![](/assets/artwork/1x1-42817eea7ade52607a760cbee00d1495.gif)
152 episodes
![](/assets/artwork/1x1-42817eea7ade52607a760cbee00d1495.gif)
People I (Mostly) Admire Freakonomics Radio
-
- Society & Culture
-
-
4.6 • 1.7K Ratings
-
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.
Join the Freakonomics Radio Plus membership program for weekly member-only episodes of Freakonomics Radio. You’ll also get every show in our network without ads. To sign up, visit our show page on Apple Podcasts or go to freakonomics.com/plus.
-
UPDATE: What It Takes to Know Everything
Victoria Groce is the best trivia contestant on earth. The winner of the 2024 World Quizzing Championship explains the structure of a good question, why she knits during competitions, and how to memorize 160,000 flashcards.
-
136. The World’s Most Controversial Ornithologist
Richard Prum says there's a lot that traditional evolutionary biology can't explain. He thinks a neglected hypothesis from Charles Darwin — and insights from contemporary queer theory — hold the answer. Plus: You won't believe what female ducks use for contraception.
-
135. How to Grow a White Rhino
Thomas Hildebrandt is trying to bring the northern white rhinoceros back from the brink of extinction. The wildlife veterinarian tells Steve about the far-out techniques he employs, why we might see woolly mammoths in the future, and why he was frustrated the day the Berlin Wall came down.
-
REPLAY Sue Bird: “You Have to Pay the Superstars.”
She is one of the best basketball players ever. She’s won multiple championships, including five Olympic gold medals and four W.N.B.A. titles. She also helped negotiate a landmark contract for the league’s players. Sue Bird tells Steve Levitt the untold truth about clutch players, her thoughts about the pay gap between male and female athletes, and what it means to be part of the first gay couple in ESPN The Magazine’s Body Issue.
-
134. Why Do We Still Teach People to Calculate?
Conrad Wolfram wants to transform the way we teach math — by taking advantage of computers. The creator of Computer-Based Maths convinced the Estonian government to give his radical curriculum a try — so why is the rest of the world so resistant?
-
133. Pay Attention! (Your Body Will Thank You)
Ellen Langer is a psychologist at Harvard who studies the mind-body connection. She’s published some of the most remarkable scientific findings Steve has ever encountered. Can we really improve our physical health by changing our mind?
Customer Reviews
An Important Podcast/An Important Topic
If the spoke word is supposed to lead to more careful and mindful thinking, then this is the podcast that has achieved that objective. My spouse and I have listened to it thrice, and still we know that we are not fully comprehending ALL the major points. We are now fans of this podcasts (just subscribed) and Ellen Langer (bought her books yesterday)!
Always Amazing
A show I often share with family and friends!!
Leagues ahead
PIMA is probably my favorite interview podcast available and I cannot emphasize enough how high the caliber of guests are. Its continual focus on helping the public discover academics, authors, and other interesting people should not be ignored. Levitt is also clearly able to the match the intellectual level of his guests (albeit sometimes awkwardly), which is refreshing compared to many other podcasts.