In the newest show from the Freakonomics Radio Network, host Zachary Crockett explores the hidden side of the things around us. This week: One creature’s trash is another’s cash.  (Or, how one man found profit in pee.)

In the newest show from the Freakonomics Radio Network, host Zachary Crockett explores the hidden side of the things around us. This week: One creature’s trash is another’s cash.  (Or, how one man found profit in pee.)

The Economics of Everyday Things: Animal Urine

A sneak peek at Bapu's new book, Random Acts of Medicine, available now from Doubleday, and an announcement about the show.

A sneak peek at Bapu's new book, Random Acts of Medicine, available now from Doubleday, and an announcement about the show.

Tom Brady, A.D.H.D., and a Really Bad Headache (Bonus)

Couples get divorced for all kinds of reasons. Is having kids one of them? Bapu talks about research that investigates what happens to parents who unexpectedly have twins. Plus, an announcement about the future of the show.

Couples get divorced for all kinds of reasons. Is having kids one of them? Bapu talks about research that investigates what happens to parents who unexpectedly have twins. Plus, an announcement about the future of the show.

78. Do Kids Cause Divorce?

Doctors and nurses get most of the attention — but a new study suggests we can improve health care by raising wages for a group of workers who are often overlooked.

Doctors and nurses get most of the attention — but a new study suggests we can improve health care by raising wages for a group of workers who are often overlooked.

77. They Make Minimum Wage. They Could Save Your Life.

In hospitals, a softer pillow or a nicer room might be more than just amenities — they could improve outcomes for patients.

In hospitals, a softer pillow or a nicer room might be more than just amenities — they could improve outcomes for patients.

76. Is a Spoonful of Sunlight the Best Medicine?

Americans eat a lot of sugar — and it’s hard to determine how it affects our health. Bapu explains how a new study uses data from the 1950s to help solve the mystery.

Americans eat a lot of sugar — and it’s hard to determine how it affects our health. Bapu explains how a new study uses data from the 1950s to help solve the mystery.

75. What Is Sugar Really Doing to You?

 It’s not a new question, but it’s a tricky one to study. Bapu explains why, and talks about how an N.F.L. labor dispute helped him get some answers. 

It’s not a new question, but it’s a tricky one to study. Bapu explains why, and talks about how an N.F.L. labor dispute helped him get some answers.

74. How Does Playing Football Affect Your Health?

The most expensive drugs in the world are treatments for genetic diseases. And more of these cures are on the horizon. How will anyone be able to afford them?

The most expensive drugs in the world are treatments for genetic diseases. And more of these cures are on the horizon. How will anyone be able to afford them?

73. Who Pays for Multimillion-Dollar Miracle Cures?

Breakthroughs in biotech that seem like science fiction are becoming reality. Why aren’t more patients benefiting from them?

Breakthroughs in biotech that seem like science fiction are becoming reality. Why aren’t more patients benefiting from them?

72. What’s Stopping Us From Curing Rare Diseases?

mRNA vaccines helped bring the pandemic under control. Could they also train the immune system to fight cancer?

mRNA vaccines helped bring the pandemic under control. Could they also train the immune system to fight cancer?

71. What Do COVID-19 and Cancer Have in Common?

Each week, physician, economist, and author of "Random Acts of Medicine" Dr. Bapu Jena will dig into a fascinating study at the intersection of economics and healthcare. He takes on questions like: Why do kids with summer birthdays get the flu more often? Can surviving a hurricane help you live longer? What do heart surgery and grocery-store pricing have in common?

Success and failure are hard to measure in medicine. Bapu looks at how surgeons are judged after a bad outcome — and whether men and women are treated the same.

Success and failure are hard to measure in medicine. Bapu looks at how surgeons are judged after a bad outcome — and whether men and women are treated the same.

70. Why Are There Still So Few Female Surgeons?

We take it for granted that, when people are acutely ill, they should be in the hospital. Is there a better way?

We take it for granted that, when people are acutely ill, they should be in the hospital. Is there a better way?

69. Home Sweet … Hospital?

Figuring out which patients to hospitalize and which to safely send home can be tricky. Is there a way to make this decision easier for doctors — and get better outcomes, too?

Figuring out which patients to hospitalize and which to safely send home can be tricky. Is there a way to make this decision easier for doctors — and get better outcomes, too?

68. The E.R. Doctor’s Dilemma

A small number of patients with multiple chronic conditions use a lot of resources. Dr. Jeffrey Brenner found a way to identify and treat them. Could it reduce health-care spending too?

A small number of patients with multiple chronic conditions use a lot of resources. Dr. Jeffrey Brenner found a way to identify and treat them. Could it reduce health-care spending too?

What Can We Do About the Hardest Patients? (Ep. 51 Replay)

Bapu tries to stump master clinician Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal with a medical mystery. 

Bapu tries to stump master clinician Dr. Gurpreet Dhaliwal with a medical mystery.

67. Why Did This 60-Year-Old Man Collapse at the Supermarket?

It’s a surprisingly hard question to answer. Bapu talks with a health economist about a natural experiment that led to some unexpected findings. 

It’s a surprisingly hard question to answer. Bapu talks with a health economist about a natural experiment that led to some unexpected findings.

66. Does Health Insurance Make You Healthier?

At the start of the 20th century, there weren’t many hospitals in the U.S. That changed in 1918, thanks to the Great Influenza pandemic. Its effects on health care are still being felt today. Which makes us wonder: will the impact of Covid-19 also be felt 100 years from now?

At the start of the 20th century, there weren’t many hospitals in the U.S. That changed in 1918, thanks to the Great Influenza pandemic. Its effects on health care are still being felt today. Which makes us wonder: will the impact of Covid-19 also be felt 100 years from now?

65. How Do Pandemics Change Health Care?

Half the world's population uses social media — and a new study suggests that it causes anxiety and depression. Can anything be done, or is it too late?

Half the world's population uses social media — and a new study suggests that it causes anxiety and depression. Can anything be done, or is it too late?

64. Is Facebook Bad for Your Mental Health?

Some diagnostic tests give distorted results for Black patients. How are doctors trying to change that?

Some diagnostic tests give distorted results for Black patients. How are doctors trying to change that?

63. What Medicine Gets Wrong About Race

Promising drugs keep failing in trials. Allegations of fraud have cast a shadow over the field. An expert explains why Alzheimer’s treatments have been so hard to find — and why one clue may lie in the Andes Mountains.

Promising drugs keep failing in trials. Allegations of fraud have cast a shadow over the field. An expert explains why Alzheimer’s treatments have been so hard to find — and why one clue may lie in the Andes Mountains.

Why Don’t We Have a Cure for Alzheimer’s? (Ep. 49 Update)

Freakonomics, M.D.

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Best Episodes on Global Issues

The best podcast episodes of the most interesting stories and things. From skyping someone while they're in space, to tracking down and meeting a telephone scammer in person, to the story of a Galapagos. These episodes will keep you and all your friends entertained and captivated for hours. Learn something new in every episode! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!