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.
Episodes
679. Why Does Vanderbilt Keep Winning?
Jun 26, 2026 · 1h 4m
The World Is (Still) Drowning in Sludge
Jun 24, 2026 · 54 min
678. Who Gets to Choose a “Good Death”?
Jun 19, 2026 · 50 min
677. Can Backgammon Save Us from Ourselves?
Jun 12, 2026 · 59 min
This Is Your Brain on Pollution (Update)
Jun 10, 2026 · 47 min
676. Has America Lost the Plot?
Jun 5, 2026 · 1h 5m
The Vanishing Mr. Feynman (Update)
May 29, 2026 · 1h 0m
The Brilliant Mr. Feynman (Update)
May 27, 2026 · 52 min
The Curious Mr. Feynman (Update)
May 22, 2026 · 1h 3m
675. Has the New York Times Become a Games Company?
May 15, 2026 · 57 min
674. How Does a Composer Feel After the World Premiere?
May 8, 2026 · 45 min
Was Adam Smith Really a Right-Winger? (Update)
May 6, 2026 · 1h 8m
673. What Is Money?
May 1, 2026 · 54 min
672. What Makes Judy Faulkner Run?
Apr 24, 2026 · 1h 0m
Why Does Everyone Hate Rats? (Update)
Apr 22, 2026 · 40 min
671. Why Has There Been So Little Progress on Alzheimer’s Disease?
Apr 17, 2026 · 1h 1m
670. Beeconomics 101
Apr 10, 2026 · 55 min
Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System (Update)
Apr 8, 2026 · 1h 4m
669. Why Is 95 Percent of the World’s Bourbon Made in Kentucky?
Apr 3, 2026 · 46 min
668. Do Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny Have Blood on Their Hands?
Mar 27, 2026 · 53 min
In a Driverless World, Who Loses and Who Wins?
Mar 25, 2026 · 1h 5m
Are Human Drivers Finally Obsolete?
Mar 20, 2026 · 1h 11m
667. Here’s Why You Are Constantly Fighting Off Scammers
Mar 13, 2026 · 47 min
666. This Is How Progress Happens
Mar 6, 2026 · 53 min
The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of (Update)
Mar 4, 2026 · 1h 6m
665. Werner Herzog Isn’t Afraid ...
Feb 27, 2026 · 49 min
664. Are Thousands of Medical Cures Hiding in Plain Sight?
Feb 20, 2026 · 51 min
All You Need Is Nudge (Update)
Feb 18, 2026 · 57 min
663. Is Weed a Performance-Enhancing Drug?
Feb 13, 2026 · 50 min
662. If You’re Not Cheating, You’re Not Trying
Feb 6, 2026 · 52 min
Why Don’t Running Backs Get Paid Anymore? (Update)
Feb 4, 2026 · 58 min
661. Can A.I. Save Your Life?
Jan 30, 2026 · 1h 0m
660. The Wellness Industry Is Gigantic — and Mostly Wrong
Jan 23, 2026 · 1h 5m
Steve Levitt Quits His Podcast, Joins Ours
Jan 21, 2026 · 45 min
659. Can Marty Makary Fix the F.D.A.?
Jan 16, 2026 · 55 min
658. This Is Your Brain on Supplements
Jan 9, 2026 · 53 min
Are Personal Finance Gurus Giving You Bad Advice? (Update)
Jan 2, 2026 · 1h 0m
Are You Ready for a Fresh Start? (Update)
Dec 30, 2025 · 42 min
Are the Rich Really Less Generous Than the Poor? (Update)
Dec 26, 2025 · 43 min
657. Whose “Messiah” Is It Anyway?
Dec 19, 2025 · 48 min
Who Pays for “Messiah”?
Dec 17, 2025 · 42 min
656. How Handel Got His Mojo Back
Dec 12, 2025 · 57 min
655. “The Greatest Piece of Participatory Art Ever Created”
Dec 5, 2025 · 56 min
Dying Is Easy. Retail Is Hard. (Update)
Nov 28, 2025 · 1h 2m
Is Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade Its Most Valuable Asset? (Update)
Nov 27, 2025 · 52 min
654. Is the Public Ready for Private Equity?
Nov 21, 2025 · 1h 3m
653. Does Horse Racing Have a Future?
Nov 14, 2025 · 1h 1m
What Happens When You Turn 20
Nov 12, 2025 · 1h 2m
652. Inside the Horse-Industrial Complex
Nov 7, 2025 · 1h 0m
651. The Ultimate Dance Partner
Oct 31, 2025 · 1h 8m