Best Stephen J Dubner And Stitcher Podcasts (2025)

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Is the U.S. Really Less Corrupt Than China? (Update) 57:34

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6d ago57:34

57:34

In this episode we first published in 2021, the political scientist Yuen Yuen Ang argues that different forms of government create different styles of corruption — and that the U.S. and China have more in common than we’d like to admit. SOURCES: Yuen Yuen Ang, professor of political science at Johns Hopkins University. RESOURCES: "China’s Anti-Graf…

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647. China Is Run by Engineers. America Is Run by Lawyers. 1:01:50

13d ago1:01:50

1:01:50

In his new book “Breakneck,” Dan Wang argues that the U.S. has a lot to learn from China. He also says that “no two peoples are more alike.” We have questions. SOURCES: Dan Wang, research fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, author of Breakneck: China's Quest to Engineer the Future. RESOURCES: Breakneck: China's Quest to Enginee…

401
Is the World Ready for a Guaranteed Basic Income? (Update) 36:02

15d ago36:02

36:02

A lot of jobs in the modern economy don’t pay a living wage, and some of those jobs may be wiped out by new technologies. So what’s to be done? We revisit an episode from 2016 for a potential solution. SOURCES: Erik Brynjolfsson, professor of economics at Stanford University. Evelyn Forget, professor of economics and community health sciences at th…

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646. An Air Traffic Controller Walks Into a Radio Studio ... 1:01:10

20d ago1:01:10

1:01:10

What does it take to “play 3D chess at 250 miles an hour”? And how far will $12.5 billion of “Big, Beautiful” funding go toward modernizing the F.A.A.? (Part two of a two-part series.) SOURCES: David Strayer, professor of cognition and neural science at the University of Utah. Dorothy Robyn, senior fellow at I.T.I.F. Ed Bastian, C.E.O. of Delta Air…

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645. Is the Air Traffic Control System Broken? 1:02:37

27d ago1:02:37

1:02:37

Flying in the U.S. is still exceptionally safe, but the system relies on outdated tech and is under tremendous strain. Six experts tell us how it got this way and how it can (maybe) be fixed. (Part one of a two-part series.) SOURCES: Dorothy Robyn, senior fellow at I.T.I.F. Ed Bastian, C.E.O. of Delta Airlines. John Strong, professor of finance and…

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644. Has America Lost Its Appetite for the Common Good? 1:16:42

1M ago1:16:42

1:16:42

Patrick Deneen, a political philosopher at Notre Dame, says yes. He was a Democrat for years, and has now come to be seen as an “ideological guru” of the Trump administration. But that only tells half the story ... SOURCES: Patrick Deneen, professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame. RESOURCES: "The Ideological Gurus Battling for…

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Extra: A Modern Whaler Speaks Up (Update) 26:47

1M ago26:47

26:47

Bjørn Andersen has killed hundreds of minke whales. He tells us how he does it, why he does it, and what he thinks would happen if whale-hunting ever stopped. (This bonus episode is a follow-up to our series “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.”) SOURCES: Bjørn Andersen, Norwegian whaler. RESOURCES: "Digestive physiology of minke whales," by S…

151
What Can Whales Teach Us About Clean Energy, Workplace Harmony, and Living the Good Life? (Update) 48:08

1M ago48:08

48:08

In the final episode of our whale series, we learn about fecal plumes, shipping noise, and why Moby-Dick is still worth reading. (Part 3 of "Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.") SOURCES: Michele Baggio, professor of economics at the University of Connecticut. Mary K. Bercaw-Edwards, professor of maritime English at the University of Connectic…

151
Why Do People Still Hunt Whales? (Update) 37:32

2M ago37:32

37:32

For years, whale oil was used as lighting fuel, industrial lubricant, and the main ingredient in (yum!) margarine. Whale meat was also on a few menus. But today, demand for whale products is at a historic low. And yet some countries still have a whaling industry. We find out why. (Part 2 of “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.”) SOURCES: Jay A…

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The First Great American Industry (Update) 45:02

2M ago45:02

45:02

Whaling was, in the words of one scholar, “early capitalism unleashed on the high seas.” How did the U.S. come to dominate the whale market? Why did whale hunting die out here — and continue to grow elsewhere? And is that whale vomit in your perfume? (Part 1 of “Everything You Never Knew About Whaling.”) SOURCES: Eric Hilt, professor of economics a…

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Why Does Tipping Still Exist? (Update) 47:25

2M ago47:25

47:25

It’s a haphazard way of paying workers, and yet it keeps expanding. With federal tax policy shifting in a pro-tip direction, we revisit an episode from 2019 to find out why. SOURCES: John List, economist at the University of Chicago. Michael Lynn, professor of consumer behavior and marketing at Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration. U…

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643. Why Do Candles Still Exist? 47:22

2M ago47:22

47:22

They should have died out when the lightbulb was invented. Instead they’re a $10 billion industry. What does it mean that we still want tiny fires inside our homes? SOURCES: Tim Cooper, professor emeritus of sustainable design and consumption at Nottingham Trent University. Gökçe Günel, professor of anthropology at Rice University. Steve Horenzi…

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642. How to Wage Peace, According to Tony Blinken 1:06:28

2M ago1:06:28

1:06:28

The former secretary of state isn’t a flamethrower, but he certainly has strong opinions. In this wide-ranging conversation with Stephen Dubner, he gives them all: on Israel, Gaza, China, Iran, Russia, Biden, Trump — and the rest of the world. SOURCES: Antony Blinken, former Secretary of State. RESOURCES: "Evaluating the impact of two decades of US…

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Why Does One Tiny State Set the Rules for Everyone? (Update) 47:02

2M ago47:02

47:02

Until recently, Delaware was almost universally agreed to be the best place for companies to incorporate. Now, with Elon Musk leading a corporate stampede out of the First State, we revisit an episode from 2023 that asked if Delaware’s “franchise” is wildly corrupt, wildly efficient … or both? SOURCES: John Cassara, retired Special Agent detailee t…

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641. What Does It Cost to Lead a Creative Life? 46:22

3M ago46:22

46:22

For years, the playwright David Adjmi was considered “polarizing and difficult.” But creating Stereophonic seems to have healed him. Stephen Dubner gets the story — and sorts out what Adjmi has in common with Richard Wagner. SOURCES: David Adjmi, author and playwright. RESOURCES: "The West End is enjoying a theatre revival. Can Broadway keep up?" b…

301
640. Why Governments Are Betting Big on Sports 50:12

3M ago50:12

50:12

The Gulf States and China are spending billions to build stadiums and buy up teams — but what are they really buying? And can an entrepreneur from Cincinnati make his own billions by bringing baseball to Dubai? SOURCES: Simon Chadwick, professor of afroeurasian sport at Emlyon Business School. Derek Fisher, high school basketball coach, former N.B.…

301
How to Make Your Own Luck (Update) 58:07

3M ago58:07

58:07

Before she decided to become a poker pro, Maria Konnikova didn’t know how many cards are in a deck. But she did have a Ph.D. in psychology, a brilliant coach, and a burning desire to know whether life is driven more by skill or chance. She found some answers in poker — and she’s willing to tell us everything she learned. SOURCES: Maria Konnikova, a…

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639. “This Country Kicks My Ass All the Time” 53:46

3M ago53:46

53:46

Cory Booker on the politics of fear, the politics of hope, and how to split the difference. SOURCES: Cory Booker, senior United States Senator from New Jersey. RESOURCES: "'When Are More Americans Going to Speak Up?'" by The New Yorker Radio Hour (2025). "Cory Booker’s Marathon Floor Speech," (2025). "Facebook Knows Instagram Is Toxic for Teen Girl…

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638. Are You Ready for the Elder Swell? 54:53

3M ago54:53

54:53

In the U.S., there will soon be more people over 65 than there are under 18 — and it’s not just lifespan that’s improving, it’s “healthspan” too. Unfortunately, the American approach to aging is stuck in the 20th century. In less than an hour, we try to unstick it. (Part three of a three-part series, “Cradle to Grave.”) SOURCES: James Chappel, prof…

401
What Do Medieval Nuns and Bo Jackson Have in Common? (Update) 36:13

3M ago36:13

36:13

In this episode from 2013, we look at whether spite pays — and if it even exists. SOURCES: Benedikt Herrmann, research officer at the European Commission. Steve Levitt, co-author of Freakonomics and host of People I (Mostly) Admire. Dave O'Connor, president of Times Studios. Lisi Oliver, professor of English at Louisiana State University. E.O. Wils…

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637. What It’s Like to Be Middle-Aged (in the Middle Ages) 45:54

3M ago45:54

45:54

The simplicity of life back then is appealing today, as long as you don’t mind Church hegemony, the occasional plague, trial by gossip — and the lack of ibuprofen. (Part two of a three-part series, “Cradle to Grave.”) SOURCES: Jordan Cavalier, performer at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire. Matt Schwarz, harpist at the New Jersey Renaissance Faire. …

451
636. Why Aren’t We Having More Babies? 50:28

4M ago50:28

50:28

For decades, the great fear was overpopulation. Now it’s the opposite. How did this happen — and what’s being done about it? (Part one of a three-part series, “Cradle to Grave.”) SOURCES: Matthias Doepke, professor of economics at the London School of Economics. Amy Froide, professor of history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. Diana…

451
An Economics Lesson from a Talking Pencil (Update) 39:52

4M ago39:52

39:52

A famous essay argues that “not a single person on the face of this earth” knows how to make a pencil. How true is that? In this 2016 episode, we looked at what pencil-making can teach us about global manufacturing — and the proper role of government in the economy. SOURCES: Caroline Weaver, creator of the Locavore Guide. Matt Ridley, science write…

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635. Can a Museum Be the Conscience of a Nation? 50:55

4M ago50:55

50:55

Nicholas Cullinan, the new director of the British Museum, seems to think so. “I'm not afraid of the past,” he says — which means talking about looted objects, the basement storerooms, and the leaking roof. We take the guided tour. SOURCES: Nicholas Cullinan, director of the British Museum. RESOURCES: "Inside the British Museum: stolen treasures an…

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634. “Fault-Finder Is a Minimum-Wage Job” 1:02:15

4M ago1:02:15

1:02:15

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. SOURCES: Austan Goolsbee, president and chief executive officer of the Federal Reserve Bank of …

Stephen J Dubner And Stitcher Podcasts

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Freakonomics Radio

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

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Tell Me Something I Don't Know

Stephen J. Dubner and Stitcher

1
Is the U.S. Really Less Corrupt Than China? (Update) 57:34

1
647. China Is Run by Engineers. America Is Run by Lawyers. 1:01:50

401
Is the World Ready for a Guaranteed Basic Income? (Update) 36:02

501
646. An Air Traffic Controller Walks Into a Radio Studio ... 1:01:10

1
645. Is the Air Traffic Control System Broken? 1:02:37

1
644. Has America Lost Its Appetite for the Common Good? 1:16:42

1
Extra: A Modern Whaler Speaks Up (Update) 26:47

151
What Can Whales Teach Us About Clean Energy, Workplace Harmony, and Living the Good Life? (Update) 48:08

151
Why Do People Still Hunt Whales? (Update) 37:32

1
The First Great American Industry (Update) 45:02

1
Why Does Tipping Still Exist? (Update) 47:25

1
643. Why Do Candles Still Exist? 47:22

1
642. How to Wage Peace, According to Tony Blinken 1:06:28

1
Why Does One Tiny State Set the Rules for Everyone? (Update) 47:02

1
641. What Does It Cost to Lead a Creative Life? 46:22

301
640. Why Governments Are Betting Big on Sports 50:12

301
How to Make Your Own Luck (Update) 58:07

351
639. “This Country Kicks My Ass All the Time” 53:46

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638. Are You Ready for the Elder Swell? 54:53

401
What Do Medieval Nuns and Bo Jackson Have in Common? (Update) 36:13

401
637. What It’s Like to Be Middle-Aged (in the Middle Ages) 45:54

451
636. Why Aren’t We Having More Babies? 50:28

451
An Economics Lesson from a Talking Pencil (Update) 39:52

451
635. Can a Museum Be the Conscience of a Nation? 50:55

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634. “Fault-Finder Is a Minimum-Wage Job” 1:02:15