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Episode No.
Date
Length
PLUS

Running a Company — and a Family — Together

Dave and Sophie Smallwood cofounded Roleshare to spread the gospel of job-sharing. In this special episode for Freakonomics Radio Plus members, they talk to Stephen Dubner about being a couple both in and out of the workplace.

Unlock access to this episode, and other exclusive content, by joining the Freakonomics Radio Plus membership program. To sign up, visit the Freakonomics Radio show page on Apple Podcasts or go to freakonomics.com/plus.

9/29/23
17:18
No. 559

Are Two C.E.O.s Better Than One?

If two parents can run a family, why shouldn’t two executives run a company? We dig into the research and hear firsthand stories of both triumph and disaster. Also: lessons from computer programmers, Simon and Garfunkel, and bears versus alligators.

9/27/23
56:50
PLUS

Welcome to Our New Membership Program

We’re glad you’re here. Here’s a special message from Stephen Dubner — with an important question for new members.

9/25/23
01:56
PLUS

Untangling the Shifty Deals That Pad Pharma Prices

Employers hire consultants to help them get a good deal on prescription-drug benefits — but many of those consultants have a nasty conflict of interest. Stephen Dubner talks to the health care reporter who exposed the double-dealing, in a special episode only for Freakonomics Radio Plus members.

Unlock access to this episode, and other exclusive content, by joining the Freakonomics Radio Plus membership program. To sign up, visit the Freakonomics Radio show page on Apple Podcasts or go to freakonomics.com/plus.

9/24/23
25:42
No. 558

The Facts Are In: Two Parents Are Better Than One

In her new book The Two-Parent Privilege, the economist Melissa Kearney says it’s time for liberals to face the facts: U.S. marriage rates have plummeted but the babies keep coming, and the U.S. now leads the world in single-parent households. Plus: our friends at Atlas Obscura explore just how many parents a kid can have.

9/20/23
68:38
PLUS

How Does It Feel to Lose the Super Bowl to Your Brother?

In the first special episode for Freakonomics Radio Plus members, Stephen Dubner goes long with Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce on sibling rivalry, head injuries, and why his team upgraded its swimming pool.

Unlock access to this episode, and other exclusive content, by joining the Freakonomics Radio Plus membership program. To sign up, visit the Freakonomics Radio show page on Apple Podcasts or go to freakonomics.com/plus.

9/20/23
39:50
No. 557

When Is a Superstar Just Another Employee?

The union that represents N.F.L. players conducted their first-ever survey of workplace conditions, and issued a report card to all 32 teams. What did the survey reveal? Clogged showers, rats in the locker room — and some helpful insights for those of us who don’t play pro football.

9/13/23
65:25
No. 556

A.I. Is Changing Everything. Does That Include You?

For all the speculation about the future, A.I. tools can be useful right now. Adam Davidson discovers what they can help us do, how we can get the most from them — and why the things that make them helpful also make them dangerous. (Part 3 of “How to Think About A.I.“)

9/6/23
54:35
No. 555

New Technologies Always Scare Us. Is A.I. Any Different?

Guest host Adam Davidson looks at what might happen to your job in a world of human-level artificial intelligence, and asks when it might be time to worry that the machines have become too powerful. (Part 2 of “How to Think About A.I.“)

8/30/23
51:04
No. 554

Can A.I. Take a Joke?

Artificial intelligence, we’ve been told, will destroy humankind. No, wait — it will usher in a new age of human flourishing! Guest host Adam Davidson (co-founder of Planet Money) sorts through the big claims about A.I.’s future by exploring its past and present — and whether it has a sense of humor. (Part 1 of “How to Think About A.I.“)

8/23/23
53:22
No. 553

The Suddenly Diplomatic Rahm Emanuel

The famously profane politician and operative is now U.S. ambassador to Japan, where he’s trying to rewrite the rules of diplomacy. But don’t worry: When it comes to China, he’s every bit as combative as you’d expect.

8/16/23
61:40
No. 454

Should Traffic Lights Be Abolished? (Replay)

Americans are so accustomed to the standard intersection that we rarely consider how dangerous it can be — as well as costly, time-wasting, and polluting. Is it time to embrace the lowly, lovely roundabout?

8/9/23
51:25
EXTRA

Extra: A Modern Whaler Speaks Up

Bjørn Andersen killed 111 minke whales this season. He tells us how he does it, why he does it, and what he thinks would happen if whale-hunting ever stopped. (This bonus episode is a follow-up to our series “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.“)

8/6/23
27:45
No. 552

Freakonomics Radio Presents: The Economics of Everyday Things

In three stories from our newest podcast, host Zachary Crockett digs into sports mascots, cashmere sweaters, and dinosaur skeletons.

8/2/23
52:43
No. 551

What Can Whales Teach Us About Clean Energy, Workplace Harmony, and Living the Good Life?

In the final episode of our whale series, we learn about fecal plumes, shipping noise, and why Moby-Dick is still worth reading. (Part 3 of “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.”)

7/26/23
47:45
No. 550

Why Do People Still Hunt Whales?

For years, whale oil was used as lighting fuel, industrial lubricant, and the main ingredient in (yum!) margarine. Whale meat was also on a few menus. But today, demand for whale products is at a historic low. And yet some countries still have a whaling industry. We find out why. (Part 2 of “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.”)

7/19/23
38:41
No. 549

The First Great American Industry

Whaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come to dominate the whale market? Why did whale hunting die out here — and continue to grow elsewhere? And is that whale vomit in your perfume? (Part 1 of “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.”)

7/12/23
46:06
No. 548

Why Is the U.S. So Good at Killing Pedestrians?

Actually, the reasons are pretty clear. The harder question is: Will we ever care enough to stop?

7/5/23
44:57
No. 511

Why Did You Marry That Person? (Replay)

Sure, you were “in love.” But economists — using evidence from Bridgerton to Tinder — point to what’s called “assortative mating.” And it has some unpleasant consequences for society.

6/28/23
47:04
No. 547

Satya Nadella’s Intelligence Is Not Artificial

But as C.E.O. of the resurgent Microsoft, he is firmly at the center of the A.I. revolution. We speak with him about the perils and blessings of A.I., Google vs. Bing, the Microsoft succession plan — and why his favorite use of ChatGPT is translating poetry.

6/21/23
41:37
No. 546

Are E.S.G. Investors Actually Helping the Environment?

Probably not. The economist Kelly Shue argues that E.S.G. investing just gives more money to firms that are already green while depriving polluting firms of the financing they need to get greener. But she has a solution.

6/14/23
59:42
No. 545

Enough with the Slippery Slopes!

Gun control, abortion rights, drug legalization — it seems like every argument these days claims that if X happens, then Y will follow, and we’ll all be doomed to Z. Is the slippery-slope argument a valid logical construction or just a game of feelingsball?

6/7/23
48:44
No. 544

Ari Emanuel Is Never Indifferent

He turned a small Hollywood talent agency into a massive sports-and-entertainment empire. In a freewheeling conversation, he explains how he did it and why it nearly killed him.

5/31/23
69:56
No. 209

Make Me a Match (Update)

Sure, markets work well in general. But for some transactions — like school admissions and organ transplants — money alone can’t solve the problem. That’s when you need a market-design wizard like Al Roth. Plus: We hear from a listener who, inspired by this episode, made a remarkable decision.

5/24/23
72:34
No. 543

How to Return Stolen Art

Museums are purging their collections of looted treasures. Can they also get something in return? And what does it mean to be a museum in the 21st century? (Part 3 of “Stealing Art Is Easy. Giving It Back Is Hard.”)

5/17/23
51:38
No. 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 their rightful owners. Sounds simple, right? It’s not. (Part 2 of “Stealing Art Is Easy. Giving It Back Is Hard.”)

5/10/23
56:47
No. 541

The Case of the $4 Million Gold Coffin

How did a freshly looted Egyptian antiquity end up in the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Why did it take Kim Kardashian to crack the case? And how much of what you see in any museum is stolen? (Part 1 of “Stealing Art Is Easy. Giving It Back Is Hard.”)

5/3/23
53:46
No. 323

Why Your Projects Are Always Late — and What to Do About It (Replay)

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.” (You also have an “optimism bias” and a bad case of overconfidence.) But don’t worry: we’ve got the solution.

4/26/23
48:15
BONUS

Swearing Is More Important Than You Think [Uncensored]

Every language has its taboo words (which many people use all the time). But the list of forbidden words is always changing — and those changes tell us some surprising things about ourselves. Note: In this special version of the episode, we haven’t bleeped out any of the swear words. You can find the regular version, with the swear words bleeped out, in your podcast app.

4/24/23
45:14
No. 540

Swearing Is More Important Than You Think

Every language has its taboo words (which many people use all the time). But the list of forbidden words is always changing — and those changes tell us some surprising things about ourselves.

Expletives in this episode have been bleeped out. You can find an unbleeped version here.

4/19/23
49:43
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