomics Radio

Freakonomics Radio

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 w…

61 transcripts 61 total episodes
61 transcripts
686. Why Is It So Hard to Find an NFL Quarterback?
Freakonomics Radio
686. Why Is It So Hard to Find an NFL Quarterback?
Sep 11, 2026 · 58m
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Amazon Was Supposed to Kill the Bookstore. James Daunt Had Other Plans | Better in Person
Freakonomics Radio
Amazon Was Supposed to Kill the Bookstore. James Daunt Had Other Plans | Better in Person
Sep 09, 2026 · 32m
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685. How to Survive the A.I. Shock
Freakonomics Radio
685. How to Survive the A.I. Shock
Sep 04, 2026 · 57m
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How to Run an Institution in an Anti-Institution Era | Better in Person
Freakonomics Radio
How to Run an Institution in an Anti-Institution Era | Better in Person
Sep 02, 2026 · 37m
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How to Return Stolen Art (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
How to Return Stolen Art (Update)
Aug 28, 2026 · 50m
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“I Trust Almost Anyone More Than Myself” | Better in Person
Freakonomics Radio
“I Trust Almost Anyone More Than Myself” | Better in Person
Aug 26, 2026 · 42m
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Is a Museum Just a Trophy Case? (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
Is a Museum Just a Trophy Case? (Update)
Aug 21, 2026 · 52m
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Meet Warren Zanes, the Author and Rocker Behind the Springsteen Movie | Better in Person
Freakonomics Radio
Meet Warren Zanes, the Author and Rocker Behind the Springsteen Movie | Better in Person
Aug 19, 2026 · 50m
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The Case of the $4 Million Gold Coffin (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
The Case of the $4 Million Gold Coffin (Update)
Aug 14, 2026 · 54m
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What if Being a Stranger Is Actually Your Superpower? | Better in Person
Freakonomics Radio
What if Being a Stranger Is Actually Your Superpower? | Better in Person
Aug 12, 2026 · 34m
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684. He Helped Clean Up the Last Crash. Does He See Another One Coming?
Freakonomics Radio
684. He Helped Clean Up the Last Crash. Does He See Another One Coming?
Aug 07, 2026 · 1h 6m
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Does it Take a Twisted Mind to Write Twisted Stories? | Better In Person
Freakonomics Radio
Does it Take a Twisted Mind to Write Twisted Stories? | Better In Person
Aug 05, 2026 · 44m
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683. In the New Space Race, Who Makes the Rules?
Freakonomics Radio
683. In the New Space Race, Who Makes the Rules?
Jul 31, 2026 · 56m
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How Gary Gulman Turned Depression Into Comedy Gold | Better in Person
Freakonomics Radio
How Gary Gulman Turned Depression Into Comedy Gold | Better in Person
Jul 29, 2026 · 47m
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682. Should A.I. Move to Space?
Freakonomics Radio
682. Should A.I. Move to Space?
Jul 24, 2026 · 48m
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Why Cooking is Caregiving, with Chef Hillary Sterling | Better in Person
Freakonomics Radio
Why Cooking is Caregiving, with Chef Hillary Sterling | Better in Person
Jul 22, 2026 · 42m
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Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin? (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin? (Update)
Jul 17, 2026 · 1h 5m
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How a Great Architect Thinks, with Bjarke Ingels | Better in Person
Freakonomics Radio
How a Great Architect Thinks, with Bjarke Ingels | Better in Person
Jul 14, 2026 · 43m
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681. How to Host a Talk Show, with Dick Cavett
Freakonomics Radio
681. How to Host a Talk Show, with Dick Cavett
Jul 09, 2026 · 43m
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680. Can Universities Win Back Our Trust?
Freakonomics Radio
680. Can Universities Win Back Our Trust?
Jul 03, 2026 · 49m
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679. Why Does Vanderbilt Keep Winning?
Freakonomics Radio
679. Why Does Vanderbilt Keep Winning?
Jun 26, 2026 · 1h 4m
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The World Is (Still) Drowning in Sludge
Freakonomics Radio
The World Is (Still) Drowning in Sludge
Jun 24, 2026 · 54m
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678. Who Gets to Choose a “Good Death”?
Freakonomics Radio
678. Who Gets to Choose a “Good Death”?
Jun 19, 2026 · 50m
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677. Can Backgammon Save Us from Ourselves?
Freakonomics Radio
677. Can Backgammon Save Us from Ourselves?
Jun 12, 2026 · 59m
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This Is Your Brain on Pollution (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
This Is Your Brain on Pollution (Update)
Jun 10, 2026 · 47m
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676. Has America Lost the Plot?
Freakonomics Radio
676. Has America Lost the Plot?
Jun 05, 2026 · 1h 5m
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The Vanishing Mr. Feynman (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
The Vanishing Mr. Feynman (Update)
May 29, 2026 · 1h 0m
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The Brilliant Mr. Feynman (Update)
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The Brilliant Mr. Feynman (Update)
May 27, 2026 · 52m
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The Curious Mr. Feynman (Update)
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The Curious Mr. Feynman (Update)
May 22, 2026 · 1h 3m
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675. Has the New York Times Become a Games Company?
Freakonomics Radio
675. Has the New York Times Become a Games Company?
May 15, 2026 · 57m
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674. How Does a Composer Feel After the World Premiere?
Freakonomics Radio
674. How Does a Composer Feel After the World Premiere?
May 08, 2026 · 45m
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Was Adam Smith Really a Right-Winger? (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
Was Adam Smith Really a Right-Winger? (Update)
May 06, 2026 · 1h 8m
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673. What Is Money?
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673. What Is Money?
May 01, 2026 · 54m
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672.  What Makes Judy Faulkner Run?
Freakonomics Radio
672. What Makes Judy Faulkner Run?
Apr 24, 2026 · 1h 0m
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Why Does Everyone Hate Rats? (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
Why Does Everyone Hate Rats? (Update)
Apr 22, 2026 · 40m
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671. Why Has There Been So Little Progress on Alzheimer’s Disease?
Freakonomics Radio
671. Why Has There Been So Little Progress on Alzheimer’s Disease?
Apr 17, 2026 · 1h 1m
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670. Beeconomics 101
Freakonomics Radio
670. Beeconomics 101
Apr 10, 2026 · 55m
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Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System (Update)
Apr 08, 2026 · 1h 4m
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669. Why Is 95 Percent of the World’s Bourbon Made in Kentucky?
Freakonomics Radio
669. Why Is 95 Percent of the World’s Bourbon Made in Kentucky?
Apr 03, 2026 · 46m
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668. Do Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny Have Blood on Their Hands?
Freakonomics Radio
668. Do Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny Have Blood on Their Hands?
Mar 27, 2026 · 53m
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In a Driverless World, Who Loses and Who Wins?
Freakonomics Radio
In a Driverless World, Who Loses and Who Wins?
Mar 25, 2026 · 1h 5m
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Are Human Drivers Finally Obsolete?
Freakonomics Radio
Are Human Drivers Finally Obsolete?
Mar 20, 2026 · 1h 11m
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667. Here’s Why You Are Constantly Fighting Off Scammers
Freakonomics Radio
667. Here’s Why You Are Constantly Fighting Off Scammers
Mar 13, 2026 · 47m
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666. This Is How Progress Happens
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666. This Is How Progress Happens
Mar 06, 2026 · 53m
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The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of (Update)
Mar 04, 2026 · 1h 6m
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665. Werner Herzog Isn’t Afraid ...
Freakonomics Radio
665. Werner Herzog Isn’t Afraid ...
Feb 27, 2026 · 49m
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664. Are Thousands of Medical Cures Hiding in Plain Sight?
Freakonomics Radio
664. Are Thousands of Medical Cures Hiding in Plain Sight?
Feb 20, 2026 · 51m
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All You Need Is Nudge (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
All You Need Is Nudge (Update)
Feb 18, 2026 · 57m
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663. Is Weed a Performance-Enhancing Drug?
Freakonomics Radio
663. Is Weed a Performance-Enhancing Drug?
Feb 13, 2026 · 50m
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662. If You’re Not Cheating, You’re Not Trying
Freakonomics Radio
662. If You’re Not Cheating, You’re Not Trying
Feb 06, 2026 · 52m
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Why Don’t Running Backs Get Paid Anymore? (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
Why Don’t Running Backs Get Paid Anymore? (Update)
Feb 04, 2026 · 58m
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661. Can A.I. Save Your Life?
Freakonomics Radio
661. Can A.I. Save Your Life?
Jan 30, 2026 · 1h 0m
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660. The Wellness Industry Is Gigantic — and Mostly Wrong
Freakonomics Radio
660. The Wellness Industry Is Gigantic — and Mostly Wrong
Jan 23, 2026 · 1h 5m
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Steve Levitt Quits His Podcast, Joins Ours
Freakonomics Radio
Steve Levitt Quits His Podcast, Joins Ours
Jan 21, 2026 · 45m
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659. Can Marty Makary Fix the F.D.A.?
Freakonomics Radio
659. Can Marty Makary Fix the F.D.A.?
Jan 16, 2026 · 55m
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658. This Is Your Brain on Supplements
Freakonomics Radio
658. This Is Your Brain on Supplements
Jan 09, 2026 · 53m
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Are Personal Finance Gurus Giving You Bad Advice? (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
Are Personal Finance Gurus Giving You Bad Advice? (Update)
Jan 02, 2026 · 1h 0m
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Are You Ready for a Fresh Start? (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
Are You Ready for a Fresh Start? (Update)
Dec 30, 2025 · 42m
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Are the Rich Really Less Generous Than the Poor? (Update)
Freakonomics Radio
Are the Rich Really Less Generous Than the Poor? (Update)
Dec 26, 2025 · 43m
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657. Whose “Messiah” Is It Anyway?
Freakonomics Radio
657. Whose “Messiah” Is It Anyway?
Dec 19, 2025 · 48m
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Who Pays for “Messiah”?
Freakonomics Radio
Who Pays for “Messiah”?
Dec 17, 2025 · 42m
Transcript in progress Soon