Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner uncovers the hidden side of everything. Why is it safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car? How do we decide whom to marry? Why is the media so full of bad news? Also: things you never knew you wanted to know about wolves, bananas, pollution, search engines, and the quirks of human behavior.
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Being green is rarely a black-and-white issue — but that doesn’t stop marketers and politicians from pretending it is.
We spend billions on our pets, and one of the fastest-growing costs is pet “aftercare.” But are those cremated remains you got back really from your pet?
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.
A 19th-century Georgia land lottery may have something to teach us about today’s income inequality.
Think you know how much parents matter? Think again. Economists crunch the numbers to learn the ROI on child-rearing.
Once upon a time, office workers across America lived in fear of a dreaded infirmity. Was the computer keyboard really the villain — and did carpal tunnel syndrome really go away?
There are more than twice as many suicides as murders in the U.S., but suicide attracts far less scrutiny. Freakonomics Radio digs through the numbers and finds all kinds of surprises.
It’s impossible to say for sure, but the Lebanese do remarkably well. Why?
Human beings love to predict the future, but we’re quite terrible at it. So how about punishing all those bad predictions?
Chicago has given the world more than sausage, crooked politics, and Da Bears.
We worship the tradition of handing off a family business to the next generation. But is that really such a good idea?
Even American parents have a strong “son preference” — which means that a newborn daughter can be bad news for a marriage.
You know the saying: a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. To which Freakonomics Radio says … Are you sure?
The Encyclopedia of Ethical Failures catalogs the fiscal, sexual, and mental lapses of federal workers — all with an eye toward preventing the next big mistake.
What does “Pride and Prejudice” have to do with nuclear deterrence?
What happens to your reputation when you’re no longer around to defend it?
You might think that someone with a 50-50 chance of getting a fatal disease would want to know for sure — but you would be wrong. What does this say about our supposed thirst for certainty?
Yet another reason to blame your parents for pretty much everything.
It’s awkward, random, confusing — and probably discriminatory too.
Dubner and Levitt talk about circadian rhythms, gay marriage, autism, and whether “pay what you want” is everything it’s cracked up to be.
If any other product failed 94 percent of the time, you’d probably stop using it. So why do we put up with burglar alarms?
A look at whether spite pays — and if it even exists.
Why is unemployment still so high? It may be because of something that happened well before the Great Recession.
An interview with Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, whose younger brother turned him in — and what it says about the Boston bombers.
In many states, it is perfectly legal to not hire someone who smokes. Should employers also be able to weed out junk-food lovers or motorcyclists — or anyone who wants to have a baby?
A kid’s name can tell us something about his parents — their race, social standing, even their politics. But is your name really your destiny?
Real tax reform may or may not ever happen. In the meantime, how about making the current system work a bit better?
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