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Episode No.
Date
Length
No. 84

Legacy of a Jerk (Replay)

What happens to your reputation when you’re no longer around to defend it?

6/27/13
44:05
No. 131

Do You Really Want to Know Your Future?

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?

6/20/13
34:44
No. 130

Why Family and Business Don’t Mix: A New Marketplace Podcast

Yet another reason to blame your parents for pretty much everything.

6/12/13
7:38
No. 129

Should Tipping Be Banned?

It’s awkward, random, confusing — and probably discriminatory too.

6/3/13
41:25
No. 128

Baby, You Can Program My Car

A glimpse into our driverless future.

5/29/13
8:23
No. 127

Can You Be Too Smart for Your Own Good? And Other FREAK-quently Asked Questions

Dubner and Levitt talk about circadian rhythms, gay marriage, autism, and whether “pay what you want” is everything it’s cracked up to be.

5/23/13
30:21
No. 69

The Hidden Cost of False Alarms (Replay)

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?

5/15/13
5:41
No. 126

What Do Medieval Nuns and Bo Jackson Have in Common?

A look at whether spite pays — and if it even exists.

5/9/13
43:21
No. 125

It’s Crowded at the Top

Why is unemployment still so high? It may be because of something that happened well before the Great Recession.

5/1/13
9:05
No. 124

Running to Do Evil

An interview with Unabomber Ted Kaczynski, whose younger brother turned him in — and what it says about the Boston bombers.

4/25/13
29:58
No. 123

Help Wanted. No Smokers Need Apply

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?

4/17/13
8:19
No. 122

How Much Does Your Name Matter?

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?

4/8/13
50:56
No. 121

The Tax Man Nudgeth

Real tax reform may or may not ever happen. In the meantime, how about making the current system work a bit better?

4/3/13
10:13
No. 120

100 Ways to Fight Obesity

Freakonomics asks a dozen smart people for their best ideas. Get ready for a fat tax, a sugar ban, and a calorie-chomping tapeworm.

3/27/13
37:21
No. 119

How Money Is March Madness?

The N.C.A.A. basketball tournament grabs a lot of eyeballs, but turning them into dollars hasn’t always been easy — even when the “talent” is playing for free.

3/21/13
6:28
No. 118

Parking Is Hell

There ain’t no such thing as a free parking spot. Somebody has to pay for it — and that somebody is everybody.

3/13/13
36:39
No. 117

When Is a Negative a Positive?

Sure, we all like to hear compliments. But if you’re truly looking to get better at something, it’s the negative feedback that will get you there.

3/6/13
7:33
No. 116

Women Are Not Men

In many ways, the gender gap is closing. In others, not so much. And that’s not always a bad thing.

2/24/13
37:23
No. 115

The Downside of More Miles Per Gallon

The gas tax doesn’t work well, and it’s only going to get worse. What’s next?

2/20/13
6:05
No. 114

How to Think About Guns

No one wants mass shootings. Unfortunately, no one has a workable plan to stop them either.

2/14/13
34:26
No. 113

Sure, I Remember That

It is startlingly easy to create false memories, especially in politics.

2/8/13
6:39
No. 112

Would You Let a Coin Toss Decide Your Future?

Our latest Freakonomics Radio podcast is called “Would You Let a Coin Toss Decide Your Future?”

1/31/13
29:03
No. 111

Introducing “Freakonomics Experiments”

Steve Levitt has a novel idea for helping people make tough decisions.

1/24/13
5:01
No. 110

Who Owns the Words That Come Out of Your Mouth?

The very long reach of Winston Churchill — and how the British government is remaking copyright law.

1/17/13
35:57
No. 109

How to Live Longer

Why do Hall of Fame inductees, Oscar winners, and Nobel laureates outlive their peers?

1/10/13
6:07
No. 108

How Did “Freakonomics” Get Its Name?

Levitt and Dubner answer your questions about driving, sneezing, and ladies’ nights. Plus a remembrance of Levitt’s sister Linda.

1/3/13
32:02
No. 107

How Much Does a Good Boss Really Matter?

It’s harder than you’d think to measure the value of a boss. But some enterprising economists have done just that — and the news is good.

12/27/12
14:10
No. 106

The House of Dreams

Dubner’s childhood home goes from sacred to profane — and then back again.

12/20/12
24:45
No. 105

Have a Very Homo Economicus Christmas

Who better than an economist to help with your shopping list?

12/13/12
15:10
No. 104

The Things They Taught Me

College, at its best, is about learning to think. Stephen Dubner chats up three of his former professors who made the magic happen.

12/6/12
23:59
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