Freakonomics Radio

Episódios

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  How to Be a Double Unicorn, with John Urschel | Better in Person 16.09.2026 32min

  He was thriving in the N.F.L., but then he decided to focus on mathematics — a subject he now teaches at M.I.T. John walks Stephen Dubner through the whole story, teaches him some blocking techniques, and explains why some infinities are bigger than others. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts.
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  686. Why Is It So Hard to Find an NFL Quarterback? 11.09.2026 58min

  For decades, teams have tried (and mostly failed) to predict which college quarterbacks will thrive in the pros. Is the science finally catching up? Stephen Dubner speaks with a scout, a psychologist, a data warrior, and a Hall of Fame quarterback who nobody wanted.
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  Amazon Was Supposed to Kill the Bookstore. James Daunt Had Other Plans | Better in Person 09.09.2026 32min

  He started with one small shop in London. He has since resuscitated both Barnes & Noble and Waterstones. He tells Stephen Dubner exactly how he does it. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts.
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  685. How to Survive the A.I. Shock 04.09.2026 57min

  Gina Raimondo, a former commerce secretary and governor, thinks A.I. will create plenty of jobs in the long run. She also thinks a poorly managed transition could tear the country apart. So she came up with a plan.
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  How to Run an Institution in an Anti-Institution Era | Better in Person 02.09.2026 37min

  Anne Pasternak (Brooklyn Museum) and Michael Roth (Wesleyan University) tell Stephen Dubner how they keep the peace in the middle of a culture war. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts.
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  How to Return Stolen Art (Update) 28.08.2026 50min

  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 an updated series originally published in 2023.)
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  “I Trust Almost Anyone More Than Myself” | Better in Person 26.08.2026 42min

  The Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jennifer Egan talks about confidence, luck, and why it takes 35 drafts to get to the finish line. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts.
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  Is a Museum Just a Trophy Case? (Update) 21.08.2026 52min

  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, right? It's not. (Part 2 of an updated series originally published in 2023.)
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  Meet Warren Zanes, the Author and Rocker Behind the Springsteen Movie | Better in Person 19.08.2026 50min

  When he joined the Del Fuegos, his big brother’s band, all Warren knew how to play was a record player. Things went great for a while — and then it all fell apart. So how did he wind up writing definitive books on Springsteen and Tom Petty? If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts.
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  The Case of the $4 Million Gold Coffin (Update) 14.08.2026 54min

  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 is stolen? (Part 1 of “Stealing Art Is Easy. Giving It Back Is Hard,” first published in 2023.)
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  What if Being a Stranger Is Actually Your Superpower? | Better in Person 12.08.2026 34min

  Angela Buchdahl was the first Asian American to be ordained as a rabbi, and now she is among the most influential rabbis in the world. She and Stephen Dubner talk about boundary-crossing, the aftermath of October 7, and whether you can be a good Jew without believing in God. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts.
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  684. He Helped Clean Up the Last Crash. Does He See Another One Coming? 07.08.2026 1h 6min

  Former S.E.C. chair Gary Gensler has had a front-row seat to numerous financial booms and busts. How does he feel about America’s massive bet on A.I.? “Something has to give.”
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  Does it Take a Twisted Mind to Write Twisted Stories? | Better In Person 05.08.2026 44min

  Harlan Coben doesn’t think so. The mega-best-selling author talks suburbia, impostor syndrome, and what he learned from his college friend David Foster Wallace. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts.
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  683. In the New Space Race, Who Makes the Rules? 31.07.2026 56min

  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.)
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  How Gary Gulman Turned Depression Into Comedy Gold | Better in Person 29.07.2026 47min

  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.
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  682. Should A.I. Move to Space? 24.07.2026 48min

  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.)
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  Why Cooking is Caregiving, with Chef Hillary Sterling | Better in Person 22.07.2026 42min

  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. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts.
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  Are You Really Allergic to Penicillin? (Update) 17.07.2026 1h 5min

  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.
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  How a Great Architect Thinks, with Bjarke Ingels | Better in Person 14.07.2026 43min

  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.
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  681. How to Host a Talk Show, with Dick Cavett 09.07.2026 43min

  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.