The Latest in Freakonomics Swag
…Freak t-shirt. A signed copy of Freakonomics (paperback) Freakonomics: The Movie DVD A signed copy of SuperFreakonomics (paperback) The SuperFreakonomics t-shirt, worn here by Ryan Hagen, a Freakonomics research…
…In this episode of The Freakonomics Radio Book Club, he gives a master class in the seven psychological levers that bewitch our rational minds and lead us to buy, behave,…
Under his helm, the TED Conference went from a small industry gathering to a global phenomenon. Chris and Steve talk about how to build lasting institutions, how to make generosity…
Why does listening to No Stupid Questions feel like you’re hanging out with your best friends? Why did the whole world take it personally when Princess Diana died? And how…
Is grade inflation on the rise? How much does your G.P.A. matter in the long run? And when did M.I.T., of all places, become “the cool university”?…
Researchers are trying to figure out who gets bored — and why — and what it means for ourselves and the economy. But maybe there’s an upside to boredom?
…Freak t-shirt. A signed copy of Freakonomics (paperback) Freakonomics: The Movie DVD A signed copy of SuperFreakonomics (paperback) The SuperFreakonomics t-shirt, worn here by Ryan Hagen, a Freakonomics research…
…as Freakonomics.com. Our partner in the project is Chad Troutwine, an education entrepreneur, film producer and generally impressive guy who produced the Freakonomics film (which, BTW, is released on DVD…
In a wide-ranging conversation with Ezekiel Emanuel, the policymaking physician and medical gadfly, we discuss the massive effects of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro. We also talk about…
A woman comes to the emergency room with back pain. She’ll leave with an unexpected diagnosis. How does her doctor figure out what’s wrong? Listen as host Bapu Jena puts…
Doctors, chefs, and other experts are much more likely than the rest of us to buy store-brand products. What do they know that we don’t?
Why do people drink? Why do people not drink? And why specifically do Angela and Mike not drink?…
It may seem like winning a valuable diamond is an unalloyed victory. It’s not. It’s not even clear that a diamond is so valuable.
Thick markets, thin markets, and the triumph of attributes over compatibility.
A breakthrough in genetic technology has given humans more power than ever to change nature. It could help eliminate hunger and disease; it could also lead to the sort of…
Also: is it better to be right or “not wrong”?…
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…
…July 9, 2006, Freakonomics column in the New York Times Magazine examines a simple supply-and-demand gap with tragic implications: the shortage of human organs for transplantation. This blog post supplies…
Giving up can be painful. That’s why we need to talk about it. Today: stories about glitchy apps, leaky paint cans, broken sculptures — and a quest for the perfect…
Is pride an emotion? Where’s the line between self-esteem and hubris? And what does Stephen have against peacocks? Take the Seven Deadly Sins survey: freakonomics.com/nsq-sins/…
When researchers analyzed which day of the week most drug-safety alerts are released — and what it means for public health — they were stunned. So was Bapu Jena. He…
…paragraph #7 below). July 25, 1946. Document #8 (see paragraph #8 below). January 30, 1948. Freakonomics includes a chapter titled “How is the Ku Klux Klan Like a Group of…
The legendary venture capitalist believes the same intuition that led him to bet early on Google can help us reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. But Steve wonders why his…
Lewis got incredible access to Sam Bankman-Fried, the billionaire behind the spectacular FTX fraud. His book is a bestseller, but some critics say he went too easy on S.B.F. Lewis…
Insurance forms that make no sense. Subscriptions that can’t be cancelled. A never-ending blizzard of automated notifications. Where does all this sludge come from — and how much is it…
Also: why do we pad our speech with so much filler language?…
Steve Levitt has a novel idea for helping people make tough decisions.
Also: what does your name say about who you are?…
Also: what is the most significant choice you will ever make?…
July is shaping up to be Contemporary Christian Month in Freakonomics land. First, Levitt was interviewed by Pat Robertson on The 700 Club. Now, in a Village Voice article called…
