The Team
…the RAND Corporation as a part of their research programming group. He studied history as an undergrad at the University of Chicago and received a masters in computer science. He…
…the RAND Corporation as a part of their research programming group. He studied history as an undergrad at the University of Chicago and received a masters in computer science. He…
…its history and mores, etc. If I were, what I’m about to tell you probably wouldn’t have come as a surprise. Not long ago, in an airport far from home,…
The pandemic may be winding down, but that doesn’t mean we’ll return to full-time commuting and packed office buildings. The greatest accidental experiment in the history of labor has lessons…
…and storied history of functioning at a loss despite government subsidies. So, as we enter what appears to be a new era (maybe?) of government austerity, it seems worth asking…
…to them the following questions: This year marked the first time in human history that more people lived in cities than in rural areas. What problems and opportunities does this…
…about President Bush. History will decide. In the last 7 years, the conservative movement has experienced some growing pains. The good news is that the movement continues to grow after…
Quotes Uncovered Here are more quote authors and origins Shapiro’s tracked down recently. Who Found Proof in the Pudding? Dying for Opinions and Making History Who’s Pete? A while back,…
…up state and federal spending on healthcare in export-driven port states like New Jersey. In his book Trucking Country, Shane Hamilton, an assistant professor of history at the University of…
The world is a more peaceful place today that at any time in history — by a long, long shot.
John Steele Gordon writes great historical non-fiction; his last book was Empire of Wealth: The Epic History of American Economic Power. Among many other things, he discusses how it was…
…deceased), longtime history professor at Boston University. One of the most popular teachers on campus, he was said to be loathed by the university’s former president John Silber (which may…
…farm at $15 per are, the distance around which is 640 rods? 10. Write a Bank Check, a Promissory Note, and a Receipt. U.S. History (Time, 45 minutes) 1. Give…
…virtually unique in history, and a long time in the making.? It was born out of (at least) three major developments.? The first was the demise of the Divine Right…
…experienced through most of our history is a thing of the past? That’s the topic of our latest Freakonomics Radio on Marketplace podcast. (You can download/subscribe at iTunes, get the…
Are things really as bad as they seem? Has Gen Z given up hope for the world? And why was the father of positive psychology a lifelong pessimist?…
A look at whether spite pays — and if it even exists.
It used to be that making documentary films meant taking a vow of poverty (and obscurity). The streaming revolution changed that. Award-winning filmmaker R.J. Cutler talks to Stephen Dubner about…
Psychologist David Yeager thinks the conventional wisdom for how to motivate young people is all wrong. His model for helping kids cope with stress is required reading at Steve’s new…
As cities become ever-more expensive, politicians and housing advocates keep calling for rent control. Economists think that’s a terrible idea. They say it helps a small (albeit noisy) group of…
A look at whether spite pays — and if it even exists.
He’s an economist who studies even weirder things than Steve. They discuss whether economics is the best of the social sciences, and why it’s a good idea to get a…
Is it really in a restaurant’s best interest to give customers free bread or chips before they even order?
John Mackey, the C.E.O. of Whole Foods, has learned the perils of speaking his mind. But he still says what he thinks about everything from “conscious leadership” to the behavioral…
We tend to look down on artists who can’t match their breakthrough success. Should we be celebrating them instead?…
Why are humans so fascinated by coincidences? What do Carl Jung and an album by The Police have in common? And what did Stephen win in a bar mitzvah limbo…
While other countries seem to build spectacular bridges, dams and even entire cities with ease, the U.S. is stuck in pothole-fixing mode. We speak with an array of transportation nerds…
The International Monetary Fund has long been the “lender of last resort” for economies in crisis. Christine Lagarde, who runs the institution, would like to prevent those crises from ever…
And with her book Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, she succeeded. Now she’s not so sure how to feel about all the attention….
Gary Johnson, the Libertarian Party’s presidential candidate, likes to say that most Americans are libertarians but don’t know it yet. So why can’t Libertarians (and other third parties) gain more…
Nearly 2 percent of America is grassy green. Sure, lawns are beautiful and useful and they smell great. But are the costs — financial, environmental and otherwise — worth the…
