Freakonomics Radio Community’s 2022 Employees Picks

To rejoice a beautiful yr of manufacturing on all the reveals in our community, we requested our employees to decide on their favourite episode of the yr.

Lyric Bowditch, Manufacturing Affiliate“Why Do Docs Must Play Protection?” from Freakonomics, M.D.After the Supreme Courtroom overturned Roe v. Wade, my feeds have been flooded with content material about it. This episode lower by way of the noise by providing a very essential (and distinctly Freakonomical) perspective on the difficulty that I hadn’t thought of or encountered anyplace else. It was additionally the primary time I heard of “defensive medication” — so fascinating!

Neal Carruth, Govt Vice President and Basic Supervisor“Has Globalization Failed?” from Freakonomics RadioFreakonomics Radio doesn’t shrink back from posing huge, provocative questions. This episode begins with a query that may, at first blush, appear sort of boring or too summary to be fascinating. However by way of a captivating dialog with a supremely educated visitor, the regulation professor Anthea Roberts, you purchase the instruments to reply for your self the query of whether or not globalization has failed. This episode additionally does a superb job of participating with the again catalog of Freakonomics Radio for the reason that present has lined this common subject prior to now.

Jeremy Johnston, Audio Engineer“Names,” from Off LeashSince my canine doesn’t appear to acknowledge his personal title half the time, I used to be excited to be taught one thing from this episode of Off Leash. It ended up being a very nice perception into how canine reply to their nicknames, differentiate vowel sounds, and determine their homeowners’ voices in crowded locations. That is such a contented episode filled with animal lovers speaking about how they arrived at a reputation for his or her furry associates, and likewise takes us on a enjoyable tour of Isabella Rossellini’s farm.

Julie Kanfer, Senior Producer“Why Is Everybody Shifting to Dallas?” from Freakonomics RadioI actually loved this two-part sequence and discovered quite a bit about a spot I’ve by no means been (Dallas) and a factor I didn’t know (that everybody is shifting there). I discovered myself fascinated by this episode/sequence quite a bit all year long, random bits of it popping into my mind once I least anticipated them to. It additionally actually evoked a way of place and of the individuals in that place; I felt like I used to be alongside for the journey (in that Uber within the pouring rain).

Ryan Kelley, Affiliate Producer“What Is Sportswashing (and Does It Work)?” from Freakonomics RadioWhy you preferred that episode: We don’t usually concentrate on present occasions on Freakonomics Radio (we like to provide the economists time to play with the information and provide you with one thing sensible), however the brand new, Saudi-backed skilled golf league was simply too intriguing to not cowl. When Phil Mickelson, Qatar, and Barbra Streisand all come up in the identical dialog, it have to be good.

Alina Kulman, Manufacturing Affiliate“Can the Massive Dangerous Wolf Save Your Life?” from Freakonomics RadioI liked how interdisciplinary this episode was — it’s about wildlife conservation, politics, literature, and likewise (after all) economics. It additionally has some fairly staggering statistics, like the truth that deer collisions value about $10 billion in damages yearly.

Zack Lapinski, Senior Producer“Why Did You Marry That Particular person?” from Freakonomics RadioThis episode has all the pieces: sexual anthropology, Victorian period politics, divorce, Shakespeare, the relationship app Raya, aristocratic romance, Bridgerton, and — after all — an economist.

Morgan Levey, Senior Producer“A Rockstar Chemist and Her Most cancers-Attacking ‘Garden Mower’,” from Folks I (Principally) AdmireMaybe it’s a bit of gauche to checklist your individual present / an episode you produced, however I liked this episode with Carolyn Bertozzi. Not often does somebody so good even have the power to clarify Nobel-prize successful science so clearly. She’s additionally cool as hell, and I’d actually prefer to be associates along with her.

Rebecca Lee Douglas, Senior Producer“J***s C****t, Angela, Why Are You Such a F***ing Potty-Mouth?” from No Silly QuestionsI noticed that Morgan listed an episode of PIMA, so now I really feel empowered to share an episode of NSQ. This present was a lot enjoyable. It was full of fascinating analysis, private anecdotes, and plenty and many jokes — principally, the substances for an unbelievable episode of NSQ. We acquired extra listener emails/voice memos to this present than every other episode we’ve produced.

Katherine Moncure, Affiliate Producer“Are N.F.T.s All Scams?” from Freakonomics RadioI liked that complete sequence (“What Can Blockchain Do For You?”) as a result of it took a really difficult and opaque a part of our financial system — a component that’s extremely polarized — and in basic Freakonomics trend, broke it down into one thing that was really comprehensible. N.F.T.s are particularly thoughts boggling to me, however much less so now. I must say although, my favourite half was not any of the clear, informative explanations, however slightly when the Freakonomics crew and the artist Tom Sachs have been chased out of Bryant Park for launching a rocket. Properly well worth the danger.

Greg Rippin, Technical DirectorThe “What Can Blockchain Do For You?” sequence, from Freakonomics RadioI really feel that we did a very good job of explaining the completely different functions of crypto with out coming throughout like we have been making an attempt to get listeners to (actually) purchase into it. Plus, I obtained to go away my studio for a bit and get some recent air within the park.