Freakonomics Radio

  • 515. When You Pray to God Online, Who Else Is Listening?

    The pandemic moved a lot of religious activity onto the internet. With faith-based apps, Silicon Valley is turning virtual prayers into earthly rewards. Does this mean sharing user data? Dear God, let’s hope not …


  • This Is Your Brain on Pollution (Ep. 472 Update)

    As the Biden administration rushes to address climate change, Stephen Dubner looks at another, hidden cost of air pollution — one that’s affecting how we think.


  • 514. Roland Fryer Refuses to Lie to Black America

    The controversial Harvard economist, recently back from a suspension, “broke a lot of glass early in my career,” he says. His research on school incentives and police brutality won him acclaim — but also enemies.…


  • 513. Should Public Transit Be Free?

    It boosts economic opportunity and social mobility. It’s good for the environment. So why do we charge people to use it? The short answer: it’s complicated. 


  • Why Is U.S. Media So Negative? (Ep. 477 Replay)

    Breaking news! Sources say American journalism exploits our negativity bias to maximize profits, and social media algorithms add fuel to the fire. Stephen Dubner investigates.


  • The Pros and Cons of America’s (Extreme) Individualism (Ep. 470 Replay)

    According to a decades-long research project, the U.S. is not only the most individualistic country on earth; we’re also high on indulgence, short-term thinking, and masculinity (but low on “uncertainty avoidance,” if that makes you…


  • The U.S. Is Just Different — So Let’s Stop Pretending We’re Not (Ep. 469 Replay)

    We often look to other countries for smart policies on education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. But can a smart policy be simply transplanted into a country as culturally unusual (and as supremely WEIRD) as America?


  • 512. Does Philosophy Still Matter?

    It used to be at the center of our conversations about politics and society. Scott Hershovitz (author of Nasty, Brutish, and Short) argues that philosophy still has a lot to say about work, justice, and…


  • 511. Why Did You Marry That Person?

    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.


  • The Economist’s Guide to Parenting: 10 Years Later (Ep. 479 Replay)

    In one of the earliest Freakonomics Radio episodes, we asked a bunch of economists with young kids how they approached child-rearing. Now the kids are old enough to talk — and they have a lot…