You know the saying: “There are no shortcuts in life.” What if that saying is just wrong? In his new book "Thinking Better: The Art of the Shortcut in Math and Life," the mathematician Marcus du Sautoy argues that shortcuts can be applied to practically anything: music, psychotherapy, even politics. Our latest installment of the Freakonomics Radio Book Club.
Feb 27
31. Werner Herzog Isn’t Afraid ...
... of bad reviews, meager financing, or artificial intelligence. But he is worried that the world is full of sloppy thinkers who mistake facts for the truth. SOURCES: Werner Herzog, writer, filmmaker, and actor. RESOURCES: The Future of Truth, by Werner Herzog (2025). Every Man ... Show More
49m 8s
Jan 23
29. The Wellness Industry Is Gigantic — and Mostly Wrong
Zeke Emanuel (a physician, medical ethicist, and policy wonk) has some different ideas for how to lead a healthy and meaningful life. It starts with ice cream. (Part three of “The Freakonomics Radio Guide to Getting Better.”) SOURCES:Zeke Emanuel, oncologist, bioethicist, profess ... Show More
1h 5m
May 2025
633. The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of
<p>Just beneath the surface of the global economy, there is a hidden layer of dealmakers for whom war, chaos, and sanctions can be a great business opportunity. Javier Blas and Jack Farchy, the authors of <i>The World for Sale</i>, help us shine a light on the shadowy realm of co ... Show More
1h 5m
Jul 2025
Hidden empire: How America wields economic power
This week, Mark Leonard is joined by Henry Farrell, ECFR council member and professor at John Hopkins University, to discuss Henry’s new book “Underground Economy”, co-authored by Abraham Newman. In their take, globalisation has brought interdependence—which is being weaponised a ... Show More
34m 26s
Mar 2025
625. The Biden Policy That Trump Hasn’t Touched
<p>Lina Khan, the youngest F.T.C. chair in history, reset U.S. antitrust policy by thwarting mega-mergers and other monopolistic behavior. This earned her enemies in some places, and big fans in others — including the Trump administration. Stephen Dubner speaks with Khan about he ... Show More
1h 3m
May 2025
634. “Fault-Finder Is a Minimum-Wage Job”
<p>Austan Goolsbee, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, is less reserved than the average banker. He explains why vibes are overrated, why the Fed’s independence is non-negotiable, and why tariffs could bring the economy back to the Covid era.</p><p> </p><ul><li><st ... Show More
1h 2m
Dec 2024
How the Supermarket Helped America Win the Cold War (Update)
<p>Last week, we heard a former U.S. ambassador describe Russia’s escalating conflict with the U.S. Today, we revisit a 2019 episode about an overlooked front in the Cold War — a “farms race” that, decades later, still influences what Americans eat.</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOU ... Show More
38m 53s
May 2024
Fos Daniel Suarez
<p>🚀 The FUTURE of SPACE (FoS) video podcast is a candid and informal conversation between myself and leaders, investors, innovators, educators, celebrities, movers, and shakers who are shaping the future of humankind into outer space and here on Earth. Just like how two friends ... Show More
55m 23s
<p>It’s not oil or water or plutonium — it’s human hours. We've got an idea for putting them to use, and for building a more human-centered economy. But we need your help.</p><p> </p><ul><li><strong>SOURCES:</strong><ul><li><a href="https://dogood.umd.edu/our-community/faculty-st ... Show More
