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Freakonomics Radio: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher
Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner uncovers the hidden side of everything. Why is it safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car? How do we decide whom to marry? Why is the media so full of bad news? Also: things you never knew you wanted to know about wolves, bananas, pollution, search engines, and the quirks of human behavior.
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The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- Today1h 5m
676. Has America Lost the Plot?
Another war in the Middle East. A retreat from the international order. A presidency built on self-dealing and arbitrary power. It’s enough to make you think the U.S. is in a steep decline — but Fareed Zakaria thinks otherwise. SOURCES: Fareed Zakaria, journalist and author. RESOURCES: "Iran is an imperial trap. America walked right in." by Fareed Zakaria (The Washington Post, 2026). "‘Bomb and hope’ is not a strategy," by Fareed Zakaria (The Washington Post, 2026). Age of Revolutions: Progress and Backlash from 1600 to the Present, by Fareed Zakaria (2024). The Accidental Superpower: The Next Generation of American Preeminence and the Coming Global Disorder, by Peter Zeihan (2014). The Affluent Society, by Jonathan Galbraith (1958). EXTRAS: "Fareed Zakaria on What Just Happened, and What Comes Next," by Freakonomics Radio (2024). "Are We Living Through the Most Revolutionary Period in History?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024). "The Folly of Prediction," by Freakonomics Radio (2011). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
- 1 weeks agonarrative1h 0m7-min read
The Vanishing Mr. Feynman (Update)
This final episode of a three-part series on physicist Richard Feynman explores his late-life curiosity, emotional depth, and enduring legacy, revealing how his relentless questioning, respect for doubt, and human connections defined his approach to science and life.
- 1 weeks agonarrative52 min5-min read
The Brilliant Mr. Feynman (Update)
This episode explores the life and legacy of physicist Richard Feynman, focusing on his postwar emotional turmoil, his transformative years at Caltech, and his complex persona as a brilliant scientist, charismatic teacher, and controversial figure with deep contradictions.
- 2 weeks agonarrative1h 3m7-min read
The Curious Mr. Feynman (Update)
This episode explores the life and legacy of physicist Richard Feynman, focusing on his insatiable curiosity, scientific brilliance, and moral courage—exemplified by his role in uncovering the truth behind the Challenger disaster. It argues that Feynman’s commitment to honest inquiry and understanding over authority remains urgently relevant today.
- 3 weeks agonarrative57 min5-min read
675. Has the New York Times Become a Games Company?
This episode of Freakonomics Radio explores the cultural, psychological, and economic significance of games, arguing that play is not just for children but a vital, soul-nourishing human activity. It examines how games shape identity, build community, and even sustain major institutions like The New York Times.
- 4 weeks agonarrative45 min7-min read
674. How Does a Composer Feel After the World Premiere?
Composer David Lang's new oratorio The Wealth of Nations, inspired by Adam Smith’s 1776 economic treatise, premiered to sold-out performances by the New York Philharmonic under Gustavo Dudamel. The piece reimagines Smith not as a champion of unfettered capitalism, but as a moral philosopher concerned with justice, equity, and human dignity—revealing how art can reframe enduring economic ideas in emotionally resonant ways.
- May 6, 2026narrative1h 8m6-min read
Was Adam Smith Really a Right-Winger? (Update)
This episode of Freakonomics Radio re-examines the legacy of Adam Smith, the 18th-century Scottish philosopher, to uncover how his complex moral and economic thought has been reduced to a simplistic symbol of free-market capitalism. Host Stephen Dubner reveals that Smith’s true philosophy, especially as expressed in The Theory of Moral Sentiments, is far more nuanced than the caricature often invoked by modern economists and politicians.
- May 1, 2026narrative54 min5-min read
673. What Is Money?
Composer David Lang, a Pulitzer Prize winner and Yale professor, creates a modern oratorio titled The Wealth of Nations, inspired by Adam Smith’s 1776 economic treatise and musically modeled after Handel’s Messiah. The episode follows Lang’s creative journey—from reading Smith’s dense text to weaving in voices from Frederick Douglass and Eugene Debs—as he explores how music can humanize economics and expose the emotional truths beneath capitalism.
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About Freakonomics Radio
Freakonomics co-author Stephen J. Dubner uncovers the hidden side of everything. Why is it safer to fly in an airplane than drive a car? How do we decide whom to marry? Why is the media so full of bad news? Also: things you never knew you wanted to know about wolves, bananas, pollution, search engines, and the quirks of human behavior.
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