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Episode 57

Does Money Really Buy Elections?

We all know the answer is yes. But the data — and Rudy Giuliani — say no.

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Episode 542

Is a Museum Just a Trophy Case?

The world’s great museums are full of art and artifacts that were plundered during an era when plunder was the norm. Now there’s a push to return these works to…

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Episode 69

How Can You Convince Someone They’re Wrong?

Also: What’s the best way to handle rejection?…

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Episode 473

These Jobs Were Not Posted on ZipRecruiter

In a conversation fresh from the Freakonomics Radio Network’s podcast laboratory, Michèle Flournoy (one of the highest-ranking women in Defense Department history) speaks with Cecil Haney (one of the U.S….

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Episode 424

How to Make Your Own Luck

Before she decided to become a poker pro, Maria Konnikova didn’t know how many cards are in a deck. But she did have a Ph.D. in psychology, a brilliant coach…

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Episode 70

In a Job Interview, How Much Does Timing Matter?

Also: Why is it smart to ignore what your podcast hosts look like?…

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EXTRA

Why Numbers are Music to Our Ears (Update)

Sarah Hart investigates the mathematical structures underlying musical compositions and literature. Using examples from Monteverdi to Lewis Carroll, Sarah explains to Steve how math affects how we hear music and…

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Episode 36

Bad News — It’s Your Surgeon’s Birthday

Distractions are everywhere — including in the operating room. So, what happens if a surgeon loses focus? A tap dancer, a health researcher, and a surgeon help Bapu Jena find…

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Episode 599

The World’s Most Valuable Unused Resource

It’s not oil or water or plutonium — it’s human hours. We’ve got an idea for putting them to use, and for building a more human-centered economy. But we need…

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Episode 46

Could Long Covid Help Treat Other Chronic Illnesses?

Chronic fatigue syndrome looks remarkably similar to Long Covid, but has been ignored by the medical community. Could patients finally get some answers to their debilitating illness?…

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Episode 107

Is It Worth It for Charities to Harass Their Donors?

Is it O.K. to bother people for a good cause? Why do people donate to charity in the first place? And do those personalized address labels actually make people get…

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Episode 592

How to Make the Coolest Show on Broadway

Hit by Covid, runaway costs, and a zillion streams of competition, serious theater is in serious trouble. A new hit play called Stereophonic — the most Tony-nominated play in history…

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Episode 232

The True Story of the Gender Pay Gap

Discrimination can’t explain why women earn so much less than men. If only it were that easy.

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Episode 55

This Vaccine Lottery Seemed Like a Great Idea. Why Didn’t it Work?

Behavioral economists say “regret lotteries” are powerful motivational tools. When Philadelphia tried one in 2021, the results were disappointing. Bapu looks at how incentives can backfire — and what we…

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EXTRA

The Economics of Everyday Things: “My Sharona”

Can a hit single from four decades ago still pay the bills? Zachary Crockett f-f-f-finds out in the third episode of our newest podcast, The Economics of Everyday Things….

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Episode 30

Dambisa Moyo Says Foreign Aid Can’t Solve Problems, but Maybe Corporations Can

The African-born economist has written four bestselling books, including Dead Aid, which Bill Gates described as “promoting evil.” In her new book about corporate boards, Dambisa uses her experience with…

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Episode 60

Why Do We Complain?

Also: what do you really mean when you say you “don’t have time”?…


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Episode 3

My Sharona

Can a hit single from four decades ago still pay the bills? Zachary Crockett f-f-f-finds out.

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Episode 565

Are Private Equity Firms Plundering the U.S. Economy?

They say they make companies more efficient through savvy management. Critics say they bend the rules to enrich themselves at the expense of consumers and employees. Can they both be…

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Episode 201

How Do We Know What Really Works in Healthcare?

A lot of the conventional wisdom in medicine is nothing more than hunch or wishful thinking. A new breed of data detectives is hoping to change that.

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Episode 401

How Many Prince Charleses Can There Be in One Room?

In a special holiday episode, Stephen Dubner and Angela Duckworth take turns asking each other questions about charisma, wealth vs. intellect, and (of course) grit.

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Episode 61

Should We Just Ignore Our Weaknesses?

Also: Why do we like what we like?…

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Episode 162

“If Mayors Ruled the World”

Unlike certain elected officials in Washington, mayors all over the country actually get stuff done. So maybe we should ask them to do more?

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Episode 13

Carnival Games

Does anyone ever win the giant teddy bear? Zachary Crockett steps right up….

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Episode 32

Used Golf Balls

American golfers lose 300 million balls a year — and all those bad swings are someone else’s business opportunity. Zachary Crockett hits the links….

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Episode 38

Junk Mail

Why does the mailman bring us so many catalogs, credit card offers, and pizza coupons? Because his job depends on it. Zachary Crockett checks the mailbox….

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Episode 26

Graffiti

Is graffiti public art, or public nuisance? It depends who you ask. Zachary Crockett tags in where it all started….

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Episode 33

To Catch a Fugitive

Who is likelier to get to the fugitive first? When a fugitive is on the run, it’s not only the police he has to worry about. A bounty hunter could…