Tell Me Something I Don't Know podcast

Tell Me Something I Don't Know

Journalism wrapped in a game-show package. Host Stephen J. Dubner (of “Freakonomics Radio”) and a celebrity co-host invite guests on stage in front of a live audience to tell us something we don’t know. The co-hosts — a mix of leaders in science, academia, sports, media, and comedy — grill the guests, and by the end we’ve all gotten a bit smarter. Each episode has a new topic, a new co-host, and new guests. There’s also a real-time human fact-checker to keep everyone honest. Think of the most crackling dinner-party conversation you’ve ever heard. Produced in association with Stitcher.

Journalism wrapped in a game-show package. Host Stephen J. Dubner (of “Freakonomics Radio”) and a celebrity co-host invite guests on stage in front of a live audience to tell us something we don’t know. The co-hosts — a mix of leaders in science, academia, sports, media, and comedy — grill the guests, and by the end we’ve all gotten a bit smarter. Each episode has a new topic, a new co-host, and new guests. There’s also a real-time human fact-checker to keep everyone honest. Think of the most crackling dinner-party conversation you’ve ever heard. Produced in association with Stitcher.

 

#48

New Episodes Coming Soon!

We are about to tape new episodes of Tell Me Something I Don’t Know. You’ll be able to hea... more

17 Oct 2018

01 MINS

01:31

17 Oct 2018


#47

An Astronaut, a Catalan, and Two Linguists Walk Into a Bar…

Why New York has skinny skyscrapers, how to weaponize water, and what astronauts talk abou... more

18 Nov 2017

53 MINS

53:33

18 Nov 2017


#46

Extra 7: Corrosive Energy Drinks and Peruvian Cat Stew

In this special call-in episode: why some Peruvians eat cats; why operas need repetiteurs;... more

17 Nov 2017

48 MINS

48:44

17 Nov 2017


#45

Farming Without Sun or Soil and Eating Manna From Heaven

This week, we work on our survival skills: in the desert, on the tundra, and growing food ... more

11 Nov 2017

39 MINS

39:02

11 Nov 2017


#44

Mind Games

How to make people like you, why you should lick rocks, and what an awkward person is real... more

04 Nov 2017

47 MINS

47:46

04 Nov 2017


#43

Jon Batiste, Gail Simmons, and Strange Smells

Things we learn this week: dogs aren't so great at sniffing, men aren't so lazy, and New Y... more

28 Oct 2017

56 MINS

56:00

28 Oct 2017


#42

All About Bugs (of the Animal and Computer Varieties)

Musical crickets, crop-saving wasps — and why you should pre-bug your software. John McWho... more

21 Oct 2017

57 MINS

57:06

21 Oct 2017


#41

School Start Times, Brand Names, and Too Much Ground Beef

Alex Wagner (CBS This Morning Saturday, The Atlantic) is our special guest co-host, with A... more

14 Oct 2017

42 MINS

42:30

14 Oct 2017


#40

How to Count to Infinity

Mary Roach (author of Stiff, Spook, Bonk, Gulp, and Grunt) is our special guest co-host, w... more

07 Oct 2017

47 MINS

47:31

07 Oct 2017


#39

The Perfect Potato Chip, the Origin of Seltzer, and Why We Eat “Beef” and Not “Cow”

Alex Guarnaschelli (Iron Chef America and Chopped) is our special guest co-host, with Sean... more

30 Sep 2017

56 MINS

56:52

30 Sep 2017


#38

You Say “eye-RACK,” I Say “ear-ROCK”

Hari Kondabolu (comedian and host of Politically Re-Active) is our special guest co-host, ... more

23 Sep 2017

47 MINS

47:14

23 Sep 2017


#37

Season 4 Preview

Alex Guarnaschelli, Alexandra Petri, Hari Kondabolu, Mary Roach, and Jemele Hill are some ... more

11 Sep 2017

03 MINS

03:06

11 Sep 2017


#36

Womb to Tomb

Alexandra Petri (Washington Post columnist) is our special guest co-host, with AJ Jacobs (... more

09 Sep 2017

51 MINS

51:39

09 Sep 2017


#35

Extra 6: A Better Way to End Basketball Games

Basketball fans know how boring a game's ending can be — intentional fouls can stretch 90 ... more

06 Sep 2017

16 MINS

16:24

06 Sep 2017


#34

Extra 5: The Actress Who Never Takes a Sick Day

Off-Broadway actress, producer, and Guinness Record-holder Catherine Russell has played th... more

05 Sep 2017

18 MINS

18:51

05 Sep 2017


#33

Extra 4: The Most Renewable Energy of All

Some of our most important inventions safely remove human waste. But what if we could use ... more

04 Sep 2017

20 MINS

20:39

04 Sep 2017


#32

Extra 3: The Rise and Fall (and Rise?) of Rosé Wine

From medieval times through the French Revolution, rosé ruled the wine world — and now it’... more

30 Aug 2017

12 MINS

12:38

30 Aug 2017


#31

Extra 2: Meet the Senator Who Wants to Start an Evidence-Based Revolution

Senator Todd Young of Indiana wants to make government-funded social programs more effecti... more

29 Aug 2017

21 MINS

21:42

29 Aug 2017


#30

Extra 1: How the Mafia Got Its Start

In 1803, Sicily and Malta won contracts to provide lemon juice to the entire British Royal... more

28 Aug 2017

15 MINS

15:17

28 Aug 2017


#29

Urinetown

James Altucher (host of The James Altucher Show) is our special guest co-host, with Mike M... more

05 Aug 2017

55 MINS

55:04

05 Aug 2017


#28

Creature Comforts

Krista Tippett (host of On Being) is our special guest co-host, with Maggie Ryan Sandford ... more

29 Jul 2017

53 MINS

53:08

29 Jul 2017


#27

Behavior Change: Ultra Egghead Edition

Angela Duckworth (psychologist and author of Grit) is our special guest co-host, with Mike... more

22 Jul 2017

54 MINS

54:42

22 Jul 2017


#26

Three Sheets to the Wind

John Moe (The Hilarious World of Depression) is our special guest co-host, with Maggie Rya... more

15 Jul 2017

48 MINS

48:28

15 Jul 2017


#25

Medicine

Bapu Jena, Christine Hurley and Evan Allen are panelists. The physician-professor-economis... more

08 Jul 2017

54 MINS

54:58

08 Jul 2017


#24

Getting There

Che "Rhymefest" Smith, Ginger Evans and Mary Catherine Curran are panelists. The rapper/po... more

01 Jul 2017

59 MINS

59:00

01 Jul 2017


#23

Family Matters

Amy Chua, Liza Donnelly and Gary Gulman are panelists. The "Tiger Mom," the "New Yorker" c... more

24 Jun 2017

52 MINS

52:23

24 Jun 2017


#22

Cities

Join us in one of America’s oldest urban centers for a show about cities, including ruins,... more

17 Jun 2017

59 MINS

59:31

17 Jun 2017


#21

Politickling

Major Garrett, Alexandra Petri and Robby Mook are panelists in Washington, D.C. The CBS Ch... more

10 Jun 2017

54 MINS

54:13

10 Jun 2017