Freakonomics Radio

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.

39 episodes summarized Open in App

Episodes (500)

690. It’s Show Business, Baby!

Oct 9, 2026

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689. Here’s Why Your Hamburger Just Got So Pricey

Oct 2, 2026

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688. When Is a Bet Not a Bet?

Sep 25, 2026

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687. Are Prediction Markets the Best Forecasting Tool Ever — or Just Another Casino?

Sep 18, 2026

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How to Be a Double Unicorn, with John Urschel | Better in Person

Sep 16, 2026

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686. Why Is It So Hard to Find an NFL Quarterback?

Sep 11, 2026

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Amazon Was Supposed to Kill the Bookstore. James Daunt Had Other Plans | Better in Person

Sep 9, 2026

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685. How to Survive the A.I. Shock

Sep 4, 2026

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How to Run an Institution in an Anti-Institution Era | Better in Person

Sep 2, 2026

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How to Return Stolen Art (Update)

Aug 28, 2026

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“I Trust Almost Anyone More Than Myself” | Better in Person

Aug 26, 2026

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Is a Museum Just a Trophy Case? (Update)

Aug 21, 2026

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Meet Warren Zanes, the Author and Rocker Behind the Springsteen Movie | Better in Person

Aug 19, 2026

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The Case of the $4 Million Gold Coffin (Update)

Aug 14, 2026

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What if Being a Stranger Is Actually Your Superpower? | Better in Person

Aug 12, 2026

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684. He Helped Clean Up the Last Crash. Does He See Another One Coming?

Aug 7, 2026

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Does it Take a Twisted Mind to Write Twisted Stories? | Better In Person

Aug 5, 2026

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683. In the New Space Race, Who Makes the Rules?

Jul 31, 2026

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How Gary Gulman Turned Depression Into Comedy Gold | Better in Person

Jul 29, 2026

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682. Should A.I. Move to Space?

Jul 24, 2026

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Why Cooking is Caregiving, with Chef Hillary Sterling | Better in Person

Jul 22, 2026

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Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin? (Update)

Jul 17, 2026

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How a Great Architect Thinks, with Bjarke Ingels | Better in Person

Jul 14, 2026

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681. How to Host a Talk Show, with Dick Cavett

Jul 9, 2026

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680. Can Universities Win Back Our Trust?

Jul 3, 2026

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679. Why Does Vanderbilt Keep Winning?

Jun 26, 2026

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The World Is (Still) Drowning in Sludge

Jun 24, 2026

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678. Who Gets to Choose a “Good Death”?

Jun 19, 2026

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677. Can Backgammon Save Us from Ourselves?

Jun 12, 2026

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This Is Your Brain on Pollution (Update)

Jun 10, 2026

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676. Has America Lost the Plot?

Jun 5, 2026

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The Vanishing Mr. Feynman (Update)

May 29, 2026

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The Brilliant Mr. Feynman (Update)

May 27, 2026

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The Curious Mr. Feynman (Update)

May 22, 2026

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675. Has the New York Times Become a Games Company?

May 15, 2026

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674. How Does a Composer Feel After the World Premiere?

May 8, 2026

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Was Adam Smith Really a Right-Winger? (Update)

May 6, 2026

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673. What Is Money?

May 1, 2026

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672. What Makes Judy Faulkner Run?

Apr 24, 2026

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Why Does Everyone Hate Rats? (Update)

Apr 22, 2026

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671. Why Has There Been So Little Progress on Alzheimer’s Disease?

Apr 17, 2026

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670. Beeconomics 101

Apr 10, 2026

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Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System (Update)

Apr 8, 2026

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669. Why Is 95 Percent of the World’s Bourbon Made in Kentucky?

Apr 3, 2026

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668. Do Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny Have Blood on Their Hands?

Mar 27, 2026

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In a Driverless World, Who Loses and Who Wins?

Mar 25, 2026

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Are Human Drivers Finally Obsolete?

Mar 20, 2026

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667. Here’s Why You Are Constantly Fighting Off Scammers

Mar 13, 2026

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666. This Is How Progress Happens

Mar 6, 2026

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The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of (Update)

Mar 4, 2026

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