674. How Does a Composer Feel After the World Premiere?
Great. Then depressed. Then great again. Stephen Dubner gets the full story from David Lang; we also hear from some fans, and the New York P...
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Freakonomics Radio
In their books "Freakonomics," "SuperFreakonomics" and "Think Like a Freak", Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner explore "the hidden side of everything," telling stories about cheating sc...
Freakonomics Radio Podcast Guide
Listen to Freakonomics Radio, a Society & Culture podcast by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher. Stream 906 episodes in English, follow new audio stories, and play episodes online on Radio and Podcast.
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Episodes
20 of 906 episodesWas Adam Smith Really a Right-Winger? (Update)
Economists and politicians have turned him into a mascot for free-market ideology. Some on the left say the right has badly misread him. In...
673. What Is Money?
That’s what the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang wanted to learn. So he turned Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations into an oratorio...
672. What Makes Judy Faulkner Run?
Epic Systems manages the electronic health records for hundreds of millions of people. This makes Faulkner a healthcare heavyweight and one...
Why Does Everyone Hate Rats? (Update)
New York City’s mayor called them “public enemy number one.” History books say they caused the Black Death — although recent scientific evid...
671. Why Has There Been So Little Progress on Alzheimer’s Disease?
One possibility: a leading hypothesis pursued by researchers (and funders) was built on science that now appears to be fraudulent. Stephen D...
670. Beeconomics 101
How do beekeepers make a living? Why is there so much honey fraud? And why did billions of bees suddenly disappear? To find out, guest host...
Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System (Update)
Nearly everything that politicians say about taxes is at least half a lie. They are also dishonest when it comes to the national debt. In th...
669. Why Is 95 Percent of the World’s Bourbon Made in Kentucky?
Is it tradition … or protectionism? And what happens when the bourbon boom turns into a glut? SOURCES: Andrew Muhammad , agricultural econom...
668. Do Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny Have Blood on Their Hands?
As one researcher told us: “We’ve engineered a world where the most distracting device ever made is also the one we use to listen to music i...
In a Driverless World, Who Loses and Who Wins?
In blue cities across the country, unions and politicians want to ban self-driving cars. In this episode from the Search Engine podcast, PJ...
Are Human Drivers Finally Obsolete?
How a secret project at Google led to driverless cars on American roads. Freakonomics Radio shares a story from our friends at Search Engine...
667. Here’s Why You Are Constantly Fighting Off Scammers
A ruthless (and ruthlessly efficient) industry is using digital tools to supercharge one of the world’s oldest behaviors. We look at how the...
666. This Is How Progress Happens
Economists don’t usually talk about “culture.” But Joel Mokyr argues that it’s the engine of innovation — and the Nobel Prize committee agre...
The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of (Update)
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 busi...
665. Werner Herzog Isn’t Afraid ...
... of bad reviews, meager financing, or artificial intelligence. But he is worried that the world is full of sloppy thinkers who mistake fa...
664. Are Thousands of Medical Cures Hiding in Plain Sight?
Existing drugs can sometimes be repurposed to treat rare diseases. But making that match can be hard — and the financial incentives are weak...
All You Need Is Nudge (Update)
When Richard Thaler first published Nudge , the world was just starting to believe in his brand of behavioral economics. In this 2021 episod...
663. Is Weed a Performance-Enhancing Drug?
The science says no, at least not in the athletic sense. But the psychic benefits can be large — just ask former N.F.L. star Ricky Williams....
662. If You’re Not Cheating, You’re Not Trying
In sports, the rules are meant to be sacrosanct. But when it comes to performance-enhancing drugs, the slope is super-slippery. (Part one of...
Questions About Freakonomics Radio
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What is Freakonomics Radio about?
Freakonomics Radio is listed as a Society & Culture show. The show language is listed as English.
How many Freakonomics Radio episodes are listed?
This page lists 906 episodes for Freakonomics Radio. More episodes are available from the View more button when the list continues.