Freakonomics's banner

Freakonomics

@Freakonomics • 583,134 subscribers

Follow the Freakonomics Radio podcast for weekly episodes that explore the hidden side of everything — with host Stephen J. Dubner.

Shorts

Using an old drug in a brand new way can save patients’ lives. So why aren’t companies doing it? Because as it turns out, “repurposing” an existing drug has 0 financial upside. In this episode, guest host Steve Levitt explores what happens when markets fail patients, along with physician-scientist David Fajgenbaum (whose life was saved by a decades-old drug used in a new way) and economist Chris Snyder. How do you fix a market that doesn’t pay for cures? This new episode of Freakonomics Radio is available now, wherever you get your podcasts.

16,149 views

Werner Herzog once made a film that required hauling a real 320-ton steamship up a steep hill in the Amazon. So it’s perhaps unsurprising that he feels filmmaking with A.I., rather than going that extra distance for art, has “no spark of life.” In this conversation with Stephen Dubner, Herzog explains why he isn’t worried about artificial intelligence replacing artists. What concerns him is something else entirely: our obsession with facts over truth, convenience over striving, mimicry over meaning. Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.

Werner Herzog once made a film that required hauling a real 320-ton steamship up a steep hill in the Amazon. So it’s perhaps unsurprising that he feels filmmaking with A.I., rather than going that extra distance for art, has “no spark of life.” In this conversation with Stephen Dubner, Herzog explains why he isn’t worried about artificial intelligence replacing artists. What concerns him is something else entirely: our obsession with facts over truth, convenience over striving, mimicry over meaning. Listen to the full episode wherever you get your podcasts.

15,175 views

Videos

Anya Rossi

sweetdream.ai

SweetDream.ai•Sponsored•Livecam

Watch Anya Live

Anya is streaming live right now! Join her private show and enjoy exclusive content.

Exclusive private shows

1.2k viewers online

Private Show

Join now for exclusive access

Free preview available • Premium content

Who’s hosting who when you’re talking to Dick Cavett?

Who’s hosting who when you’re talking to Dick Cavett?

20,026 views • 4 days ago

What is the role of a university in an increasingly polarized society? Declining trust in higher education has fueled debates over institutional neutrality and whether universities should take positions on political and social issues.

What is the role of a university in an increasingly polarized society? Declining trust in higher education has fueled debates over institutional neutrality and whether universities should take positions on political and social issues.

12,103 views • 16 days ago

Can backgammon save us from ourselves? In this week’s episode of Freakonomics Radio, Stephen Dubner meets a community of people who believe backgammon is about much more than winning. From Masayuki "Mochy" Mochizuki, arguably the world's best backgammon player, to entrepreneurs, quants, and the people building a new generation of backgammon clubs, Stephen discovers how this game not only creates community but has also helped shape everything from N.F.L. decision-making to advancements in A.I. It brings strangers together. It teaches probability, strategy, and emotional control. There’s a reason this game has 5,000 years of staying power. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

Can backgammon save us from ourselves? In this week’s episode of Freakonomics Radio, Stephen Dubner meets a community of people who believe backgammon is about much more than winning. From Masayuki "Mochy" Mochizuki, arguably the world's best backgammon player, to entrepreneurs, quants, and the people building a new generation of backgammon clubs, Stephen discovers how this game not only creates community but has also helped shape everything from N.F.L. decision-making to advancements in A.I. It brings strangers together. It teaches probability, strategy, and emotional control. There’s a reason this game has 5,000 years of staying power. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

18,679 views • 1 month ago

What does Iran look like a year from now? And what does that reveal about American power? Fareed Zakaria joins us for a conversation about Iran, U.S. politics, and the forces shaping what comes next. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

What does Iran look like a year from now? And what does that reveal about American power? Fareed Zakaria joins us for a conversation about Iran, U.S. politics, and the forces shaping what comes next. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.

17,681 views • 1 month ago

Richard Feynman had a habit of pulling complicated things apart until he could see what was actually true. That instinct took him from the Manhattan Project to the Challenger investigation, where he exposed NASA’s failure to properly assess the risks involved. But what made Feynman fascinating wasn’t just the physics. It was the way he approached everything: with skepticism, curiosity, irreverence, and a deep need to understand how things worked beneath the surface. In this series, Freakonomics Radio revisits the life and ideas of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist through archival tape, conversations with family and colleagues, and stories that feel surprisingly relevant right now. Link to full episodes in the comments.

Richard Feynman had a habit of pulling complicated things apart until he could see what was actually true. That instinct took him from the Manhattan Project to the Challenger investigation, where he exposed NASA’s failure to properly assess the risks involved. But what made Feynman fascinating wasn’t just the physics. It was the way he approached everything: with skepticism, curiosity, irreverence, and a deep need to understand how things worked beneath the surface. In this series, Freakonomics Radio revisits the life and ideas of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist through archival tape, conversations with family and colleagues, and stories that feel surprisingly relevant right now. Link to full episodes in the comments.

20,929 views • 1 month ago

Richard Feynman spent much of his life chasing questions that didn’t seem especially practical. Things like: Why do people dream? What happens to consciousness under psychedelics? What can curiosity lead you to, if you follow it far enough? This episode of Freakonomics Radio explores the stranger and more personal side of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist’s life — not just his work as a scientist, but the restless curiosity that seemed to drive almost everything he did. It’s the final chapter in our three-part Richard Feynman series. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

Richard Feynman spent much of his life chasing questions that didn’t seem especially practical. Things like: Why do people dream? What happens to consciousness under psychedelics? What can curiosity lead you to, if you follow it far enough? This episode of Freakonomics Radio explores the stranger and more personal side of the Nobel Prize-winning physicist’s life — not just his work as a scientist, but the restless curiosity that seemed to drive almost everything he did. It’s the final chapter in our three-part Richard Feynman series. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

10,693 views • 1 month ago

Every 13 minutes, someone in America dies in a traffic accident. Researchers have blamed big cars and bad road design. But 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 in the car.”

Every 13 minutes, someone in America dies in a traffic accident. Researchers have blamed big cars and bad road design. But 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 in the car.”

21,175 views • 3 months ago

What if the honey in your kitchen isn’t actually honey? It turns out honey is one of the most forged foods in the world. And here’s the strange part: even as Americans consume more honey than ever, many beekeepers are struggling. Why? Because a lot of what’s sold as honey is diluted, mislabeled, or routed through other countries to avoid tariffs or scrutiny. So the label says one thing. The economics say another. And it’s not just beekeepers who are affected — almond growers have a surprising stake in all of this, too. On this week’s episode of Freakonomics Radio, Steve Levitt explains why it matters. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.

What if the honey in your kitchen isn’t actually honey? It turns out honey is one of the most forged foods in the world. And here’s the strange part: even as Americans consume more honey than ever, many beekeepers are struggling. Why? Because a lot of what’s sold as honey is diluted, mislabeled, or routed through other countries to avoid tariffs or scrutiny. So the label says one thing. The economics say another. And it’s not just beekeepers who are affected — almond growers have a surprising stake in all of this, too. On this week’s episode of Freakonomics Radio, Steve Levitt explains why it matters. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.

15,798 views • 3 months ago

Judy Faulkner is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in tech. So why haven’t we heard much from her? “I’d rather crawl under the table than be interviewed,” she says. "But sometimes it’s fun. When the people are fun, then it’s fun.” Challenge accepted. We try to make it fun. Listen to our full interview with Judy Faulkner wherever you get your podcasts.

Judy Faulkner is one of the most successful entrepreneurs in tech. So why haven’t we heard much from her? “I’d rather crawl under the table than be interviewed,” she says. "But sometimes it’s fun. When the people are fun, then it’s fun.” Challenge accepted. We try to make it fun. Listen to our full interview with Judy Faulkner wherever you get your podcasts.

12,997 views • 2 months ago

Have you ever considered how much you rely on people you've never met? Think about the coat on your back — let’s say it’s a woolen coat. Wool from sheep raised in Australia may be woven in Italy, sewn in Vietnam, and sold in the U.S.

Have you ever considered how much you rely on people you've never met? Think about the coat on your back — let’s say it’s a woolen coat. Wool from sheep raised in Australia may be woven in Italy, sewn in Vietnam, and sold in the U.S.

11,089 views • 2 months ago

We’ve spent tens of billions trying to cure Alzheimer’s. So why are we still so far from a cure?

We’ve spent tens of billions trying to cure Alzheimer’s. So why are we still so far from a cure?

12,407 views • 2 months ago

Bourbon is built on time. You make it today … and hope the market still wants it years from now. That works beautifully when demand is growing. It’s a lot harder when it’s not.

Bourbon is built on time. You make it today … and hope the market still wants it years from now. That works beautifully when demand is growing. It’s a lot harder when it’s not.

13,753 views • 3 months ago

Why do we hate rats so much? In New York City, they’ve been called “public enemy number one.” For centuries, they’ve been blamed for the Black Death. But what if the story isn’t that simple? In this episode of Freakonomics Radio, we ask whether rats have become a convenient scapegoat and what our reaction to them reveals about us. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.

Why do we hate rats so much? In New York City, they’ve been called “public enemy number one.” For centuries, they’ve been blamed for the Black Death. But what if the story isn’t that simple? In this episode of Freakonomics Radio, we ask whether rats have become a convenient scapegoat and what our reaction to them reveals about us. Listen now, wherever you get your podcasts.

11,616 views • 2 months ago

Why do scams work so well? The math is simple. If a scammer can send a message to 100 million people, and just 0.01% take the bait, you still have ten thousand victims and potentially millions of dollars. In this week’s episode, we explore the global scam industry and the surprising psychology behind it. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

Why do scams work so well? The math is simple. If a scammer can send a message to 100 million people, and just 0.01% take the bait, you still have ten thousand victims and potentially millions of dollars. In this week’s episode, we explore the global scam industry and the surprising psychology behind it. Listen now wherever you get your podcasts.

15,236 views • 4 months ago

To go public, or not to go public? For many tech firms, an I.P.O. is the ultimate sign of success. Judy Faulkner built Epic with a different idea in mind.

To go public, or not to go public? For many tech firms, an I.P.O. is the ultimate sign of success. Judy Faulkner built Epic with a different idea in mind.

10,920 views • 2 months ago

No more content to load