Freakonomics Radio

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Freakonomics Radio

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.

  1. 623. Can New York City Win Its War on Rats?

    5 DAYS AGO

    623. Can New York City Win Its War on Rats?

    Even with a new rat czar, an arsenal of poisons, and a fleet of new garbage trucks, it won’t be easy — because, at root, the enemy is us. (Part two of a three-part series, “Sympathy for the Rat.”)

    50 min

  2. 20 FEB · BONUS

    The Show That Never Happened

    A brief meditation on loss, relativity, and the vagaries of show business.

    14 min
  3. 622. Why Does Everyone Hate Rats?

    14 FEB

    622. Why Does Everyone Hate Rats?

    New York City’s mayor calls them “public enemy number one.” History books say they caused the Black Death — although recent scientific evidence disputes that claim. So is the rat a scapegoat? And what does our rat hatred say about us? (Part one of a three-part series.)

    41 min

  4. 7 FEB

    621. Is Professional Licensing a Racket?

    Licensing began with medicine and law; now it extends to 20 percent of the U.S. workforce, including hair stylists and auctioneers. In a new book, the legal scholar Rebecca Allensworth calls licensing boards “a thicket of self-dealing and ineptitude” and says they keep bad workers in their jobs and good ones out — while failing to protect the public.

    55 min

  5. 5 FEB

    When Is a Superstar Just Another Employee? (Update)

    In 2023, the N.F.L. players’ union conducted a workplace survey that revealed clogged showers, rats in the locker room — and some insights for those of us who don’t play football. Today we’re updating that episode, with extra commentary from Omnipresent Football Guy (and former Philadelphia Eagle) Jason Kelce.

    1h 9m

  6. 31 JAN

    620. Why Don’t Running Backs Get Paid Anymore?

    They used to be the N.F.L.’s biggest stars, with paychecks to match. Now their salaries are near the bottom, and their careers are shorter than ever. We speak with an analytics guru, an agent, some former running backs (including LeSean McCoy), and the economist Roland Fryer (a former Pop Warner running back himself) to understand why.

    1h 1m

  7. 24 JAN

    619. How to Poison the A.I. Machine

    When the computer scientist Ben Zhao learned that artists were having their work stolen by A.I. models, he invented a tool to thwart the machines. He also knows how to foil an eavesdropping Alexa and how to guard your online footprint. The big news, he says, is that the A.I. bubble is bursting.

    52 min

  8. 22 JAN · BONUS

    Is San Francisco a Failed State? (And Other Questions You Shouldn’t Ask the Mayor)

    Stephen Dubner, live on stage, mixes it up with outbound mayor London Breed, and asks economists whether A.I. can be “human-centered” and if Tang is a gateway drug.

    59 min
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Hosts & Guests

About

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.

Information

  • Channel
    SiriusXM Podcasts
  • Creator
    Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
  • Years Active
    2010 - 2025
  • Episodes
    868
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2024 Dubner Productions and Stitcher
  • Show Website
    Freakonomics Radio

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