logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2024
40m 8s

599. The World's Most Valuable Unused Re...

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
About this episode
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. 
Up next
Yesterday
671. Why Has There Been So Little Progress on Alzheimer’s Disease?
One possibility: a leading hypothesis pursued by researchers (and funders) was built on science that now appears to be fraudulent. Stephen Dubner speaks with the scientist and the journalist who blew the whistle. SOURCES: Charles Piller, investigative journalist for Science, auth ... Show More
1h 1m
Apr 10
670. Beeconomics 101
How do beekeepers make a living? Why is there so much honey fraud? And why did billions of bees suddenly disappear? To find out, guest host Steve Levitt activates his hive mind. SOURCES: Alex Sapoznik, historian, reader in late medieval history at King’s College London. Chris Hia ... Show More
55m 51s
Apr 8
Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System (Update)
Nearly everything that politicians say about taxes is at least half a lie. They are also dishonest when it comes to the national debt. In this update of an episode from 2025, Stephen Dubner finds one of the few people in Washington who is willing to tell the truth — and it’s even ... Show More
1h 4m
Recommended Episodes
May 2025
27. The Most Powerful People You’ve Never Heard Of
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 The World for Sale, help us shine a light on the shadowy realm of commodity tr ... Show More
1h 5m
Aug 2025
MAHA Is a Bad Answer to a Good Question
<p>“Make America Healthy Again” is a great idea — somebody should try it.</p><p>A lot of the concerns animating the MAHA movement — chronic disease, the unhealthiness of the American diet, how profits warp our health care system — are serious issues. But Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has ... Show More
1h 22m
Oct 2025
Can AI make us more human? A social psychologist and a business leader answer | Heidi Grant and Barry Cooper
As AI continues to integrate into our workplaces, how do we ensure we don’t lose what makes us human? Social psychologist Heidi Grant speaks with NiCE's CX Division president Barry Cooper about why the current era of AI is misunderstood and how working with this new technology — ... Show More
27m 23s
Sep 2024
209. Why Do We Settle?
tail spinning
35m 2s
Feb 2025
Elon Musk Crisis & Tulsi Gabbard Confirmed | Feat Clay Travis, Jeffrey Toobin & More
Practically no one in America has a problem with cutting wasteful government spending, but how to do it and what to cut? These questions have the potential to split a room, or in the case of this video’s topic, an entire country. Elon Musk’s new department of the Department of Go ... Show More
59m 26s
May 2024
How to solve the world’s biggest problems with Natalie Cargill
To get a free copy of the Infectious Generosity book, visit ted.com/generosityWhat if the world’s biggest problems could be solved with just some simple math? Natalie Cargill, the founder of strategic giving consultancy Longview Philanthropy, works on finding funding for the most ... Show More
40m 34s
Mar 2024
Birthrates Are Plummeting Worldwide. Why?
<p>For a long time, the story about the world’s population was that it was growing too quickly. There were going to be too many humans, not enough resources, and that spelled disaster. But now the script has flipped. Fertility rates have declined dramatically, from about five chi ... Show More
1 h
Apr 2025
China Cuts Off Critical Exports, and Meta Goes on Trial
tail spinning
8m 57s
Jan 2024
Don’t Die Before Your Time - Longevity Expert Gary Brecka
Gary Brecka is a Human Biologist, ‘Biohacker’ and co-founder of 10X Health System. Formerly a mortality researcher for the insurance industry, he now uses his experience to help people optimise the mind, body and spirit through modern science. His system has been credited with ch ... Show More
1 h
Oct 2025
Slow Down or Die w/ Timothée Parrique
In this episode, Timothée Parrique joins us for a discussion on degrowth. We begin the conversation with explaining the concept of degrowth, looking at its history, and really unpacking what it is and what it isn't. We talk about degrowth's two-fold agenda to both downscale produ ... Show More
1h 27m