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2 weeks ago | 
bostonglobe.com | Steven Levitt |Jeffrey Severts |Michael Smith
The Trump administration’s attacks on higher education are wrong, mean-spirited, and counterproductive to any sense of “making America great.”A weekly SCOTUS explainer newsletter by columnist Kimberly Atkins Stohr. That strikes us as both unfair and inefficient, and we think it’s time to do something about it — not by using Trump’s tactics of bullying and intimidation but by creating a viable alternative to university degrees for the many students unfairly left behind.
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Mar 7, 2025 | 
freakonomics.com | Steven Levitt |Reginald Dwayne Betts |John List |Jill Lepore
It was 20 years ago this week that Reginald Dwayne Betts was released from prison. And that’s a great excuse to replay our conversation from 2023. This is a very special episode for me. I had never met Dwayne before this conversation, but I was so impressed by him that we stayed in touch, became friends, and I’ve even joined the board of the organization Freedom Reads. He’s truly one of the most remarkable and likable people that I’ve ever known.
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Sep 27, 2024 | 
freakonomics.com | Steven Levitt
My guest today, Ken Ono, is a mathematics professor at the University of Virginia. But what makes him unusual is how he applies math outside of academia. His math knowledge got him the job of associate producer for a major Hollywood motion picture. And more recently, he’s been helping swimmers to make the Olympic podium. ONO: How do you optimally streamline your body so that the force you generate propels you through the water as efficiently as possible? That’s a math problem.
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Sep 20, 2024 | 
freakonomics.com | Steven Levitt |Wendy MacNaughton |Steve Levitt |Stephen Dubner
Episode Transcript
Of all the podcast episodes I’ve ever done. No guest has surprised me more than artist Wendy McNaughton. Which is why her episode is, without a doubt, one of my all time favorites, and why we’re doing an encore presentation of that episode today. Going into the interview, I worried we’d have nothing in common, nothing to talk about. Within minutes I already felt the bond with her.
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Sep 13, 2024 | 
freakonomics.com | James Nestor |Steven Levitt
I heard about a guy who had written books on two topics. One was about breathing and the other was about freediving. I can honestly say I’ve never been very interested in breathwork and freediving, where you dive deep underwater, holding your breath. I can’t think of anything more terrifying and unappealing. So the fact that I’m excited to interview James Nestor, a journalist who I only know from his books on freediving and breathing should tell you something about how interesting this man is.
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Aug 23, 2024 | 
freakonomics.com | Steven Levitt |Sendhil Mullainathan |Eldar Shafir
Episode Transcript
Whenever we replay an old episode like we’re doing today with one of my all time favorite conversations with Sendhil Mullainathan, I always add a few words of context at the beginning to give listeners an idea of why we chose this particular episode. And with Sendhil I thought, I’ll just say he’s one of my absolute favorite people in the world.
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May 20, 2024 | 
dodreads.com | Steven Levitt |Stephen Dubner |Adam Grant |Andrew McAfee
The AFMC urges us to approach these reading materials with an open mind, allowing us to integrate the concepts into both our personal and professional lives in all aspects. Their aim is for the Professional Library to inspire critical thinking, foster deep discussions with fellow Airmen, colleagues, family members, and friends, and ultimately enhance our leadership skills.
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Apr 9, 2024 | 
almendron.com | John Donohue |Steven Levitt
More than two decades have passed since we published an academic paper linking the legalisation of abortion to the enormous decline in American crime since the 1990s. The underlying theory is straightforward. Children who are unwanted at birth are at risk of a range of adverse life outcomes and commit much more crime later in life. Legalised abortion greatly reduced the number of unwanted births. Consequently, legalised abortion will reduce crime, albeit with substantial lags.
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Apr 5, 2024 | 
freakonomics.com | Steven Levitt |Olivier Sibony |Daniel Kahneman |Cass Sunstein
We have a bonus episode for you this week. I just wish there was a happier reason for it. My good friend Daniel Kahneman passed away recently and like so many others, I’ll miss him dearly. As a small tribute to Danny, we’re replaying an episode I did with him back in 2021. Listening back over it. It does capture so much of what was special and unique about Danny. I’ll warn you in advance that the sound quality is not great.
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Mar 1, 2024 | 
freakonomics.com | Steven Levitt |Charles Duhigg
My guest today, Charles Duhigg, is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and the author of blockbuster bestsellers, including The Power of Habit. He’s got a new book out entitled Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection. DUHIGG: And I found out that we’re actually living through a golden age of understanding the neurology and psychology of communication. So there’s a lot of insights that can help us. Welcome to People I (Mostly) Admire, with Steve Levitt.
