Explore every episode of the podcast People I (Mostly) Admire

Dive into the complete episode list for People I (Mostly) Admire. Each episode is cataloged with detailed descriptions, making it easy to find and explore specific topics. Keep track of all episodes from your favorite podcast and never miss a moment of insightful content.

	Title	Pub. Date	Duration
	37. Sendhil Mullainathan Thinks Messing Around Is the Best Use of Your Time	29 août 2026	00:50:31
He’s a professor of computation and behavioral science at the University of Chicago, MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient, and author. Steve and Sendhil laugh their way through a conversation about the importance of play, the benefits of change, and why we remember so little about the books we’ve read — and how Sendhil’s new app solves this problem. This episode originally aired on July 23rd, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	36. How Rahm Emanuel Would Run the World	22 août 2026	00:41:56
In this interview, Steve talks with the former top adviser to presidents Clinton and Obama, about his record — and his reputation. And Rahm explains that while he believes in the power of the federal government, as former mayor of Chicago, he says that cities are where problems really get solved. This episode originally aired on March 2, 2020 on Freakonomics Radio, and again on July 16th, 2021st on People I Mostly Admire. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	35. David Epstein Knows Something About Almost Everything	15 août 2026	00:49:15
He’s been an Arctic scientist, a sports journalist, and is now a best-selling author of science books. His latest, Range: Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World, makes the argument that early specialization does not give you a head start in life. David and Steve talk about why frustration is a good sign, and why the 10,000-hour rule is definitely not a rule. This episode originally aired on July 9th, 2021st. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	34. Maya Shankar Is Changing People’s Behavior — and Her Own	08 août 2026	00:44:58
She used to run a behavioral unit in the Obama administration, and now has a similar role at Google. Maya and Steve talk about the power (and limits) of behavioral economics and also how people respond to change — the topic of her new podcast A Slight Change of Plans. This episode originally aired on July 2nd, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	33. Travis Tygart Is Coming for Cheaters — Just Ask Lance Armstrong	01 août 2026	00:45:10
He’s the C.E.O. of the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), which, under his charge, exposed the most celebrated American cyclist as a cheater. And Steve’s been studying cheaters for the last 25 years, so he’s also excited to talk to Travis about the incentives to cheat and the advances in testing technology — and offers his services as an anti-doping data detective for the sport of horse racing. This episode originally aired on June 25th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	32. Angela Duckworth Explains How to Manage Your Goal Hierarchy	25 juil. 2026	00:50:47
She’s the author of the bestselling book Grit, and a University of Pennsylvania professor of psychology — a field Steve says he knows nothing about. But once Angela gives Steve a quick tutorial on “goal conflict,” he is suddenly a fan. They also talk parenting, self-esteem, and how easy it is to learn econometrics if you feel like it. This episode originally aired June 18, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	31. Peter Leeson on Why Trial-by-Fire Wasn’t Barbaric and Why Pirates Were Democratic	18 juil. 2026	00:45:40
He’s an economist who studies even weirder things than Steve. They discuss whether economics is the best of the social sciences, and why it’s a good idea to get a tattoo of a demand curve on your bicep. This episode originally aired on June 11th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	30. Dambisa Moyo Says Foreign Aid Can’t Solve Problems, but Maybe Corporations Can	11 juil. 2026	00:43:33
The African-born economist has written four bestselling books, including Dead Aid, which Bill Gates described as “promoting evil.” In her new book about corporate boards, Dambisa uses her experience with global corporations to explore how they can better meet society’s demands. And she explains to Steve why, even as a Harvard and Oxford-educated economist, her goal in life might sound “a little bit like a Miss America pageant.” This episode originally aired on June 4th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	29. Bruce Friedrich Thinks There’s a Better Way to Eat Meat	04 juil. 2026	00:45:09
Levitt rarely interviews advocates, but the founder of the Good Food Institute is different. Once an outspoken — and sometimes outlandish — animal-rights activist, Bruce has come to believe that market-driven innovation and scientific advancement are the best ways to reduce global meat consumption. Steve and Bruce talk about the negative externalities of factory-farmed meat, and why Bruce gave up antics like streaking at Buckingham Palace. This episode originally aired on May 28th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	28. Professor Carl Hart Argues All Drugs Should Be Legal — Can He Convince Steve?	27 juin 2026	00:44:32
As a neuroscientist and psychology professor at Columbia University who studies the immediate and long-term effects of illicit substances, Carl Hart believes that all drugs — including heroin, methamphetamines, and cocaine — should be legalized. Steve talks to Carl about his new book, Drug Use for Grown-Ups, and Carl tells Steve why decriminalizing drugs is as American as apple pie. This episode originally aired on May 21st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	27. Daniel Kahneman on Why Our Judgment is Flawed — and What to Do About It	20 juin 2026	00:44:03
Nobel laureate, best-selling author, and groundbreaking psychologist Daniel Kahneman is also a friend and former business partner of Steve’s. In discussing Danny’s new book Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment, the two spar over inconsistencies in criminal sentencing and Danny tells Steve that “Your attitude is unusual” — no surprise there. This episode originally aired on May 14th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	26. Memory Champion Nelson Dellis Helps Steve Train His Brain	13 juin 2026	00:35:18
He’s one of the world’s leading competitors, having won four U.S. memory tournaments and holding the record for most names memorized in 15 minutes (235!). But Nelson Dellis claims he was born with an average memory and that anyone can learn his tricks. Steve gives Nelson’s techniques a shot, without much hope — and is surprised by the result. This episode originally aired on May 7, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	25. Sam Harris: “Spirituality Is a Loaded Term.”	06 juin 2026	00:42:53
He’s a cognitive neuroscientist and philosopher who has written five best-selling books. Sam Harris also hosts the Making Sense podcast and helps people discover meditation through his Waking Up app. Sam explains to Steve how to become spiritual as a skeptic and commit to never lying again. This episode originally aired on April 30, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	24. Are We Under Threat from a New Kind of Terror? (Replay Ep. 24)	30 mai 2026	00:44:08
Amaryllis Fox is a former C.I.A. operative and host of the Netflix show The Business of Drugs. She explains why intelligence work requires empathy, and she soothes Steve’s fears about weapons of mass destruction. This episode originally aired on April 16th, 2021 and was replayed on January 14th, 2022. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	23. Greg Norman & Mark Broadie: Why Golf Beats an Orgasm and Why Data Beats Everything	23 mai 2026	00:42:15
Steve Levitt is obsessed with golf — and he’s pretty good at it too. As a thinly-veiled ploy to improve his own game, Steve talks to two titans of the sport: Greg “The Shark” Norman, who was the world’s top-ranked golfer for more than six years; and Mark Broadie, a Columbia professor whose data analysis changed how pros play the game. This episode originally aired on March 9th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	22. Sal Khan: “If It Works for 15 Cousins, It Could Work for a Billion People.”	16 mai 2026	00:43:54
Khan Academy grew out of Sal Khan’s online math tutorials for his extended family. It’s now a platform used by more than 115 million people in 190 countries. So what does Khan want to do next? How about reinventing in-school learning, too? Find out why Steve nearly moved to Silicon Valley to be part of Khan's latest venture. This episode originally aired on April 2nd, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	21. Pete Docter: “What If Monsters Really Do Exist?”	09 mai 2026	00:43:16
He’s the chief creative officer of Pixar, and the Academy Award-winning director of Soul, Inside Out, Up, and Monsters, Inc. Pete Docter and Steve talk about Pixar’s scrappy beginnings, why it costs $200 million to make an animated film, and the movie moment that changed Steve’s life. This episode originally aired on March 26th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	20. John Donohue: “I'm Frequently Called a Treasonous Enemy of the Constitution.”	02 mai 2026	00:36:53
He’s a law professor with a Ph.D. in economics and a tendency for getting into fervid academic debates. Over 20 years ago, he and Steve began studying the impact of legalized abortion on crime. John and Steve talk about guns, the death penalty, the heat they took from their joint research, and why it’s frustratingly difficult to prove truth in the social sciences. This episode originally aired on March 19th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	19. Marina Nitze: “If You Googled ‘Business Efficiency Consultant,’ I Was the Only Result.”	25 avr. 2026	00:37:38
At 27— and without a college degree — she was named chief technology officer of the Department of Veterans Affairs. Today, Marina Nitze is trying to reform the foster care system. She tells Steve how she hacked the V.A.’s bureaucracy, opens up about her struggle with Type 1 diabetes, and explains how she was building websites for soap opera stars when she was just 12 years old. This episode originally aired on March 12th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	18. Robert Sapolsky: “I Don’t Think We Have Any Free Will Whatsoever.”	18 avr. 2026	00:41:34
He’s one of the world’s leading neuroscientists, with a focus on the physiological effects of stress. (For years, he spent his summers in Kenya, alone except for the baboons he was observing.) Steve asks Robert why we value human life over animals, why he’s lost faith in the criminal-justice system, and how to look casual when you’re about to blow-dart a very large and potentially unhappy primate. This episode originally aired on March 5th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	17. Emily Oster: “I Am a Woman Who Is Prominently Discussing Vaginas.”	11 avr. 2026	00:41:32
In addition to publishing best-selling books about pregnancy and child-rearing, Emily Oster is a respected economist at Brown University. Over the course of the pandemic, she’s become the primary collector of data about Covid-19 in schools. Steve and Emily discuss how she became an advocate for school reopening, how economists think differently from the average person, and whether pregnant women really need to avoid coffee. This episode originally aired on February 26th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	16. Joshua Jay: “Humans Are So, So Easy to Fool.”	04 avr. 2026	00:42:03
He’s a world-renowned magician who’s been performing since he was seven years old. But Joshua Jay is also an author, toy maker, and consultant for film and television. Steve Levitt talks to him about how magicians construct tricks, how Joshua’s academic studies of magic have influenced Levitt’s life, and whether Jesus might have been a magician. This episode originally aired on February 19th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	15. Tim Harford: “If You Can Make Sure You're Not An Idiot, You've Done Well.”	28 mars 2026	00:42:25
He’s a former World Bank economist who became a prolific journalist and the author of one of Steve Levitt’s favorite books, The Undercover Economist. Tim Harford lives in England, where he’s made it his mission to help the public understand statistics. In their conversation, Steve gives Tim some feedback on his new book, The Data Detective, contemplates if it’s possible to tell great stories with data, and Tim explains how making mistakes can be fun. This episode originally aired on February 12th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	13. Yul Kwon: “Don't Try to Change Yourself All at Once.” (UPDATE)	21 mars 2026	00:43:23
He has been a lawyer, an instructor at the F.B.I. Academy, the owner of a frozen-yogurt chain, and a winner of the TV show Survivor. Today, Kwon works at Google, but things haven’t always come easily for him. Steve Levitt talks to Kwon about his debilitating childhood anxieties, his compulsion to choose the hardest path in life, and how Kwon used game theory to stage a victory on Survivor. This episode originally aired in two parts on January 29th and February 5th, 2021 and was updated on April 4th, 2025. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	12. Sue Bird: “You Have to Pay the Superstars.”	14 mars 2026	00:39:25
She is one of the best basketball players ever. She’s won multiple championships, including four Olympic gold medals and four W.N.B.A. titles — the most recent in 2020, just before turning 40. She also helped negotiate a landmark contract for the league’s players. Sue Bird tells Steve Levitt the untold truth about clutch players, her thoughts about the pay gap between male and female athletes, and what it means to be part of the first gay couple in ESPN’s The Body Issue. This episode originally aired on January 22nd, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	11. Paul Romer: “I Figured Out How to Get Myself Fired From the World Bank.”	07 mars 2026	00:34:20
For many economists — Steve Levitt included — there is perhaps no greater inspiration than Paul Romer, the now-Nobel laureate who at a young age redefined the discipline and has maintained a passion for introducing new ideas to staid debates. Levitt finds out what makes Romer a serial “quitter,” why you can’t manufacture big ideas, and what happened when Romer tried to start a charter city. This episode originally aired on January 8th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	10. Suzanne Gluck: “I'm a Person Who Can Convince Other People to Do Things”	28 févr. 2026	00:36:07
She might not be a household name, but Suzanne Gluck is one of the most powerful people in the book industry. Her slush pile is a key entry point to the biggest publishers in the U.S., and the authors she represents have sold more than 100 million books worldwide. Steve Levitt talks with Gluck — his own agent — about negotiating a deal, advising prospective authors, and convincing him to co-write Freakonomics. This episode originally aired on December 25th, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	8. Peter Attia: “I Definitely Lost a Lot of IQ Points That Day”	21 févr. 2026	00:38:36
He’s been an engineer, a surgeon, a management consultant, and even a boxer. Now he’s a physician focused on the science of longevity. Peter Attia talks with Steve Levitt about the problem with immortality, what’s missing from our Covid response, and why nicotine is underrated. This episode originally aired on November 27th, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	7. Caverly Morgan: "I Am Not This Voice. I Am Not This Narrative."	14 févr. 2026	00:38:38
She showed up late and confused to her first silent retreat, but Caverly Morgan eventually trained for eight years in silence at a Zen monastery. Now her mindfulness-education program Peace in Schools is part of the high-school curriculum in Portland, Ore. Steve Levitt finds out what daily life is like in a silent monastery, why teens find it easier than adults to learn meditation, and what happy children can teach their parents. This episode originally aired on November 13th, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	6. Nathan Myhrvold: “I Am Interested in Lots of Things, and That's Actually a Bad Strategy”	07 févr. 2026	00:47:46
He graduated high school at 14, and by 23 had several graduate degrees and was a research assistant with Stephen Hawking. He became the first chief technology officer at Microsoft (without having ever studied computer science) and then started a company focused on big questions — like how to provide the world with clean energy and how to optimize pizza-baking. Find out what makes Nathan Myhrvold’s fertile mind tick, and which of his many ideas Steve Levitt likes the most. This episode originally aired on October 30th, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	5. Susan Wojcicki: “Hey, Let’s Go Buy YouTube!”	31 janv. 2026	00:30:43
She was the sixteenth employee at Google — a company once based in her garage — and now she's the C.E.O. of its best-known subsidiary, YouTube. But despite being one of the most powerful people in the tech industry, few outside of Silicon Valley know the name Susan Wojcicki. Levitt talks with her about the early days of Google, how her background in economics shapes the company's products, and why YouTube's success has created a range of unforeseen and serious issues. This episode originally aired on October 16th, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	4. Ken Jennings: “Don’t Neglect the Thing That Makes You Weird”	24 janv. 2026	00:42:18
It was only in his late twenties that America’s favorite brainiac began to seriously embrace his love of trivia. Now he holds the “Greatest of All Time” title on Jeopardy! Steve Levitt digs into how he trained for the show, what it means to have a "geographic memory," and why we lie to our children. This episode originally aired on October 2nd, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	3. Kerwin Charles: “One Does Not Know Where an Insight Will Come From”	17 janv. 2026	00:39:29
The dean of Yale’s School of Management grew up in a small village in Guyana. During his unlikely journey, he has researched video-gaming habits, communicable disease, and why so many African-Americans haven’t had the kind of success he’s had. Steve Levitt talks to Charles about his parents’ encouragement, his love of Sports Illustrated, and how he talks to his American-born kids about the complicated history of Blackness in America. This episode originally aired on September 18th, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	2. Mayim Bialik: “I Started Crying When I Realized How Beautiful the Universe Is”	10 janv. 2026	00:45:30
She’s best known for playing neurobiologist Amy Farrah Fowler on The Big Bang Theory, but the award-winning actress has a rich life outside of her acting career, as a teacher, mother — and a real-life neuroscientist. Steve Levitt tries to learn more about this one-time academic and Hollywood non-conformist, who is both very similar to him and also quite his opposite. This episode originally aired on September 4th, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	1. Steven Pinker: "I Manage My Controversy Portfolio Carefully”	03 janv. 2026	00:42:40
By cataloging the steady march of human progress, the Harvard psychologist and linguist has become a very public intellectual. But the self-declared “polite Canadian” has managed to enrage people on opposite ends of the political spectrum. Steve Levitt tries to understand why. This episode originally aired on August 21st, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	173. Steve Levitt Says Goodbye to People I (Mostly) Admire	20 déc. 2025	00:51:02
In the last episode of the podcast, Stephen Dubner turns the microphone on Steve Levitt. They talk about Levitt’s favorite — and least favorite — moments from the show’s five-year run, his quest to reform education, and his next podcasting gig. SOURCES: Stephen Dubner, host of Freakonomics Radio, co-author of Freakonomics books. RESOURCES: "How to Help Kids Succeed," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2025). "Feeling Sound and Hearing Color," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2024). "Richard Dawkins on God, Genes, and Murderous Baby Cuckoos," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2024). "Arnold Schwarzenegger Has Some Advice for You," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2024). "Werner Herzog Thinks His Films Are a Distraction," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023). "Drawing from Life (and Death)," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2023). "Yuval Noah Harari Thinks Life is Meaningless and Amazing," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022). "Is This the Future of High School?," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022). "Does Death Have to Be a Death Sentence?," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022). "Sal Khan: 'If It Works for 15 Cousins, It Could Work for a Billion People.'" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021). "Jared Diamond on the Downfall of Civilizations — and His Optimism for Ours," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021). "Amanda & Lily Levitt Share What It’s Like to be Steve’s Daughters," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021). "How Rahm Emanuel Would Run the World," by Freakonomics Radio (2020). The Levitt Lab. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	Ninety-Eight Years of Economic Wisdom (Replay)	13 déc. 2025	00:49:09
The late Robert Solow was a giant among economists. When he was 98 years old he told Steve about cracking German codes in World War II, why it’s so hard to reduce inequality, and how his field lost its way. SOURCES: Robert Solow, professor emeritus of economics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. RESOURCES: "Secrecy, Cigars, and a Venetian Wedding: How the P.G.A. Tour Made a Deal with Saudi Arabia," by Alan Blinder, Lauren Hirsch, Kevin Draper, and Kate Kelly (The New York Times, 2023). "Global Assessment of Environmental-Economic Accounting and Supporting Statistics: 2020," by United Nations Committee of Experts on Environmental-Economic Accounting (2021). "Where Modern Macroeconomics Went Wrong," by Joseph E. Stiglitz (Oxford Review of Economic Policy, 2015). "As Inequality Grows, So Does the Political Influence of the Rich," (The Economist, 2018). "Big Bang Financial Deregulation and Income Inequality: Evidence From U.K. and Japan," by Daniel Waldenstrom and Julia Tanndal (VoxEU, 2016). "The Fall And Rise Of U.S. Inequality, In 2 Graphs," by Quoctrung Bui (Planet Money, 2015). Nobel Prize Biographical, by Robert Solow (1987). Principles of Political Economy, by John Stuart Mills (1848). EXTRAS: "Is Economic Growth the Wrong Goal? (Update)," by Freakonomics Radio (2023). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	172. A New Kind of University	06 déc. 2025	00:51:58
Michael Crow is the president of Arizona State University, which U.S. News & World Report has called the most innovative school in the country for 11 years running. He tells Steve about why higher education needs to change, and how A.S.U. is leading the way. Plus: Steve has an announcement about the podcast. SOURCES: Michael Crow, president of Arizona State University. RESOURCES: The Fifth Wave: The Evolution of American Higher Education, by Michael Crow (2020). "College Admissions Shocker!," by Frank Bruni (New York Times, 2016). New American University. Dreamscape Learn. University Innovation Alliance. FYI.AI. EXTRAS: "Chemistry, Evolved," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2025). "America’s Math Curriculum Doesn’t Add Up," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021). Data Science 4 Everyone. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	171. Measuring Pollution on Parallel Earths	22 nov. 2025	00:56:01
Michael Greenstone knows it’s corny, but he wants to make the world a better place — by tracking the impact of air quality, developing pollution markets in India, and … starting a podcast, which Steve says proves he’s over the hill. SOURCES: Michael Greenstone, professor of economics at the University of Chicago. RESOURCES: "New evidence on the impact of sustained exposure to air pollution on life expectancy from China's Huai River Policy," by Avraham Ebenstein, Maoyong Fan, Michael Greenstone, Guojun He, and Maigeng Zhou (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2017). "Evidence on the impact of sustained exposure to air pollution on life expectancy from China's Huai River policy," by Yuyu Chen, Avraham Ebenstein, Michael Greenstone, and Hongbin Li (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2013). Shocked, podcast. Air Quality Life Index (AQLI). Emissions Market Accelerator. Tropical Forest Forever Facility (TFFF). EXTRAS: "This Is Your Brain on Pollution," by Freakonomics Radio (2021). "The Simple Economics of Saving the Amazon Rainforest", by People I (Mostly) Admire (2020). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	Suleika Jaouad’s Survival Mechanisms (Replay)	15 nov. 2025	00:58:46
Suleika Jaouad was diagnosed with cancer at 22. She made her illness the subject of a New York Times column and a memoir, Between Two Kingdoms. She and Steve talk about what it means to live with a potentially fatal illness, how to talk to people who've gone through a tragedy, and ways to encourage medical donations. SOURCES: Suleika Jaouad, author. RESOURCES: The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life, by Suleika Jaouad (2025). The Alchemy Journal, by Suleika Jaouad (2025). “The Art of Survival,” by Jennifer Senior (The Atlantic, 2024). American Symphony, film by Matthew Heineman (2023). Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted, by Suleika Jaouad (2021). “Max Ritvo, Poet Who Chronicled His Cancer Fight, Dies at 25,” by John Schwartz (The New York Times, 2016). “Life, Interrupted,” column by Suleika Jaouad (The New York Times, 2012-2015). The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green (2012). Bright-sided: How Positive Thinking Is Undermining America, by Barbara Ehrenreich (2009). The Isolation Journals, newsletter by Suleika Jaouad. EXTRAS: “John Green’s Reluctant Rocket Ship Ride,” by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022). “Does Death Have to Be a Death Sentence?” by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	170. Finding the God Particle	08 nov. 2025	00:59:10
Physicist and former pop star Brian Cox tells Steve about discovering the Higgs boson, having a number-one hit, and why particle physics research will almost certainly not create a black hole that destroys all life on earth. SOURCES: Brian Cox, physicist at the University of Manchester. RESOURCES: Black Holes: The Key to Understanding the Universe, by Brian Cox and Jeff Forshaw (2023). "Higgs10: The Higgs boson and the rise of the Standard Model of Particle Physics in the 1970s," by John Ellis (CERN, 2022). Out of Silence, by Dare (2004). "WW scattering at the LHC," by J. M. Butterworth, Brian Cox, and J. R. Forshaw (CERN, 2002). A Brief History of Time, by Stephen Hawking (1998). "Gravitational Collapse and Space-Time Singularities," by Roger Penrose (Physical Review Letters, 1965). "The Value of Science," by Richard P. Feynman (Internet Archive, 1955). "Brian Cox Live." Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	169. Decoding the World’s First Writing	25 oct. 2025	00:49:35
Irving Finkel is an expert on cuneiform — the oldest known writing system. He tells Steve the amazing story of how an ancient clay tablet unlocked the truth about Noah’s ark (and got Finkel in trouble with some Christians). SOURCES: Irving Finkel, curator in the department of the Middle East at the British Museum. RESOURCES: "How to write cuneiform," by Irving Finkel (The British Museum, 2021). "PBS Nova: Secrets of Noah's Ark," (2015). The Ark Before Noah: Decoding the Story of the Flood, by Irving Finkel (2014). "Epic Hero," by David Damrosch (Smithsonian Magazine, 2007). "How Egyptian hieroglyphs were decoded, a timeline to decipherment," (The British Museum). EXTRAS: "Jane Goodall, Who Chronicled the Social Lives of Chimps, Dies at 91," by Keith Schneider (New York Times, 2025). "Jane Goodall Changed the Way We See Animals. She’s Not Done." by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022). "D:Ream - Things Can Only Get Better," (1993). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	Is There a Fair Way to Divide Us? (Update)	18 oct. 2025	01:00:06
Moon Duchin is a math professor at the University of Chicago whose theoretical work has practical applications for voting and democracy. Why is striving for fair elections so difficult? SOURCES: Moon Duchin, professor of mathematics at Cornell University. RESOURCES: "Gerrymandering: The Origin Story," by Neely Tucker (Timeless: Stories from the Library of Congress, 2024). "Redistricting for Proportionality," by Gabe Schoenbach and Moon Duchin (The Forum, 2023). "The Atlas Of Redistricting," by Aaron Bycoffe, Ella Koeze, David Wasserman, and Julia Wolfe (FiveThirtyEight, 2018). "In a Comically Drawn Pennsylvania District, the Voters Are Not Amused," by Trip Gabriel (The New York Times, 2018). EXTRAS: "State of Texas to begin calling witnesses in federal hearing over Trump-backed congressional map," by Blaise Gainey (KUT News, 2025). "Utah's Redistricting Battle Explained," (PBS Utah, 2025). "Is This the Future of High School?" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2022). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	168. Chemistry, Evolved	11 oct. 2025	00:56:53
Frances Arnold pioneered the process of directed evolution — mimicking natural selection to create new enzymes that have changed everything from agriculture to laundry. SOURCES: Frances Arnold, professor of chemistry at the California Institute of Technology. RESOURCES: "Innovation by Evolution: Bringing New Chemistry to Life," by Frances Arnold (Nobel Lecture, 2018). "Bacteria taught to bond carbon and silicon for the first time," by Aviva Rutkin (New Scientist, 2016). "Directed evolution of cytochrome c for carbon–silicon bond formation: Bringing silicon to life," by S. B. Jennifer Kan, Russell D. Lewis, Kai Chen, and Frances H. Arnold (Science, 2016). "The Director of Evolution," by Jennifer Ouellette (Slate, 2013). "Engineered ketol-acid reductoisomerase and alcohol dehydrogenase enable anaerobic 2-methylpropan-1-ol production at theoretical yield in Escherichia coli," by Sabine Bastian, Xiang Liu, Joseph T. Meyerowitz, Christopher D. Snow, Mike M. Y. Chen, and Frances H. Arnold (Metabolic Engineering, 2011). Gevo. Provivi. EXTRAS: "How to Help Kids Succeed," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2025). The Levitt Lab. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	167. The Secret of Humanity? It’s Common Knowledge.	27 sept. 2025	00:58:45
Steven Pinker’s new book argues that all our relationships depend on shared assumptions and “recursive mentalizing” — our constant efforts to understand what other people are thinking. He and Steve talk about the psychology of eye contact, the particular value of Super Bowl ads, and what it’s like to get cancelled. SOURCES: Steven Pinker, professor of psychology at Harvard University. RESOURCES: When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows, by Steven Pinker (2025). "Why I Left Harvard," by Carole Hooven (The Free Press, 2024). Rationality: What It Is, Why It Seems Scarce, Why It Matters, by Steven Pinker (2021). "Economics of Toilet Paper X Thread," by Justin Wolfers (2020). "How a Famous Harvard Professor Became a Target Over His Tweets," by Michael Powell (New York Times, 2020). "Police Killings of Blacks: Here Is What the Data Say," by Sendhil Mullainathan (2015). SuperFreakonomics: Global Cooling, Patriotic Prostitutes, and Why Suicide Bombers Should Buy Life Insurance, by Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner (2011). Rational Ritual: Culture, Coordination, and Common Knowledge, by Michael Suk-Young Chwe (2003). "Open Letter to the LSA." EXTRAS: "Steven Pinker: 'I Manage My Controversy Portfolio Carefully,'" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2020). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	How to Have Great Conversations (Update)	20 sept. 2025	00:44:24
The Power of Habit author Charles Duhigg wrote his new book in an attempt to learn how to communicate better. Steve shares how the book helped him understand his own conversational weaknesses. SOURCES: Charles Duhigg, journalist and author. RESOURCES: Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection, by Charles Duhigg (2024). "2023 Word of the Year Is 'Enshittification,'" by the American Dialect Association (2024). "When Someone You Love Is Upset, Ask This One Question," by Jancee Dunn (The New York Times, 2023). Smarter Faster Better: The Secrets of Being Productive in Life and Business, by Charles Duhigg (2016). "The 36 Questions That Lead to Love," by Daniel Jones (The New York Times, 2015). The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business, by Charles Duhigg (2012). "The Experimental Generation of Interpersonal Closeness: A Procedure and Some Preliminary Findings," by Arthur Aron, Edward Melinat, Elaine N. Aron, Robert Darrin Vallone, and Renee J. Bator (Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 1997). EXTRAS: "How Can You Get Closer to the People You Care About?" by No Stupid Questions (2023). "How Do You Connect With Someone You Just Met?" by No Stupid Questions (2023). "Can I Ask You a Ridiculously Personal Question?" by Freakonomics Radio (2021). "Amanda & Lily Levitt Share What It’s Like to be Steve’s Daughters," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021). "Marina Nitze: 'If You Googled ‘Business Efficiency Consultant,’ I Was the Only Result,'" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021). "How to Be More Productive," by Freakonomics Radio (2016). Frozen, film (2013). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	166. The World’s Most Effective Public Health Intervention Is Under Attack	13 sept. 2025	01:01:47
Seth Berkley used to run the world's largest vaccine funding organization. He and Steve talk about the incredible value of vaccines, the economics of immunizing the developing world, and the current attacks on public health. SOURCES: Seth Berkley, epidemiologist at Brown University School of Public Health. RESOURCES: "Trump Administration Ends Program Critical to Search for an H.I.V. Vaccine," by Apoorva Mandavilli (New York Times, 2025). Fair Doses: An Insider's Story of the Pandemic and the Global Fight for Vaccine Equity, by Seth Berkley (2025). "How a partnership saved millions of children’s lives with vaccines," (Gates Foundation). Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. EXTRAS: "Sendhil Mullainathan Thinks Messing Around Is the Best Use of Your Time," by People I (Mostly) Admire (2021). "Moncef Slaoui: 'It’s Unfortunate That It Takes a Crisis for This to Happen,'" by People I (Mostly) Admire (2020). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	165. The Economist Who (Gasp!) Asks People What They Think	30 août 2025	00:53:14
Stefanie Stantcheva’s approach seemed like career suicide. In fact, it won her the John Bates Clark Medal. She talks to fellow winner Steve Levitt about why she uses methods that most of the profession dismisses — and what she’s found that can’t be learned any other way. SOURCES: Stefanie Stantcheva, professor of political economy at Harvard University. RESOURCES: "Understanding Economic Behavior Using Open-ended Survey Data," by Ingar Haaland, Christopher Roth, Stefanie Stantcheva, and Johannes Wohlfart (Working Paper, 2025). "Fighting Climate Change: International Attitudes toward Climate Policies," by Antoine Dechezleprêtre, Adrien Fabre, Tobias Kruse, Bluebery Planterose, Ana Sanchez Chico, and Stefanie Stantcheva (American Economic Review, 2025). "Zero-Sum Thinking and the Roots of U.S. Political Divides," by Stefanie Stantcheva (NBER Working Paper, 2024). "Why Do We Dislike Inflation?," by Stefanie Stantcheva (NBER Working Paper, 2024). "How to Run Surveys: A Guide to Creating Your Own Identifying Variation and Revealing the Invisible," by Stefanie Stantcheva (Annual Review of Economics, 2022). "Eliciting People's First-Order Concerns: Text Analysis of Open-Ended Survey Questions," by Beatrice Ferrario and Stefanie Stantcheva (NBER Working Paper, 2022). "Understanding Tax Policy: How Do People Reason?," by Stefanie Stantcheva (The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 2021). "Immigration and Redistribution," by Alberto Alesina, Armando Miano, and Stefanie Stantcheva (NBER Working Paper, 2018). EXTRAS: VerbAI by Generation Lab. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	Rick Rubin on How to Make Something Great (Update)	23 août 2025	00:53:24
From recording some of the first rap hits to revitalizing Johnny Cash's career, the legendary producer has had an extraordinary creative life. In this episode he talks about his new book and his art-making process — and helps Steve get in touch with his own artistic side. SOURCES: Rick Rubin, music producer and record executive. RESOURCES: The Creative Act: A Way of Being, by Rick Rubin (2023). “How Google’s AlphaGo Beat a Go World Champion,” by Christopher Moyer (The Atlantic, 2016). “DMC: The Real Story of Aerosmith + Run-D.M.C.’s ‘Walk This Way’,” by Loudwire (2016). “Hurt,” by Johnny Cash, music video (2003). “Walk This Way,” by Run-DMC, ft. Aerosmoth (1986). “It’s Yours,” by T La Rock (1984). “Walk This Way,” by Aerosmith (1975). The Way of Code. EXTRAS: “How To Be Creative,” series by Freakonomics Radio (2018). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.
	164. Unravelling the Universe, Again	16 août 2025	01:02:14
More than two decades ago, Adam Riess’s Nobel Prize-winning work fundamentally changed our understanding of the universe. His new work is reshaping cosmology for a second time. RESOURCES: Adam Riess, astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University. SOURCES: "The Nobel Prize Winner Who Thinks We Have the Universe All Wrong," by Ross Andersen (The Atlantic, 2025). "The answer to life, the universe and everything might be 73. Or 67," by Hannah Devlin (The Guardian, 2018). "Adam G. Riess Nobel Prize Lecture," (The Nobel Foundation, 2011). "Breakthroughs 1998," by Floyd Bloom (Science, 1998). "Observational Evidence from Supernovae for an Accelerating Universe and a Cosmological Constant," by Adam Riess, Alexei Filippenko, Peter Challis, Alejandro Clocchiatti, Alan Diercks, Peter Garnavich, Ron Gilliland, Craig Hogan, Saurabh Jha, Robert Kirshner, Bruno Leibundgut, Mark Phillips, David Reiss, Brian Schmidt, Robert Schommer, Chris Smith, Jason Spyromilio, Christopher Stubbs, Nicholas Suntzeff, and John Tonry (The Astronomical Journal, 1998). "1912: Henrietta Leavitt Discovers the Distance Key," (Carnegie Institution for Science). Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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