logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2021
18m 8s

1. Covid and the “Birthday Effect”

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
About this episode

Host Bapu Jena is an economist and medical doctor whose latest research measures the link between birthdays and Covid. He explains his team’s findings, explores the role that kids’ parties may have played, reveals whether politics made a difference, and convinces a Zoom magician to reveal the secrets of making virtual parties awesome.

From the Freakonomics Radio Network: Exploring the hidden side of everything.

Up next
Jul 2023
The Economics of Everyday Things: Animal Urine
In the newest show from the Freakonomics Radio Network, host Zachary Crockett explores the hidden side of the things around us. This week: One creature’s trash is another’s cash. (Or, how one man found profit in pee.) 
12m 57s
Jul 2023
Tom Brady, A.D.H.D., and a Really Bad Headache (Bonus)
A sneak peek at Bapu's new book, Random Acts of Medicine, available now from Doubleday, and an announcement about the show. 
37m 40s
Mar 2023
78. Do Kids Cause Divorce?
Couples get divorced for all kinds of reasons. Is having kids one of them? Bapu talks about research that investigates what happens to parents who unexpectedly have twins. Plus, an announcement about the future of the show. 
18m 50s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2021
Oliver asks: What if scientists bring back dinosaurs? (w/ Kennen Hutchison)
Kennen from The King of Random joins us on another time-bending excursion full of sciency magic, magicy science, and, of course, mishap. Can he, Whendiana, Learninator, and Abacus bring dinosaurs back to What If World’s future? Lessons include: Good science takes lots of time, ca ... Show More
20m 6s
Aug 2022
Story Collider En Español: Historias científicas en español
En el episodio de esta semana, nuestros dos narradores comparten historias reales y personales sobre la ciencia en español. Parte 1: Ro Moran nos cuenta de un tiempo cuando él se hizo cargo de la vida de un animal y los corazones de sus compañeros de clase. Parte 2: En su primer ... Show More
35m 19s
Apr 2020
La vulgarisation, c'est moins sorcier avec Jamy Gourmaud
Chaque jour, il ravit sa communauté d'une nouvelle « capsule de déconfiné ». Filmé dans son jardin, ou son atelier si la pluie se mêle de la partie, Jamy Gourmaud distille sur sa chaîne Youtube et les réseaux sociaux une minute quotidienne de savoir. Comptant parmi les fans du re ... Show More
39m 9s
Feb 2022
Merging supermassive black holes, and communicating science in the age of social media
On this week’s show: What we can learn from two supermassive black holes that appear to be on a collision course with each other, and the brave new online world in which social media dominates and gatekeeps public access to scientific information First up, Staff Writer Daniel Cle ... Show More
29m 51s
Feb 2023
The Hidden Histories of Plant Science
A Black botanist is on a mission to discover the hidden stories of Black plant scientists throughout history. Shawn Abrahams shares how Black people are responsible for vanilla cupcakes, and the microscopes you use in science class! Plus, hear how Shawn started their own journey ... Show More
22m 17s
Sep 2021
Special Episode: Interview with Stuart Ritchie on Hunter Gatherers in the 21st Century, covid skeptics, and bad science
This week we have an engaging interview with the scientist, author, and public science communicator Stuart Ritchie. Stuart wrote the excellent 'Science Fictions: Exposing Fraud, Bias, Negligence and Hype in Science' and is a prolific advocate fr better science and more nuanced pu ... Show More
1h 53m
Feb 2022
Presenting: Science Vs. Joe Rogan: The Malone Interview
Today we are sharing an episode made by our colleagues at Science Vs. In the piece, they dive deep on the effects of COVID misinformation spread by the show The Joe Rogan Experience, specifically in one episode featuring Dr. Robert Malone. The Science Vs. team interrogates the qu ... Show More
44m 28s