Freakonomics Radio

  • 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?


  • Why Did You Marry That Person? (Ep. 511 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.


  • 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…


  • 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…


  • 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…


  • 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.


  • Make Me a Match (Ep. 209 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:…


  • 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.…


  • 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,…


  • 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…