Freakonomics Radio

Governments started the space age. Now, billionaires and private firms are reinventing it. Guest host Steve Levitt explores what the past can teach us about a high-stakes future. (Part two of a two-part series.)   SOURCES: Blaise Agüera y Arcas, vice president and fellow at Google, C.T.O. of technology and society. Rosanna Hoffman, head of space law, policy, and sustainability at the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs. Alex Macdonald, former first chief economist at NASA, senior associate at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Will Marshall, co-founder and C.E.O. of Planet Labs.   RESOURCES: "The mission to create a searchable database of Earth's surface," by Will Marshall (TED, 2018). The Long Space Age, by Alex Macdonald (2017). Planet Labs A.I.    EXTRAS: "Should A.I. Move to Space?," series by Freakonomics Radio (2026). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of

Gary and Stephen talk about creativity, recovery, getting fired, and holding grudges. They also get outside and play basketball, which is a big part of how Gary stays well.   If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

At first it sounds ridiculous. But it might be inevitable. Guest host Steve Levitt talks to a team that hopes to push A.I. infrastructure off the planet. Part one of a two-part series.)   SOURCES: Blaise Agüera y Arcas, vice president and fellow at Google, C.T.O. of technology and society. Travis Beals, senior director of product management at Google, Project Suncatcher lead. Will Marshall, co-founder and C.E.O. of Planet Labs.   RESOURCES: What Is Intelligence?, by Blaise Agüera y Arcas (2025). "Towards a future space-based, highly scalable AI infrastructure system design," by Blaise Agüera y Arcas, Travis Beals, Maria Biggs, Jessica V. Bloom, Thomas Fischbacher, Konstantin Gromov, Urs Köster, Rishiraj Pravahan, and James Manyika (Google, 2025). Reason, by Isaac Asimov (1941).   EXTRAS:  "Are Our Tools Becoming Part of Us?," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2024). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and

Hillary Sterling was a Brooklyn kid raised on cream cheese sandwiches and canned potatoes. So how did she become one of New York City's best chefs? The Ci Siamo executive chef explains on the second episode of Better in Person. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Like tens of millions of people, Stephen Dubner thought he had a penicillin allergy. Like the vast majority, he didn’t. This misdiagnosis costs billions of dollars and causes serious health problems, so why hasn’t it been fixed? We find out in this update of a 2025 episode.   SOURCES: Kimberly Blumenthal, allergist-immunologist and researcher at the Mayo Clinic. Theresa MacPhail, associate professor of science and technology studies at Stevens Institute of Technology. Thomas Platts-Mills, professor of medicine at the University of Virginia. Elena Resnick, allergist and immunologist at Mount Sinai Hospital.   RESOURCES: Allergic: Our Irritated Bodies in a Changing World, by Theresa MacPhail (2023). "Evaluation and Management of Penicillin Allergy: A Review," by Erica S. Shenoy, Eric Macy, and Theresa Rowe (JAMA, 2019). "The Allergy Epidemics: 1870–2010," by Thomas Platts-Mills (The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, 2016). "Randomized Trial of Peanut Consumption

Is the oxymoron really “the secret sauce to everything”? That’s the case Ingels makes in this debut episode of our new video show Better in Person, filmed in Stephen Dubner’s living room.   If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Stephen Dubner had an idea for a new project. So he drove to Connecticut and knocked on the door of the master. Dubner’s new TV talk show Better in Person launches July 14 on the Freakonomics YouTube channel.   SOURCES: Dick Cavett, writer, former talk show host.   RESOURCES: Eye on Cavett, by Dick Cavett and Christopher Porterfield (1983). Cavett, by Dick Cavett and Christopher Porterfield (1974). "The Dick Cavett Show" YouTube Channel. "Better in Person" Trailer. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Dartmouth president Sian Beilock, a psychologist by training, made her name studying why people choke. Now she’s applying those insights to one of the most scrutinized jobs in America. No pressure!   SOURCES: Sian Beilock, president of Dartmouth College.   RESOURCES: "Growing share of Americans say the U.S. higher education system is headed in the wrong direction," by Kim Parker (Pew Research Center, 2025). "Standardized Test Scores and Academic Performance at Ivy-Plus Colleges," by John N. Friedman, Bruce Sacerdote, Douglas O. Staiger, and Michele Tine (NBER, 2025). "Americans’ Trust in One Another," by Laura Silver, Scott Keeter, Stephanie Kramer, Jordan Lippert, Sofia Hernandez Ramones, Alan Cooperman, Chris Baronavski, and Bill Webster (Pew Research Center, 2025). Choke: What the Secrets of the Brain Reveal About Getting It Right When You Have To, by Sian Beilock (2011)   EXTRAS: "Why Does Vanderbilt Keep Winning?" by Freakonomics Radio (2026). "'A Low Moment i

It’s a hard time to run a university: public trust is low, political pressure is high, and finances are fragile. But Daniel Diermeier, who trained as a political scientist, has Vanderbilt humming. How? He says the key is choosing magnets over wedges.   SOURCES: Daniel Diermeier, chancellor of Vanderbilt University.   RESOURCES: "Higher Ed’s New Crisis Managers," by Lee Gardner (The Chronicle of Higher Education, 2026). "Professors Need to Diversify What They Teach," by Jon Shields, Yuval Avnur, and Stephanie Muravchik (Persuasion, 2025). "A Call for Constructive Engagement," (American Association of Colleges and Universities, 2025). "2020 Statement on Anthropology and Human Rights," (American Anthropological Association, 2020). The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness, by Michelle Alexander (2010). "Kalven Committee: Report on the University’s Role in Political and Social Action," (The University of Chicago, 1967).   EXTRAS: Sign up here

Insurance forms that make no sense. Subscriptions that can’t be cancelled. A never-ending blizzard of automated notifications. In this update of a 2025 episode, Stephen Dubner discovers where all this sludge comes from — and how much it’s costing us.   SOURCES: Benjamin Handel, professor of economics at UC Berkeley. Neale Mahoney, professor of economics at Stanford University. Richard Thaler, professor of economics at The University of Chicago.   RESOURCES: "Selling Subscriptions," by Liran Einav, Ben Klopack, and Neale Mahoney (Stanford University, 2023). "The ‘Enshittification’ of TikTok," by Cory Doctorow (WIRED, 2023). "Dominated Options in Health Insurance Plans," by Chenyuan Liu and Justin Sydnor (American Economic Journal: Economic Policy, 2022). Nudge: The Final Edition, by Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein (2021). "Frictions or Mental Gaps: What’s Behind the Information We (Don’t) Use and When Do We Care?" by Benjamin Handel and Joshua Schwartzstein (Journal of Ec

New York is the latest state to legalize medical aid in dying. Stephen Dubner speaks with the governor who signed the law, a Nobel Prize-winning economist, a death doula — and an ethicist who thinks the very idea is wrong.   SOURCES: Kathy Hochul, governor of New York. Suzanne O'Brien, death doula, founder of Doulagivers Institute. Al Roth, economist at Stanford University. Daniel Sulmasy, physician, philosopher, director of the Kennedy Institute of Ethics at Georgetown University.   RESOURCES: Moral Economics: From Prostitution to Organ Sales, What Controversial Transactions Reveal About How Markets Work, by Al Roth (2026). "New York Moves to Allow Terminally Ill People to Die on Their Own Terms," by Grace Ashford (New York Times, 2025). The Good Death: A Guide for Supporting Your Loved One through the End of Life, by Suzanne O'Brien (2025). The Future of Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia, by Neil Gorsuch (2009).   EXTRAS: "Make Me a Match (Update)," by Freako

It brings strangers together. It teaches probability, strategy, and emotional control. It has even helped N.F.L. teams win the Super Bowl. Stephen Dubner explores why this ancient game is having a renaissance. (Part two of a series, “We Are All Gamers Now.”)   SOURCES:  Remington Davenport, founder of NYC Backgammon Club. Frank Frigo, game strategy expert & two-time world backgammon champion. Masayuki "Mochy" Mochizuki, professional backgammon player. Marc Olsen, C.E.O. of Backgammon Galaxy. Robert Wachtel, author and professional backgammon player.   RESOURCES: The Backgammon Chronicles: A Pro's Adventures on Tour Volume 1, by Robert Wachtel (2019). In the Game Until the End, by Robert Wachtel (1993) "Tric Trac, Clic Clac," (The New Yorker, 1930). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

As the Trump administration rolls back environmental regulations, we revisit a 2022 episode that explored the hidden cost of an invisible threat: air pollution.   SOURCES: Angela Duckworth, psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania. Michael Greenstone, economist at the University of Chicago, director of the Energy Policy Institute, co-director of the Climate Impact Lab. Stephan Heblich, economist at the University of Toronto. Andrea La Nauze, economist at Deakin University. Steve Levitt, professor emeritus of economics at the University of Chicago. Edson Severnini, economist at Boston College.   RESOURCES: "Most Polluted Cities," (American Lung Association, 2026). "Air Pollution and Adult Cognition: Evidence from Brain Training," by Andrea La Nauze and Edson Severnini (Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, 2025). "Air Pollution and Student Performance in the U.S.," by Michael Gilraine and Angela Zheng (NBER Working Papers, 2022).

Another war in the Middle East. A retreat from the international order. A presidency built on self-dealing and arbitrary power. It’s enough to make you think the U.S. is in a steep decline — but Fareed Zakaria thinks otherwise.   SOURCES: Fareed Zakaria, journalist and author.   RESOURCES: "Iran is an imperial trap. America walked right in." by Fareed Zakaria (The Washington Post, 2026). "‘Bomb and hope’ is not a strategy," by Fareed Zakaria (The Washington Post, 2026). Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present, by Fareed Zakaria (2024). The Accidental Superpower: The Next Generation of American Preeminence and the Coming Global Disorder, by Peter Zeihan (2014). The Affluent Society, by Jonathan Galbraith (1958).   EXTRAS:  "Fareed Zakaria on What Just Happened, and What Comes Next," by Freakonomics Radio (2024). "Are We Living Through the Most Revolutionary Period in History?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024). "The Folly of Prediction,"

In his final years, Richard Feynman's curiosity took him to some surprising places. We hear from his companions on the trips he took — and one he wasn’t able to. (Part three of a three-part series originally published in 2024.)    SOURCES:  Alan Alda, actor and screenwriter. Barbara Berg, friend of Richard Feynman. Helen Czerski, physicist and oceanographer at University College London. Michelle Feynman, photographer and daughter of Richard Feynman. Cheryl Haley, friend of Richard Feynman. Debby Harlow, friend of Richard Feynman. Ralph Leighton, biographer and film producer. Charles Mann, science journalist and author. John Preskill, professor of theoretical physics at the California Institute of Technology. Lisa Randall, professor of theoretical particle physics and cosmology at Harvard University. Christopher Sykes, documentary filmmaker. Stephen Wolfram, founder and C.E.O. of Wolfram Research; creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha, and the Wolfram Language.  

What happens when an existentially depressed and recently widowed young physicist from Queens gets a fresh start in California? We follow Richard Feynman out west, to explore his long and extremely fruitful second act. (Part two of a three-part series originally published in 2024.)   SOURCES: Seamus Blackley, video game designer and creator of the Xbox. Carl Feynman, computer scientist and son of Richard Feynman. Michelle Feynman, photographer and daughter of Richard Feynman. Ralph Leighton, biographer and film producer. Charles Mann, science journalist and author. John Preskill, professor of theoretical physics at the California Institute of Technology. Lisa Randall, professor of theoretical particle physics and cosmology at Harvard University. Christopher Sykes, documentary filmmaker. Stephen Wolfram, founder and C.E.O. of Wolfram Research; creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha, and the Wolfram Language. Alan Zorthian, architect.   RESOURCES: "Love After Life:

From the Manhattan Project to the Challenger investigation, the physicist Richard Feynman loved to shoot down what he called “lousy ideas.” Today, the world is awash in lousy ideas — so maybe it’s time to get some more Feynman in our lives? (Part one of a three-part series originally published in 2024.)   SOURCES: Helen Czerski, physicist and oceanographer at University College London. Michelle Feynman, photographer and daughter of Richard Feynman. Ralph Leighton, biographer and film producer. Charles Mann, science journalist and author. John Preskill, professor of theoretical physics at the California Institute of Technology. Stephen Wolfram, founder and C.E.O. of Wolfram Research; creator of Mathematica, Wolfram|Alpha, and the Wolfram Language.   RESOURCES: "How Legendary Physicist Richard Feynman Helped Crack the Case on the Challenger Disaster," by Kevin Cook (Literary Hub, 2021). Challenger: The Final Flight, docuseries (2020). Perfectly Reasonable Deviations From

Not exactly. But their runaway success with games like Wordle says something bigger about the way we live now. (Part one of a series, “We Are All Gamers Now.”)   SOURCES: Alex Hardiman, chief product officer at The New York Times. Jonathan Knight, S.V.P. and general manager for New York Times Games. Eric Zimmerman, game designer, professor of game design at the N.Y.U. Game Center.   RESOURCES: "Wordle Is a Love Story," by Daniel Victor (New York Times, 2022). The Rules We Break: Lessons in Play, Thinking, and Design, by Eric Zimmerman (2022). Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures with Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them, by Adrienne Raphel (2020). The Grasshopper: Games, Life and Utopia, by Bernard Suits (2005). Rules of Play: Game Design Fundamentals, by Katie Salen Tekinbas and Eric Zimmerman (2003). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Great. Then depressed. Then great again. Stephen Dubner gets the full story from David Lang; we also hear from some fans, and the New York Philharmonic’s president. The math and the aftermath of wealth of nations. (Part two of a series.)   SOURCES: David Lang, composer and professor at the Yale School of Music. Matías Tarnopolsky, president and C.E.O. of the New York Philharmonic.   RESOURCES: "Finally, an Opera About Economics," by Stacey Vanek Smith (Bloomberg, 2026). "The Little Match Girl Passion," by David Lang (2023). The Wealth of Nations, by Adam Smith (1776).   EXTRAS: "David Lang’s the wealth of nations," series by Freakonomics Radio (2026). "In Search of the Real Adam Smith," series by Freakonomics Radio (2022). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Economists and politicians have turned him into a mascot for free-market ideology. Some on the left say the right has badly misread him. In this updated replay of a 2022 episode, we hold a very Smithy tug of war.   SOURCES: Eamonn Butler, co-founder and director of the Adam Smith Institute. Glory Liu, a political scientist and Adam Smith scholar at Georgetown University. Mariana Mazzucato, professor in the economics of innovation and public value at University College London. Dennis Rasmussen, a professor of political science at Syracuse University. Russ Roberts, president of Shalem College in in Jerusalem; host of the EconTalk podcast; and author. Craig Smith, Adam Smith Senior Lecturer in the Scottish Enlightenment at the University of Glasgow.   RESOURCES: Adam Smith’s America: How a Scottish Philosopher Became an Icon of American Capitalism, by Gloria Liu (2022). "Henry and Adam: A Deep and Special Friendship," by Benny Higgins (Adam Smith Panmure House Perspective, 2