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Freakonomics Radio

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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 Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

#918

681. How to Host a Talk Show, with Dick Cavett

Stephen Dubner had an idea for a new project. So he drove to Connecticut and knocked on th... more

09 Jul 2026

43 MINS

43:27

09 Jul 2026

#917

680. Can Universities Win Back Our Trust?

Dartmouth president Sian Beilock, a psychologist by training, made her name studying why p... more

03 Jul 2026

49 MINS

49:55

03 Jul 2026

#916

679. Why Does Vanderbilt Keep Winning?

It’s a hard time to run a university: public trust is low, political pressure is high, and... more

26 Jun 2026

1 HR 04 MINS

1:04:06

26 Jun 2026

#915

The World Is (Still) Drowning in Sludge

Insurance forms that make no sense. Subscriptions that can’t be cancelled. A never-ending ... more

24 Jun 2026

54 MINS

54:46

24 Jun 2026

#914

678. Who Gets to Choose a “Good Death”?

New York is the latest state to legalize medical aid in dying. Stephen Dubner speaks with ... more

19 Jun 2026

50 MINS

50:25

19 Jun 2026

#913

677. Can Backgammon Save Us from Ourselves?

It brings strangers together. It teaches probability, strategy, and emotional control. It ... more

12 Jun 2026

59 MINS

59:19

12 Jun 2026

#912

This Is Your Brain on Pollution (Update)

As the Trump administration rolls back environmental regulations, we revisit a 2022 episod... more

10 Jun 2026

47 MINS

47:24

10 Jun 2026

#911

676. Has America Lost the Plot?

Another war in the Middle East. A retreat from the international order. A presidency built... more

05 Jun 2026

1 HR 05 MINS

1:05:29

05 Jun 2026

#910

The Vanishing Mr. Feynman (Update)

In his final years, Richard Feynman's curiosity took him to some surprising places. We hea... more

29 May 2026

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:51

29 May 2026

#909

The Brilliant Mr. Feynman (Update)

What happens when an existentially depressed and recently widowed young physicist from Que... more

27 May 2026

52 MINS

52:51

27 May 2026

#908

The Curious Mr. Feynman (Update)

From the Manhattan Project to the Challenger investigation, the physicist Richard Feynman ... more

22 May 2026

1 HR 03 MINS

1:03:18

22 May 2026

#907

675. Has the New York Times Become a Games Company?

Not exactly. But their runaway success with games like Wordle says something bigger about ... more

15 May 2026

57 MINS

57:17

15 May 2026

#906

674. How Does a Composer Feel After the World Premiere?

Great. Then depressed. Then great again. Stephen Dubner gets the full story from David Lan... more

08 May 2026

45 MINS

45:23

08 May 2026

#905

Was Adam Smith Really a Right-Winger? (Update)

Economists and politicians have turned him into a mascot for free-market ideology. Some on... more

06 May 2026

1 HR 08 MINS

1:08:15

06 May 2026

#904

673. What Is Money?

That’s what the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer David Lang wanted to learn. So he turned A... more

01 May 2026

54 MINS

54:11

01 May 2026

#903

672. What Makes Judy Faulkner Run?

Epic Systems manages the electronic health records for hundreds of millions of people. Thi... more

24 Apr 2026

1 HR 00 MINS

1:00:52

24 Apr 2026

#902

Why Does Everyone Hate Rats? (Update)

New York City’s mayor called them “public enemy number one.” History books say they caused... more

22 Apr 2026

40 MINS

40:34

22 Apr 2026

#901

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 sc... more

17 Apr 2026

1 HR 01 MINS

1:01:18