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 hos […]

553. The Suddenly Diplomatic Rahm EmanuelThe famously profane politician and operative is now U.S. ambassador to Japan, where he’s trying to rewrite the rules o […]

Should Traffic Lights Be Abolished? (Ep. 454 Replay)Americans are so accustomed to the standard intersection that we rarely consider how dangerous it can be — as w […]

Should Traffic Lights Be Abolished? (Ep. 454 Replay)Americans are so accustomed to the standard intersection that we rarely consider how dangerous it can be — as w […]

Extra: A Modern Whaler Speaks Up Bjorn 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 […]

552. Freakonomics Radio Presents: The Economics of Everyday ThingsIn three stories from our newest podcast, host Zachary Crockett digs into sports mascots, […]

552. Freakonomics Radio Presents: The Economics of Everyday ThingsIn three stories from our newest podcast, host Zachary Crockett digs into sports mascots, […]

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, […]

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, […]

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 […]

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 […]

549. The First Great American IndustryWhaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come to dom […]

549. The First Great American IndustryWhaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come to dom […]

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? Hosted by […]

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 “a […]

547. Satya Nadella’s Intelligence Is Not ArtificialBut as C.E.O. of the resurgent Microsoft, he is firmly at the center of the A.I. revolution. We speak with him […]

547. Satya Nadella’s Intelligence Is Not ArtificialBut as C.E.O. of the resurgent Microsoft, he is firmly at the center of the A.I. revolution. We speak with him […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 w […]