))
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+ o ...
…
continue reading
Who decides which snacks are in your office’s vending machine? How much is a suburban elm tree worth, and to whom? How did Girl Scout Cookies become a billion-dollar business? In bite-sized episodes, journalist Zachary Crockett looks at quotidian things and finds amazing stories. 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.
…
continue reading
Freakonomics co-author Steve Levitt tracks down other high achievers for surprising, revealing conversations about their lives and obsessions. Join Levitt as he goes through the most interesting midlife crisis you’ve ever heard — and learn how a renegade sheriff is transforming Chicago's jail, how a biologist is finding the secrets of evolution in the Arctic tundra, and how a trivia champion memorized 160,000 flashcards. To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a m ...
…
continue reading
Research psychologist Angela Duckworth (author of "Grit") and tech and sports executive Mike Maughan really like to ask people questions, and they believe there’s no such thing as a stupid one. So they have a podcast where they can ask each other as many “stupid questions” as they want. New episodes each week. "No Stupid Questions" is a production of the Freakonomics Radio Network. To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Rad ...
…
continue reading
From the podcast that explores the hidden side of everything, hear authors like you’ve never heard them before. Stephen Dubner and a stable of Freakonomics friends talk with the writers of mind-bending books, and we hear the best excerpts as well. You’ll learn about skill versus chance, the American discomfort with death, the secret life of dogs, and much more. To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free tria ...
…
continue reading
Entrepreneur Inspiring Stories to Help Motivate, Build, & Grow Your Successful Business with a Master Class from Entrepreneurial Thought Leaders that tell it How It Is... Millionaire Interviews is actionable advice for the (future & present) Entrepreneur, Thought Leaders, Solopreneur, Youpreneur, and Small Business Owner. The host interviews Business Founders in the Product, Service, Real Estate, and Tech industries so they can teach you from their experience. Connect with other Listeners @ ...
…
continue reading
The Columbia University sociologist Sudhir Venkatesh studies exclusive worlds by embedding himself — with a crack-selling gang, sex workers, the teenage children of billionaires, and most recently, at the highest levels of companies at the vanguard of the digital revolution, including Facebook and Twitter. And now he’s hosting a podcast. In each episode, Venkatesh will reveal what he learned in Silicon Valley and talk with the people he met along the way who are building and running the digi ...
…
continue reading
1
What Do Medieval Nuns and Bo Jackson Have in Common? (Update)
36:13
36:13
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:13
In this episode from 2013, we look at whether spite pays — and if it even exists. SOURCES: Benedikt Herrmann, research officer at the European Commission. Steve Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics and host of People I (Mostly) Admire. Dave O'Connor, president of Times Studios. Lisi Oliver, professor of English at Louisiana State University. E.O. Wils…
…
continue reading
Americans take more than 20 billion elevator rides every year — and keeping them safe is an expensive proposition. Zachary Crockett makes small talk. SOURCES: Frank Christensen, president of the International Union of Elevators Constructors. Shannon Moore, service mechanic for the International Union of Elevator Constructors Local 8. Brian O'Connel…
…
continue reading
Also: why is behavior change so darn hard? This episode originally aired on November 15, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
…
continue reading
Psychologist David Yeager thinks the conventional wisdom for how to motivate young people is all wrong. His model for helping kids cope with stress is required reading at Steve’s new high school. SOURCES: David Yeager, professor of psychology at the University of Texas at Austin. RESOURCES: 10 to 25: The Science of Motivating Young People: A Ground…
…
continue reading
1
637. What It’s Like to Be Middle-Aged (in the Middle Ages)
45:54
45:54
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
45:54
The simplicity of life back then is appealing today, as long as you don’t mind Church hegemony, the occasional plague, trial by gossip — and the lack of ibuprofen. (Part two of a three-part series, “Cradle to Grave.”) SOURCES: Jordan Cavalier, performer at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire. Matt Schwarz, harpist at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire. …
…
continue reading
1
274: The Cable Cowboy Who Went from Broke to Broadband 🤠 | Terry Koosed of Bel Air Internet
2:16:14
2:16:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
2:16:14
Terry Koosed is the Founder of Bel Air Internet, a Los Angeles based Internet Service Provider, and a leading authority on successful entrepreneurship. He has founded and successfully run seven companies in the high-tech industry during the past 40 years, sometimes concurrently, and is what some would call, a serial entrepreneur. Listen to Part II,…
…
continue reading
Districts across the country are facing shortages of school bus drivers. Can technology help? Zachary Crockett takes a seat in the back. SOURCES: Keith Corso, co-founder and CEO of BusRight. Marc Medina, transportation supervisor for the Farmingdale School District in Long Island. Jada Melendez, school bus driver in Burlington County, New Jersey. R…
…
continue reading
Also: what’s so great about New York City anyway? This episode originally aired on November 8, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
…
continue reading
For decades, the great fear was overpopulation. Now it’s the opposite. How did this happen — and what’s being done about it? (Part one of a three-part series, “Cradle to Grave.”) SOURCES: Matthias Doepke, professor of economics at the London School of Economics. Amy Froide, professor of history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Diana…
…
continue reading
1
An Economics Lesson from a Talking Pencil (Update)
39:52
39:52
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:52
A famous essay argues that “not a single person on the face of this earth” knows how to make a pencil. How true is that? In this 2016 episode, we looked at what pencil-making can teach us about global manufacturing — and the proper role of government in the economy. SOURCES: Caroline Weaver, creator of the Locavore Guide. Matt Ridley, science write…
…
continue reading
Everyone loves to complain about it — but preparing a meal that tastes good at 35,000 feet is harder than you might think. Zachary Crockett will have the fish. SOURCES: Molly Brandt, innovation chef for North America at Gategroup. Chris Kinsella, chief commercial officer for North America at Gategroup. Guillaume de Syon, professor of history at Alb…
…
continue reading
1
25. Is Hedonism Better Than Self-Control?
30:45
30:45
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:45
Also: is it wrong to feel inured to the pandemic? This episode originally aired on November 1, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
…
continue reading
1
159. Robin Wall Kimmerer’s Manifesto for a Gift Economy
57:16
57:16
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
57:16
She’s a botanist, a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation, and the author of the bestselling Braiding Sweetgrass. In her new book she criticizes the market economy — but she and Steve find a surprising amount of common ground. SOURCES: Robin Wall Kimmerer, botanist and founder and director of the Center for Native Peoples and the Environment. RES…
…
continue reading
1
635. Can a Museum Be the Conscience of a Nation?
50:55
50:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
50:55
Nicholas Cullinan, the new director of the British Museum, seems to think so. “I'm not afraid of the past,” he says — which means talking about looted objects, the basement storerooms, and the leaking roof. We take the guided tour. SOURCES: Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum. RESOURCES: "Inside the British Museum: stolen treasures an…
…
continue reading
Every year, America celebrates its independence with millions of dollars worth of explosives imported from China. Zachary Crockett lights a fuse and backs away quickly. SOURCES: JJ Brau, fireworks coordinator for J&M Displays. Mark Johnson, vice president of J&M Displays. RESOURCES: "The explosive history of fireworks, from ancient China to Revolut…
…
continue reading
1
24. Why Do We Forget So Much of What We’ve Read?
34:01
34:01
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:01
Also: do we overestimate or underestimate our significance in other people’s lives? This episode originally aired on October 25, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
…
continue reading
1
Does Death Have to Be a Death Sentence? (Update)
42:22
42:22
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
42:22
Palliative physician B.J. Miller asks: Is there a better way to think about dying? And can death be beautiful? SOURCES: B.J. Miller, palliative-care physician and President at Mettle Health. RESOURCES: A Beginner’s Guide to the End: Practical Advice for Living Life and Facing Death, by Shoshana Berger and B.J. Miller and (2019). “After A Freak Acci…
…
continue reading
1
634. “Fault-Finder Is a Minimum-Wage Job”
1:02:15
1:02:15
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:02:15
Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, is less reserved than the average banker. He explains why vibes are overrated, why the Fed’s independence is non-negotiable, and why tariffs could bring the economy back to the Covid era. SOURCES: Austan Goolsbee, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of …
…
continue reading
These glistening round gemstones have come a long way since your grandmother's time, but procuring them is still a lot of work. The world is Zachary Crockett’s oyster. SOURCES: Jeremy Shepherd, C.E.O. of Pearl Paradise. James Brown, owner of Cygnet Bay Pearl Farm. RESOURCES: "Pearls Have Acquired a New Luster Among Young Designers," by Victoria Gom…
…
continue reading
Also: should everyone have their own trauma score? This episode originally aired on October 18, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
…
continue reading
1
158. Why Did Rome Fall — and Are We Next?
55:24
55:24
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
55:24
Historian Tom Holland narrowly escaped a career writing vampire novels to become the co-host of the wildly popular podcast The Rest Is History. At Steve’s request, he compares President Trump and Julius Caesar and explains why the culture wars are arguments about Christian theology. SOURCES: Tom Holland, historian and host of The Rest is History. R…
…
continue reading
1
633. The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of
1:05:42
1:05:42
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:05:42
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 business opportunity. Javier Blas and Jack Farchy, the authors of The World for Sale, help us shine a light on the shadowy realm of commodity traders. SOURCES: Javier Blas, opinion columnist at Bloomberg News. Jack…
…
continue reading
1
27. The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of
1:05:42
1:05:42
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:05:42
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 business opportunity. Javier Blas and Jack Farchy, the authors of The World for Sale, help us shine a light on the shadowy realm of commodity traders. SOURCES: Javier Blas, opinion columnist at Bloomberg News. Jack…
…
continue reading
1
How to Succeed at Failing, Part 4: Extreme Resiliency (Update)
52:50
52:50
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
52:50
Everyone makes mistakes. How do we learn from them? Lessons from the classroom, the Air Force, and the world’s deadliest infectious disease. (Part four of a four-part series.) SOURCES: Will Coleman, founder and C.E.O. of Alto. Amy Edmondson, professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School. Babak Javid, physician-scientist and associat…
…
continue reading
Youth baseball — long a widely accessible American pastime — has become overrun by $10,000-per-year, for-profit travel leagues. Zachary Crockett peers inside the dugout. SOURCES: Linda Flanagan, author. Nick Mackenzie, future New York Yankees shortstop. R.J. Mackenzie, physical education teacher and baseball dad. John Miller, journalist and basebal…
…
continue reading
1
22. Why Do We Buy Things We’ll Never Use?
31:35
31:35
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
31:35
Also: how is social media like a knife? This episode originally aired on October 11, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
…
continue reading
1
How to Succeed at Failing, Part 3: Grit vs. Quit (Update)
1:03:37
1:03:37
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:03:37
Giving up can be painful. That's why we need to talk about it. Today: stories about glitchy apps, leaky paint cans, broken sculptures — and a quest for the perfect bowl of ramen. (Part three of a four-part series.) SOURCES: John Boykin, website designer and failed paint can re-inventor. Angela Duckworth, host of No Stupid Questions, co-founder of C…
…
continue reading
1
How to Succeed at Failing, Part 2: Life and Death (Update)
53:19
53:19
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
53:19
In medicine, failure can be catastrophic. It can also produce discoveries that save millions of lives. Tales from the front line, the lab, and the I.T. department. (Part two of a four-part series.) SOURCES: Amy Edmondson, professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School. Carole Hemmelgarn, co-founder of Patients for Patient Safety U.S.…
…
continue reading
Where is “the cloud,” anyway? It’s in a bunch of nondescript warehouses all over the country. Zachary Crockett serves up the story. SOURCES: Chris Kimm, senior vice president of global customer care and customer experience at Equinix. Raul Martynek, C.E.O. of DataBank. Clayton Rosati, associate professor of geography at Bowling Green State Universi…
…
continue reading
1
21. How Can You Identify Hidden Talent? With Eric Schmidt.
35:14
35:14
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
35:14
Also: is there a downside to billionaire philanthropy? This episode originally aired on October 4, 2020.By Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
…
continue reading
1
157. The Deadliest Disease in Human History
1:05:19
1:05:19
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:05:19
John Green returns to the show to talk about tuberculosis — a disease that kills more than a million people a year. Steve has an idea for a new way to get treatment to those in need. SOURCES: John Green, best-selling author and YouTube creator. RESOURCES: Everything Is Tuberculosis: The History and Persistence of Our Deadliest Infection, by John Gr…
…
continue reading
1
How to Succeed at Failing, Part 1: The Chain of Events (Update)
55:38
55:38
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
55:38
We tend to think of tragedies as a single terrible moment, rather than the result of multiple bad decisions. Can this pattern be reversed? We try — with stories about wildfires, school shootings, and love. (Part one of a four-part series.) SOURCES: Amy Edmondson, professor of leadership management at Harvard Business School. Helen Fisher, former se…
…
continue reading
