698 episodes

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.

Freakonomics Radio Freakonomics

    • Society & Culture
    • 4.5 • 28.3K Ratings

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.

    544. Ari Emanuel Is Never Indifferent

    544. Ari Emanuel Is Never Indifferent

    He turned a small Hollywood talent agency into a massive sports-and-entertainment empire. In a freewheeling conversation, he explains how he did it and why it nearly killed him.

    • 1 hr 5 min
    Make Me a Match (Ep. 209 Update)

    Make Me a Match (Ep. 209 Update)

    Sure, markets work well in general. But for some transactions — like school admissions and organ transplants — money alone can’t solve the problem. That’s when you need a market-design wizard like Al Roth. Plus: We hear from a listener who, inspired by this episode, made a remarkable decision.

    • 1 hr 8 min
    543. How to Return Stolen Art

    543. How to Return Stolen Art

    Museums are purging their collections of looted treasures. Can they also get something in return? And what does it mean to be a museum in the 21st century? (Part 3 of “Stealing Art Is Easy. Giving It Back Is Hard.”)

    • 51 min
    542. Is a Museum Just a Trophy Case?

    542. Is a Museum Just a Trophy Case?

    The world’s great museums are full of art and artifacts that were plundered during an era when plunder was the norm. Now there’s a push to return these works to their rightful owners. Sounds simple, right? It's not. (Part 2 of “Stealing Art Is Easy. Giving It Back Is Hard.”)

    • 52 min
    541. The Case of the $4 Million Gold Coffin

    541. The Case of the $4 Million Gold Coffin

    How did a freshly looted Egyptian antiquity end up in the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Why did it take Kim Kardashian to crack the case? And how much of what you see in any museum is stolen? (Part 1 of “Stealing Art Is Easy. Giving It Back Is Hard.”)

    • 53 min
    Why Your Projects Are Always Late — and What to Do About It (Ep. 323 Replay)

    Why Your Projects Are Always Late — and What to Do About It (Ep. 323 Replay)

    Whether it’s a giant infrastructure plan or a humble kitchen renovation, it’ll inevitably take way too long and cost way too much. That’s because you suffer from “the planning fallacy.” (You also have an “optimism bias” and a bad case of overconfidence.) But don’t worry: we’ve got the solution.

    • 42 min

Customer Reviews

4.5 out of 5
28.3K Ratings

28.3K Ratings

itomatic ,

Better and Better

I started listening years ago thanks to a friend showing me the episode about how environmentally unfriendly lawns are, but over time it has become THE podcast I am the most excited to listen to every week. Love Stephen, and I feel like he continues to grow as a podcaster. The episodes now are just as good as they have ever been if not better. Sometimes it’s a hard sell because people hear ‘economics’ and flee, but if you give this a try, you may just find a bit of an economist inside yourself. Give it a try!

NancyK202 ,

Love the series style

Freakonomics was the first podcast I ever listened to 5 years ago and it still is a favorite. I love the series style because the topics you choose are interesting and you explore them from many angles. I feel like I truly learn. Please continue!

etherdog ,

Will it last?

Dubner shuts down offshoots too quickly. I don’t trust him to let this show to last long enough to find an audience. Ari Emmanuel sounds like an opportunist and a bad role model for ethical business. The more he speaks, the less his arguments make sense.

We can’t help but think Dubner is winding down.

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