logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2023
55m 38s

Games

Wnyc Studios
About this episode
In this episode, first aired in 2011, we talk about the meaning of a good game — whether it's a pro football playoff, or a family showdown on the kitchen table. And how some games can make you feel, at least for a little while, like your whole life hangs in the balance. This hour of Radiolab, Jad and Robert wonder why we get so invested in something so trivi ... Show More
Up next
Oct 16
The Smell of Hell
Throughout human history, there’s been one element we’ve always associated with death. Just the smell of it is an alarm bell that says, “something here is dangerous.” But what if our noses have been wrong all along?In this episode of our series Viscera: Gripping Tales of the Huma ... Show More
43m 9s
Oct 9
Math Vs Machine
In less than four years, mathematician Steve Strogatz watched AI go from flailing at basic arithmetic to solving problems that baffle the world’s best mathematicians. In September of 2026, Open AI announced it had solved a Millennium Prize Problem, one of math’s highest achieveme ... Show More
31m 22s
Oct 2
A 4-Track Mind
In this short episode, first aired in 2011, a neurologist issues a dare to a ragtime piano player and a famous conductor. When the two men face off in an fMRI machine, the challenge is so unimaginably difficult that one man instantly gives up. But the other achieves a musical fea ... Show More
21m 7s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2025
The Moth Podcast: Football!
In honor of the big game, we've got three stories all about football, family, and growing up. This episode is hosted by Marc Sollinger.Storytellers:Dame Wilburn is hit hard while playing tackle football.Tina Moore connects with her son by getting into fantasy football.Adam Bottne ... Show More
29m 22s
Aug 2022
Best of: A Life-Changing Philosophy of Games
<p>Today, we’re re-airing one of my favorite episodes of all time. It was originally recorded in February of 2022, but I've been unable to stop thinking about it ever since.</p><p>When we play Monopoly or basketball, we know we are playing a game. The stakes are low. The rules ar ... Show More
1h 12m
Jan 2025
Board Game Science
It’s that time of the year when many of us are at home with friends and family, losing track of time, eating leftovers, and, of course, playing games. This festive season, we look at the science of games and, of course, play some ourselves. It’s presenter Marnie Chesterton versus ... Show More
28m 10s
Aug 2024
How games changed history
From Chess and Go, to Snakes and Ladders, Monopoly and the ancient Egyptian game of Senet, people have long had a fascination with games. But according to author and academic Kelly Clancy, these games have not only provided people with entertainment (and sparked family arguments) ... Show More
31 m
Jun 2024
How to Know What's Real: How to Win at Real Life
Games can serve as an escape from reality—but they can also shape our understanding of trust, collaboration, and what might be possible IRL. Megan Garber talks with C. Thi Nguyen, an associate philosophy professor at the University of Utah, to better understand how games can help ... Show More
32m 18s
Dec 2023
Playing games
It’s play time on Start the Week. The mathematician Marcus Du Sautoy looks at the numbers behind the games we play, from Monopoly to rock paper scissors. In Around The World in 80 Games he shows how understanding maths can give you the edge, and why games are integral to human ps ... Show More
42 m
Mar 2021
Game Theory: A podcast about competition, strategy, and policy
<p>Brothers Nick and Chris Andrews bring you a basic, chill series about all things surrounding competitive decision-making. The topics will include games, sports, policy, history, and warfare. </p> 
2m 25s
May 2021
Re-Play Podcast, Ep. 1
Today me and my guests are talking about our favorite games. 
11m 52s