660. The Wellness Industry Is Gigantic — and Mostly Wrong
23 January - 1 hour 5 minsZeke Emanuel (a physician, medical ethicist, and policy wonk) has some different ideas for how to lead a healthy and meaningful life. It starts with ice cream. (Part three of “The Freakonomics Radio Guide to Getting Better.”)
SOURCES:Zeke Emanuel, oncologist, bioethicist, professor at the University of Pennsylvania.
RESOURCES:Eat Your Ice Cream: Six Simple Rules for a Long and Healthy Life, by Zeke Emanuel (2026)."Nutrition Science’s Most Preposterous Result," by David Merritt Johns (The Atlantic, 2023).
EXTRAS:"Is Ozempic as Magical as It Sounds?" by Freakonomics Radio (2024)."The Suddenly Diplomatic Rahm Emanuel," by Freakonomics Radio (2023)."Ari Emanuel Is Never Indifferent," by...
661. Can A.I. Save Your Life?
For 50 years, the healthcare industry has been trying (and failing) to harness the power of artificial intelligence. It may finally be ready for prime time. What will this mean for human doctors — and the rest of us? (Part four of “The Freakonomics Radio Guide to Getting Better.”)
1 hour
30 January Finished
Steve Levitt Quits His Podcast, Joins Ours
After five years, Levitt is ending People I (Mostly) Admire, and will start hosting the occasional Freakonomics Radio episode. We couldn’t be happier.
45 mins
21 January Finished
659. Can Marty Makary Fix the F.D.A.?
It regulates 20 percent of the U.S. economy, and its commissioner has an aggressive agenda — faster drug approvals, healthier food, cures for diabetes and cancer. How much can he deliver? (Part two of “The Freakonomics Radio Guide to Getting Better.”)
55 mins
16 January Finished
658. This Is Your Brain on Supplements
We all want to stay sharp, and forestall the cognitive effects of aging. But do brain supplements actually work? Are they safe? And why doesn’t the F.D.A. even know what’s in them? (Part one of “The Freakonomics Radio Guide to Getting Better.”)
53 mins
9 January Finished
Are Personal Finance Gurus Giving You Bad Advice? (Update)
One Yale economist certainly thinks so. But even if he’s right, are economists any better? We find out, in this update of a 2022 episode.
1 hour
2 January Finished