freakonomics-radio archive

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Year: 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2016 | 2012

  • What Will College Look Like in the Fall (and Beyond)? May 14, 2020

    Three university presidents try to answer our listeners’ questions. The result? Not much pomp and a whole lot of circumstance.  (episode)

  • Reasons to Be Cheerful May 7, 2020

    Humans have a built-in “negativity bias,” which means we give bad news much more power than good. Would the Covid-19 crisis be an opportune time to reverse this tendency? (episode)

  • How Do You Reopen a Country? April 30, 2020

    We speak with a governor, a former C.D.C. director, a pandemic forecaster, and a pair of economists — who say it’s all about the incentives. (Pandemillions, anyone?) (episode)

  • Will Covid-19 Spark a Cold War (or Worse) With China? April 23, 2020

    The U.S. spent the past few decades waiting for China to act like the global citizen it said it wanted to be. The waiting may be over. (episode)

  • Who Gets the Ventilator? April 16, 2020

    Americans aren’t used to rationing in medicine, but it’s time to think about it. We consult a lung specialist, a bioethicist, and (of course) an economist. (episode)

  • What Happens When Everyone Stays Home to Eat? April 9, 2020

    Covid-19 has shocked our food-supply system like nothing in modern history. We examine the winners, the losers, and the unintended consequences. (episode)

  • Is $2 Trillion the Right Medicine for a Sick Economy? April 2, 2020

    Congress just passed the biggest aid package in modern history. We ask six former White House economic advisors and one U.S. Senator: Will it actually work? (episode)

  • What Does COVID-19 Mean for Cities (and Marriages)? March 26, 2020

    There are a lot of upsides to urban density — but viral contagion is not one of them. And: a nationwide lockdown will show if familiarity really breeds contempt. (episode)

  • Freakonomics Radio - Ep. 929 March 19, 2020

    The novel coronavirus has undone a century’s worth of economic and social habits. What consequences will this have on our future — and is there a silver lining in this pandemic cloud? (episode)

  • Freakonomics Radio - Ep. 928 March 12, 2020

    Every year, Americans short the IRS nearly half a trillion dollars. But what if we gave taxpayers a chance to allocate how their money is spent, or bribed them with a thank-you gift? (episode)

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