Freakonomics Radio

The Middle of Everywhere

Chicago has given the world more than sausage, crooked politics, ...

Chicago has given the world more than sausage, crooked politics, and Da Bears.

The Church of "Scionology" (Rebroadcast)

We worship the tradition of handing off a family business ...

We worship the tradition of handing off a family business to the next generation. But is that really such a good idea?

Do Baby Girls Cause Divorce?

Even American parents have a strong "son preference" -- which ...

Even American parents have a strong "son preference" -- which means that a newborn daughter can be bad news for a marriage.

REBROADCAST: The Upside of Quitting

You know the saying: a winner never quits and a ...

You know the saying: a winner never quits and a quitter never wins. To which Freakonomics Radio says ... Are you sure?

Government Employees Gone Wild

The Encyclopedia of Ethical Failures catalogs the fiscal, sexual, and ...

The Encyclopedia of Ethical Failures catalogs the fiscal, sexual, and mental lapses of federal workers -- all with an eye toward preventing the next big mistake.

A Burger a Day

Is junk food an abomination or a modern miracle?

Jane Austen, Game Theorist

What does "Pride and Prejudice" have to do with nuclear ...

What does "Pride and Prejudice" have to do with nuclear deterrence?

REBROADCAST: Legacy of a Jerk

What happens to your reputation when you're no longer around ...

What happens to your reputation when you're no longer around to defend it?

Do You Really Want to Know Your Future?

You might think that someone with a 50-50 chance of ...

You might think that someone with a 50-50 chance of getting a fatal disease would want to know for sure -- but you would be wrong. What does this say about our supposed thirst for certainty?

Why Family and Business Don’t Mix

Yet another reason to blame your parents for pretty much ...

Yet another reason to blame your parents for pretty much everything.