Most people don’t enjoy the simple, boring act of putting money in a savings account. But we do love to play the lottery. So what if you combine the two,…
Academic studies are nice, and so are Nobel Prizes. But to truly prove the value of a new idea, you have to unleash it to the masses. That’s what a…
Public bathrooms are noisy, poorly designed, and often nonexistent. What to do?
Humans, it has long been thought, are the only animal to engage in economic activity. But what if we’ve had it exactly backward?…
Whether it’s a giant infrastructure plan or a humble kitchen renovation, it’ll inevitably take way too long and cost way too much. That’s because you suffer from “the planning fallacy.”…
Some people argue that sugar should be regulated, like alcohol and tobacco, on the grounds that it’s addictive and toxic. How much sense does that make? We hear from a…
Good intentions are nice, but with so many resources poured into social programs, wouldn’t it be even nicer to know what actually works?
Charles Koch, the mega-billionaire C.E.O. of Koch Industries and half of the infamous political machine, sees himself as a classical liberal. So why do most Democrats hate him so much?…
Charles Koch, the mega-billionaire C.E.O. of Koch Industries and half of the infamous political machine, sees himself as a classical liberal. So why do most Democrats hate him so much?…
Sure, we all want to make good personal decisions, but it doesn’t always work out. That’s where “temptation bundling” comes in.
A team of economists has been running the numbers on the U.N.’s development goals. They have a different view of how those billions of dollars should be spent.
In this episode, we try to answer a few questions: Why is soccer the best sport? How has Harlan Coben sold 70 million books? And why does “Apollo 13” keeps…
America’s favorite statistical guru answers our FREAK-quently Asked Questions, and more.
Conventional programs tend to be expensive, onerous, and ineffective. Could something as simple (and cheap) as cognitive behavioral therapy do the trick?
We spend billions on end-of-life healthcare that doesn’t do much good. So what if a patient could forego the standard treatment and get a cash rebate instead?
Every four years, the U.S. takes a look at the World Cup and develops a slight crush. What would it take to really fall in love?
The science of what works — and doesn’t work — in fundraising
The science of what works — and doesn’t work — in fundraising.
Dubner and Levitt field your queries in this latest installment of our FREAK-quently Asked Questions….
It’s impossible to say for sure, but the Lebanese do remarkably well. Why?
Economists preach the gospel of “creative destruction,” whereby new industries — and jobs — replace the old ones. But has creative destruction become too destructive?
Advertisers have always been adept at manipulating our emotions. Now they’re using behavioral economics to get even better.
Also: do we subconsciously lie about our major influences?
Also: how did Angela do with her no-sugar challenge?…
Also: why do we pad our speech with so much filler language?…
Also: what is the most significant choice you will ever make?…
