Shoe repair shops are a dying breed — but for those that remain, demand is higher than ever.

Macy’s wants to recapture its glorious past. The author of the Wimpy Kid books wants to rebuild his dilapidated hometown. We just want to listen in. (Part two of a two-part series, first published in 2024)

Is Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade its most valuable asset? With 30 million viewers, it’s a big moneymaker — at least we think it is: when it comes to parade economics, Macy’s is famously tight-lipped. In this updated 2024 episode, we try to loosen them up.

Richard Migliore tells us what it takes to become a champion jockey. To get subscriber-only episodes, sign up for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts here: https://t.co/o3iOkdKouO, or on other apps here: https://t.co/36R6pPdCMj.

Michael Greenstone knows it’s corny, but he wants to make the world a better place — by tracking the impact of air quality, developing pollution markets in India, and … starting a podcast.

How Wispr flow closed 22 enterprise deals in 30 Days.

The economics of superhot chili peppers. The market for gustatory pain is surprisingly competitive. @zzcrockett feels the burn.

Is the public ready for private equity? A Trump executive order is giving retail investors more access to private markets. Is that a golden opportunity — or fool’s gold?

🚌 Should transit be free? 🏠 Is rent control a good idea? 💻 What about remote work? Hark & Freakonomics curated 7 clips from @Freakonomics Radio that explore these questions with Stephen Dubner’s unique blend of intellectual rigor & entertainment: https://t.co/ihznC32It0

Suleika Jaouad (@SuleikaJaouad) was diagnosed with cancer at 22. She made her illness the subject of a New York Times column and a memoir, “Between Two Kingdoms.” She and @StevenDLevitt talk about what it means to live with a potentially fatal illness.

How much does it cost to design and build a mini-golf course? And what’s it like to run one?

Thoroughbred auction prices keep setting records. But tracks are closing, gambling revenues are falling, and the sport is increasingly reliant on subsidies. Is that the kind of long shot anybody wants? https://t.co/6x9Ny9lsMN

The world has changed a good bit since “Freakonomics” was first published. In this live anniversary episode, Stephen Dubner tells Geoff Bennett of PBS NewsHour everything he has learned since then.

Physicist and former pop star Brian Cox (@ProfBrianCox) tells @StevenDLevitt about discovering the Higgs boson, having a number-one hit, and why particle physics research will almost certainly not create a black hole that destroys all life on earth.

How do flavorists capture the essence of a fruit and put it in a can of sparkling water, or a tub of yogurt?

How does Kentucky keep itself atop the thoroughbred industry? Is a champion stallion really worth $200,000 per date? And how many hands can one jockey have? https://t.co/GQB1VWtQZa

A pleasure and an honor to speak with @smerconish about Freakonomics 20th anniversary!

A day on the job at a laundromat includes hundreds of quarters, giant balls of lint, and fishing weird stuff out of machines.

Last night, I visited the historic @SixthandI in D.C. for a conversation with the wonderful @GeoffRBennett about the 20th anniversary of Freakonomics. Had such a good time — big thanks to the lovely audience as well as to Geoff and Sixth & I, class acts all around.

For most of human history, horsepower made the world go. Then came the machines. So why are there still seven million horses in America? https://t.co/ET5ZbzH6Eh

For most of human history, horsepower made the world go. Then came the machines. So why are there still seven million horses in America?