Freakonomics Radio show

Freakonomics Radio

Summary: Have fun discovering the hidden side of everything with host Stephen J. Dubner, co-author of the best-selling "Freakonomics” books. Each week, hear surprising conversations that explore the riddles of everyday life and the weird wrinkles of human nature—from cheating and crime to parenting and sports. Dubner talks with Nobel laureates and provocateurs, social scientists and entrepreneurs — and his “Freakonomics” co-author Steve Levitt. After just a few episodes, this podcast will have you too thinking like a Freak. Produced by WNYC Studios, home of other great podcasts such as “Radiolab," "Death, Sex & Money," and "On the Media."

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  • Artist: Stephen J. Dubner and WNYC Studios
  • Copyright: Stephen J. Dubner and WNYC

Podcasts:

 Why Bad Environmentalism Is Such an Easy Sell | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 24:27

Being green is rarely a black-and-white issue -- but that doesn't stop marketers and politicians from pretending it is.

 The Troubled Cremation of Stevie the Cat | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 46:00

We spend billions on our pets, and one of the fastest-growing costs is pet "aftercare." But are those cremated remains you got back really from your pet?

 How to Raise Money Without Killing a Kitten | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 32:53

The science of what works -- and doesn't work -- in fund-raising

 How to Think About Money, Choose Your Hometown, and Buy an Electric Toothbrush | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 25:24

Dubner and Levitt field your queries in this latest installment of our FREAK-quently Asked Questions.

 Would a Big Bucket of Cash Really Change Your Life? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 27:51

A 19th-century Georgia land lottery may have something to teach us about today's income inequality.

 The Economist’s Guide to Parenting (Rebroadcast) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 56:33

Think you know how much parents matter? Think again. Economists crunch the numbers to learn the ROI on child-rearing.

 Whatever Happened to the Carpal Tunnel Epidemic? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 16:47

Once upon a time, office workers across America lived in fear of a dreaded infirmity. Was the computer keyboard really the villain -- and did carpal tunnel syndrome really go away?

 The Suicide Paradox (Rebroadcast) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 56:57

There are more than twice as many suicides as murders in the U.S., but suicide attracts far less scrutiny. Freakonomics Radio digs through the numbers and finds all kinds of surprises.

 Who Are the Most Successful Immigrants in the World? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 25:39

It's impossible to say for sure, but the Lebanese do remarkably well. Why?

 The Folly of Prediction (Rebroadcast) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Human beings love to predict the future, but we're quite terrible at it. So how about punishing all those bad predictions?

 The Middle of Everywhere | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Chicago has given the world more than sausage, crooked politics, and Da Bears.

 The Church of "Scionology" (Rebroadcast) | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

We worship the tradition of handing off a family business to the next generation. But is that really such a good idea?

 Do Baby Girls Cause Divorce? | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

Even American parents have a strong "son preference" -- which means that a newborn daughter can be bad news for a marriage.

 REBROADCAST: The Upside of Quitting | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

You know the saying: a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. To which Freakonomics Radio says ... Are you sure?

 Government Employees Gone Wild | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: Unknown

The Encyclopedia of Ethical Failures catalogs the fiscal, sexual, and mental lapses of federal workers -- all with an eye toward preventing the next big mistake.

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