Economics podcasts

Andy Hall of Stanford and Anthropic discusses how advanced AI could change work, wealth redistribution, public trust and democratic decision-making. The conversation considers open models, collective safety, legislative assistance, ideological bias, model governance and international competition. It distinguishes competing expectations about AI’s economic and political effects and examines the practical challenges of governing widely available agents.

Robin George Andrews discusses Japan’s planned sampling mission to Phobos and what returned material could reveal about the moon and Mars. Ashton Flinders explains how camera observations, geochemistry and geophysical monitoring revealed patterns in Kīlauea’s lava fountains. Economist Javier Birchenall examines a historical prediction of runaway population growth and the broader difficulty of forecasting major crises.

Hosted by Sarah Crespi

Chris Smith and Rachael Ralph explore the mechanisms and forecasting of El Niño and its consequences for weather, livelihoods and health. Contributions from Aidan McGivern and Peter Gibbs explain the climate dynamics; Vicky Pryce discusses economic disruption; Rachel Tolhurst and Teresa Zakaria examine health vulnerabilities and preparedness. The episode connects climate science with the decisions facing public-health services and communities.

Hosted by Chris Smith, Rachael Ralph

Joe Hilton explains how health economics and mathematical modelling inform difficult decisions about healthcare resources. The conversation contrasts costly treatments benefiting small groups with interventions serving larger populations, and examines how such trade-offs are assessed. Hilton also discusses his route into research and the experience of beginning work on health policy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hosted by Rachel Thomas, Marianne Freiberger

Alvin Roth examines markets whose transactions raise moral objections even when buyers and sellers agree on a price. Examples include organ sales, adoption, drugs and sex work. The conversation asks how societies reason about contested exchanges, what economic analysis can contribute beyond price efficiency, and what these cases reveal about the organisation and limits of markets.

Hosted by Sean Carroll

Kalle Moene discusses changes in Norwegian income and wealth inequality and questions about their causes and consequences. Conversation in Norwegian.

David Hsu examines community electricity systems built around solar generation, batteries and microgrids. The conversation considers the policies and technologies challenging centralised utilities, including in places with unreliable electricity access. It compares what local and large-scale systems can offer as communities seek cleaner, affordable and dependable energy.

Hosted by Madison Goldberg

Jacopo Buongiorno examines why construction of nuclear power plants has become expensive in the United States despite the technology’s ability to supply low-carbon electricity continuously. The discussion compares countries with different recent building experience and asks what their industries can teach about controlling costs and delivering projects on schedule.

Hosted by Madison Goldberg

Ola Innset discusses money, taxation and the allocation of labour and resources between private and public activity. Conversation in Norwegian.

Gaute Einevoll presents a Norwegian audio fable inspired by petroleum policy, examining how individually rational decisions can lead to difficult collective outcomes.

Robert Barro and Jon Hartley discuss empirical macroeconomics and the development of Barro’s research. Topics include Ricardian equivalence, the fiscal theory of the price level, government-spending multipliers, business cycles and New Keynesian modelling. The conversation also considers economic growth, political economy and the relationship between religion and economic outcomes. Barro reflects on his training, his research career and the economists he has taught, connecting personal intellectual history with debates about fiscal policy and macroeconomic evidence.

Anne Karin Sæther discusses Norway's petroleum history and the tensions between oil exports and climate commitments. Conversation in Norwegian.

Knut Kjær discusses taxes, regulation and investment incentives intended to reduce emissions and support a transition to lower-carbon technologies. Conversation in Norwegian.

Åshild Grøtan discusses electricity markets, rapidly changing prices and the need to balance generation with demand. Conversation in Norwegian.

Svein Harald Øygard discusses interest rates, central-bank decisions and their influence on households and the wider economy. Conversation in Norwegian.

The fourth and concluding part of Fimbulvinter, Gaute Einevoll's Norwegian audio fable connecting a fictional political gathering with questions about nature and growth.

Part three of Fimbulvinter continues the fictional exploration of people, nature and economic growth. Norwegian audio storytelling by Gaute Einevoll.

Part two of Fimbulvinter continues Gaute Einevoll's Norwegian audio fable about a snowbound political gathering, resource use and economic growth.

Part one of Fimbulvinter, Gaute Einevoll's Norwegian audio fable exploring the relationship between people, nature and economic growth through a fictional political gathering.

Per Espen Stoknes discusses whether economic growth can be reconciled with lower resource consumption and environmental damage. Conversation in Norwegian.