

Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner uncovers the hidden side of everything. Why is it safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car? How do we decide whom to marry? Why is the media so full of bad news? Also: things you never knew you wanted to know about wolves, bananas, pollution, search engines, and the quirks of human behavior.
To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Mar 9, 2011 • 26min
25. Is Twitter a Two-Way Street?
To get a lot of followers on Twitter, do you need to follow a lot of other Tweeps? And if not, why not?

Mar 2, 2011 • 19min
24. The Power of Poop
Explore the unconventional treatment for multiple sclerosis and its success story. Discover the potential of fecal transplants in curing diseases like Parkinson's. Understand the resistance faced by medical pioneers and the changing perspective on poop. Learn about the history, process, and health benefits of fecal transplants.

Feb 24, 2011 • 28min
23. Millionaires vs. Billionaires
Five things you don’t know about the NFL labor standoff

Feb 17, 2011 • 17min
22. Why Cities Rock
Could it be that cities are "our greatest invention" -- that, despite a reputation as black-soot-spewing engines of doom, they in fact make us richer, smarter, happier and (believe it!) greener?

Feb 9, 2011 • 25min
21. Bring on the Pain!
It's not about how much something hurts -- it's how you remember the pain. This week, lessons on pain from the New York City subway, the professional hockey rink, and a landmark study of colonoscopy patients. So have a listen; we promise, it won't hurt a bit.

Feb 2, 2011 • 27min
20. Waiter, There’s a Physicist in My Soup! (Part 2)
What do a computer hacker, an Indiana farm boy, and Napoleon Bonaparte have in common? The past, present, and future of food science.

Jan 26, 2011 • 25min
19. Waiter, There’s a Physicist in My Soup! (Part 1)
The "molecular gastronomy" movement -- which gets a bump in visibility next month with the publication of the mammoth cookbook "Modernist Cuisine" -- is all about bringing more science into the kitchen. In many ways, it's the opposite of the "slow food" movement. In this episode, you'll hear chieftains from the two camps square off: Alice Waters for the slow foodies and Nathan Myhrvold for the mad scientists. Bon appetit!

Jan 19, 2011 • 16min
18. Freakonomics FAQ, No. 1
Levitt and Dubner field questions from the public and hold forth on everything from dating strategies and rock-and-roll accordion music to whether different nations have different economic identities. Oh, and also: is it worthwhile to vote?

Jan 13, 2011 • 21min
17. Trashed
How economics -- and emotion -- have turned our garbage into such a mess

Jan 5, 2011 • 15min
16. Exit Interview: Schools Chancellor, NYC
Having already amassed an eventful resume -- the Clinton White House, the Department of Justice, and Bertelsmann -- Joel I. Klein spent the past eight years at chancellor of the biggest school system in the country. So what'd he learn?