Freakonomics Radio

Politicians tell voters exactly what they want to hear, even when it makes no sense. Which is pretty much all the time.

We rely on polls and surveys to tell us how people will behave in the future. Too bad they're completely unreliable.

When you want to get rid of a nasty pest, one obvious solution comes to mind: just offer a cash reward. But be careful -- because nothing backfires quite like a bounty.

Sure, we love our computers and all the rest of our digital toys. But when it comes to real economic gains, can we ever match old-school innovations like the automobile and electricity?

Trying to go rustic by baking, brewing, and knitting at home can be terribly inefficient. And that's a wonderful thing.

The data show that poker is indeed a game of skill, not chance, and a Federal judge agrees. So why are players still being treated like criminals?

What "Sleep No More" and the Stanford Prison Experiment tell us about who we really are.

Binge drinking is a big problem at college football games. Oliver Luck -- father of No. 1 NFL pick Andrew, and the athletic director at West Virginia University -- had an unusual idea to help solve it.

What we know -- and don't know -- about the gazillions of dollars that never show up on anyone's books.

If you think working from home offers too many distractions, just think about what happens at the office.

College tends to make people happier, healthier, and wealthier. But how?

We know that summertime brings far too many fatal accidents. But you may be surprised if you dig into the numbers.

What's a college degree really worth these days?

Do host cities really get the benefits their boosters promise, or are they just engaging in some fiscal gymnastics?

What happens to your reputation when you're no longer around to defend it?

If we want our kids to thrive in school, maybe we should just pay them.

Levitt and Dubner answer your FREAK-quently Asked Questions about junk food, insurance, and how to make an economist happy.

Once a week, the British Prime Minister goes before the House of Commons for a lightning round of hard questions. Should the U.S. give it a try?

How using peer pressure -- and good, old-fashioned shame -- can push people to do the right thing.

Paying workers as little as possible seems smart -- unless you can make more money by paying them more.