Freakonomics co-author Steve Levitt tracks down other high achievers for surprising, revealing conversations about their lives and obsessions. Join Levitt as he goes through the most interesting midlife crisis you’ve ever heard — and learn how a renegade sheriff is transforming Chicago's jail, how a biologist is finding the secrets of evolution in the Arctic tundra, and how a trivia champion memorized 160,000 flashcards.
111 Available Episodes (111 Total)Average duration: 00:46:19
Apr 15, 2023
103. Rick Rubin on How to Make Something Great
00:57:02
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.
Apr 01, 2023
102. Adding Ten Healthy Years to Your Life
00:56:41
Physician Peter Attia returns to the show to talk about the science of longevity — which focuses not only on extending life but on maintaining good health into old age. He explains the possibilities and limits of current medicine and gives Steve his best advice on how to defeat the aging process.
Mar 18, 2023
101. Celebrating 100 People I (Mostly) Admire
00:49:59
Steve and producer Morgan Levey look back at the first 100 episodes of the podcast, including surprising answers, spectacular explanations, and listeners who heard the show and changed their lives.
Mar 04, 2023
100. Chicago’s Renegade Sheriff Wants to Fix Law Enforcement
01:03:44
Tom Dart is transforming Cook County’s jail, reforming evictions, and, with Steve Levitt, trying a new approach to electronic monitoring.
Feb 18, 2023
99. Greg Norman Takes On the P.G.A. Tour
00:48:10
Since his last visit to People I (Mostly) Admire, the formerly top-ranked golfer has become the sport's most controversial figure. Why has he partnered with the Saudi government — and can his new golf league unseat a monopoly?
Feb 04, 2023
98. Searching for Our Aquatic Ancestors
00:57:01
Neil Shubin hunts for fossils in the Arctic and experiments with D.N.A. in the lab, hoping to find out how fish evolved to walk on land. He explains why unlocking these answers could help humans today.
Jan 21, 2023
97. How Smart Is a Forest?
00:58:20
Ecologist Suzanne Simard studies the relationships between trees in a forest: they talk to each other, punish each other, and depend on each other. What can we learn from them?
Jan 07, 2023
96. Steven Strogatz Thinks You Don’t Know What Math Is
00:58:21
The mathematician and author sees mathematical patterns everywhere — from DNA to fireflies to social connections.
Dec 24, 2022
95. The One Thing Stephen Dubner Hasn’t Quit
01:07:22
When Freakonomics co-authors Steve Levitt and Stephen Dubner first met, one of them hated the other. Two decades later, Levitt grills Dubner about asking questions, growing the pie, and what he learned from Bruce Springsteen.
Dec 10, 2022
94. The Price of Doing Business with John List
01:06:01
From baseball card conventions to Walmart, John List has always used field experiments to say revolutionary things about economics. He explains the value of an apology, why scaling shouldn’t be an afterthought, and why he moved to the private sector to stay at the forefront of science.
Apr 15 | 00:57:02
103. Rick Rubin on How to Make Something Great
Apr 01 | 00:56:41
102. Adding Ten Healthy Years to Your Life
Mar 18 | 00:49:59
101. Celebrating 100 People I (Mostly) Admire
Mar 04 | 01:03:44
100. Chicago’s Renegade Sheriff Wants to Fix Law Enforcement
Feb 18 | 00:48:10
99. Greg Norman Takes On the P.G.A. Tour
Feb 04 | 00:57:01
98. Searching for Our Aquatic Ancestors
Jan 21 | 00:58:20
97. How Smart Is a Forest?
Jan 07 | 00:58:21
96. Steven Strogatz Thinks You Don’t Know What Math Is
Dec 24 | 01:07:22
95. The One Thing Stephen Dubner Hasn’t Quit
Dec 10 | 01:06:01
94. The Price of Doing Business with John List
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