670. Beeconomics 101
10 April - 55 minsHow do beekeepers make a living? Why is there so much honey fraud? And why did billions of bees suddenly disappear? To find out, guest host Steve Levitt activates his hive mind.
SOURCES:
Alex Sapoznik, historian, reader in late medieval history at King’s College London.
Chris Hiatt, past president of the American Honey Producers Association, owner of Hiatt Honey Company.
Michael Roberts, founding executive director of the Resnick Center for Food Law and Policy at U.C.L.A. Law School.
Walter "Wally" Thurman, professor emeritus of agricultural economics at North Carolina State University.
RESOURCES:
"U.S. honey is increasingly supplied through imports,...
Ten Myths About the U.S. Tax System (Update)
Nearly everything that politicians say about taxes is at least half a lie. They are also dishonest when it comes to the national debt. In this update of an episode from 2025, Stephen Dubner finds one of the few people in Washington who is willing to tell the truth — and it’s even worse than you think.
1 hour 4 mins
8 April Finished
669. Why Is 95 Percent of the World’s Bourbon Made in Kentucky?
Is it tradition … or protectionism? And what happens when the bourbon boom turns into a glut?
46 mins
3 April Finished
668. Do Taylor Swift and Bad Bunny Have Blood on Their Hands?
As one researcher told us: “We’ve engineered a world where the most distracting device ever made is also the one we use to listen to music in the car." A new study tries to measure the cost.
53 mins
27 March Finished
In a Driverless World, Who Loses and Who Wins?
In blue cities across the country, unions and politicians want to ban self-driving cars. In this episode from the Search Engine podcast, PJ Vogt visits Boston to sort the facts from the propaganda. (Part two of a two-part series.)
1 hour 5 mins
25 March Finished
Are Human Drivers Finally Obsolete?
How a secret project at Google led to driverless cars on American roads. Freakonomics Radio shares a story from our friends at Search Engine. (Part one of a two-part series.)
1 hour 11 mins
20 March Finished