Are modern parents too protective? Why do we worry so much about things that almost never happen? And how did Mike learn about bus stops?
Journalist Walt Hickey uses data to understand how culture works. He and Steve talk about why China hasn’t produced any hit movies yet and how he got his own avatar in the Madden NFL video game.
Economist Daron Acemoglu likes to tackle big questions. He tells Steve how colonialism still affects us today, who benefits from new technology, and why democracy wasn’t always a sure thing.
Why is it separate from medical insurance? And is it really insurance at all? Zachary Crockett goes in for a cleaning.
Should you shout your sins from the rooftops? How many skeletons are in the average person’s closet? And what has Angela been hiding?
Ralph Leighton reflects on his decades-long friendship with Richard Feynman.
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Cat Bohannon’s new book puts female anatomy at the center of human evolution. She tells Steve why it takes us so long to give birth, what breast milk is really for, and why the human reproductive system is a flaming pile of garbage.
Sportswriter Karen Crouse talks about the battle between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.
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Interest in houseplants has exploded in recent years. But what causes floral trends, and prices, to grow? Zachary Crockett sows a few seeds.
Stephen talks with Roger Nam, a professor of Hebrew Bible at Emory University, about how ancient migrations intersect with today.
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Stephen Dubner speaks with the University of Warwick’s Economics Society.
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Stephen Dubner speaks with journalist David Leonhardt about the causes and consequences of the U.S. immigration mess.
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Fareed Zakaria says yes. But it’s not just political revolution — it’s economic, technological, even emotional. He doesn’t offer easy solutions but he does offer some hope.
Fareed Zakaria says yes. But it’s not just political revolution — it’s economic, technological, even emotional. He doesn’t offer easy solutions but he does offer some hope.
Stephen Dubner talks with the political scientist about liberal democracy, globalization, and the challenges of persuasion.
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Stephen Dubner speaks with the economist Nicholas Bloom about the qualities of successful C.E.O.s.
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Stephen Dubner joins Voices of Esalen host Sam Stern to talk about Richard Feynman.
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