What is No Stupid Questions about?

Two hosts explore curious, everyday questions about human psychology, behavior, relationships, and decision-making. Each episode tackles a single question or pair of questions with genuine curiosity and evidence.

Who hosts No Stupid Questions?

Angela Duckworth, a research psychologist and author of 'Grit,' and Mike Maughan, a tech and sports industry executive. Their different backgrounds create a dynamic conversation.

How long are episodes?

Episodes are typically 35 to 40 minutes long, making them perfect for commutes, workouts, or casual listening.

How often does No Stupid Questions release new episodes?

New episodes release every week. The show is a production of the Freakonomics Radio Network.

No Stupid Questions is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, and all major podcast platforms. Full transcripts and show notes are available at Freakonomics.com.

No Stupid Questions

Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher·Hosted by Angela Duckworth and Mike Maughan·322 episodes

SocietyCultureCo-hosted conversationConversationalPsychology & behaviorCuriosity-drivenWeekly releases

Research psychologist Angela Duckworth (author of "Grit") and tech and sports executive Mike Maughan really like to ask people questions, and they believe there’s no such thing as a stupid one. So they have a podcast where they can ask each other as many “stupid questions” as they want. New episodes each week. "No Stupid Questions" is a production of the Freakonomics Radio Network. To get every show in the Freakonomics Radio Network without ads and a monthly bonus episode of Freakonomics Radio, start a free trial for SiriusXM Podcasts+ on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

Why listen

No Stupid Questions demolishes the myth that curiosity is childish. Hosted by a research psychologist and a tech executive, the show fearlessly explores the questions everyone secretly wonders about: Why do we cheat? Can you change your personality? Is marriage worth it? Each episode delivers genuine insight into human behavior and decision-making without the pretension.

Episodes

37 min

May 31, 2026Episode 77

77. How Can You Avoid Boredom?

Also: are we getting any better at assessing COVID risk? This episode originally aired on December 12, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

38 min

May 24, 2026Episode 76

76. Why Can’t Baby Boomers and Millennials Just Get Along?

Also: how do phone cameras affect the way we experience live events? This episode originally aired on December 5th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

38 min

May 17, 2026Episode 75

75. How Do You Deal With Intrusive Thoughts?

Also: how much does confidence really matter? This episode originally aired on November 21st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37 min

May 10, 2026Episode 74

74. Does Reverse Psychology Really Work?

Also: does knowing your family history affect your identity? This episode originally aired on November 14th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

32 min

May 3, 2026Episode 73

73. Is It Okay to Engage in “Social Loafing”?

Also: why is it so great to be part of a team, even when you lose? This episode originally aired on November 7th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37 min

Apr 26, 2026Episode 72

72. If Everyone Hates Meetings, Why Do We Have So Many of Them?

Also: why do so many people feel lost in their 20s? This episode originally aired on October 31st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

28 min

Apr 19, 2026Episode 71

71. Why Is Pig Milk the One Milk We Don’t Drink?

Also: what’s a food you love that seems disgusting to everyone else? This episode originally aired on October 24th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

35 min

Apr 12, 2026Episode 70

70. In a Job Interview, How Much Does Timing Matter?

Also: why is it smart to ignore what your podcast hosts look like? This episode originally aired on October 10th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37 min

Apr 5, 2026Episode 69

69. How Can You Convince Someone They’re Wrong?

Also: what’s the best way to handle rejection? This episode originally aired on October 3, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

35 min

Mar 29, 2026Episode 68

68. Why Do We Want What We Can’t Have?

Also: why are humans still so tribal? This episode originally aired on September 26th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

38 min

Mar 22, 2026Episode 67

67. How Can You Escape Binary Thinking?

Also: why is it so satisfying to find a bargain? This episode originally aired on September 19th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

39 min

Mar 15, 2026Episode 65

65. What’s the Best Advice You’ve Ever Received?

Also: why don’t you need a license to become a parent? This episode originally aired on August 29th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37 min

Mar 8, 2026Episode 64

64. Are Women Required to Be Nicer Than Men?

Also: should you feel guilty if you don’t read books? This episode originally aired on August 15th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

36 min

Mar 1, 2026Episode 63

63. How Contagious Is Behavior? With Laurie Santos of “The Happiness Lab.” (Replay)

Why do we mirror other people’s accents? Does DJ Khaled get tired of winning? And also: life is good — so why aren’t you happy? This episode originally aired on August 8th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

39 min

Feb 22, 2026Episode 62

62. How Can You Escape a Drama Triangle?

Also: how do awards affect motivation? This episode originally aired on August 1st, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

33 min

Feb 15, 2026Episode 61

61. Should We Just Ignore Our Weaknesses?

Also: why do we like what we like? This episode originally aired on July 25th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

31 min

Feb 8, 2026Episode 60

60. Why Do We Complain?

Also: what do you really mean when you say you “don’t have time”? This episode originally aired on July 18th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

38 min

Feb 1, 2026Episode 59

59. Do Dreams Actually Mean Anything?

Also: why is music so memorable? This episode originally aired on July 11th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37 min

Jan 25, 2026Episode 58

58. What’s So Gratifying About Gossip?

Also: why do people hate small talk? This episode originally aired on June 27th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

36 min

Jan 18, 2026Episode 57

57. Which Incentives Are Best at Boosting Vaccination, and Why?

Also: what does your desired superpower say about you? This episode originally aired on June 20th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

39 min

Jan 11, 2026Episode 56

56. Why Is Academic Writing So Bad?

Also: what does your perfect day look like? This episode originally aired on June 13th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37 min

Jan 4, 2026Episode 55

55. What Changes Will Stick When the Pandemic Is Gone?

Also: would you take a confirmation-bias vaccine? This episode originally aired on June 6th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

36 min

Dec 28, 2025Episode 54

54. Do You Really Need a Muse to Be Creative?

Also: is shortsightedness part of human nature? This episode originally aired on May 30th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

34 min

Dec 21, 2025Episode 53

53. What’s the Secret to Making a Great Prediction?

Also: how do you recover from a bad day? This episode originally aired on May 23rd, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

38 min

Dec 14, 2025Episode 52

52. How Much Should We Be Able to Customize Our World?

Also: does multitasking actually increase productivity? This episode originally aired on May 16th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37 min

Dec 7, 2025Episode 51

51. What Separates Humans From Other Animals?

Also: why do people pace while talking on the phone? This episode originally aired May 9th, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

34 min

Nov 30, 2025Episode 50

50. Are You as Observant as You Think?

Also: Angela accidentally discovers the secret to a good night’s sleep. This episode originally aired on May 2, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

39 min

Nov 23, 2025Episode 49

49. How Does Facing Death Change Your Life?

Also: why are we so bad at assessing risk? This episode originally aired on April 25, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

33 min

Nov 16, 2025Episode 48

48. Do Good Deeds Invite More Bad Ones?

Also: what is the most significant choice you will ever make? This episode originally aired on April 18, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

32 min

Nov 9, 2025Episode 47

47. Is Laziness Real?

Also: why do we dislike being alone in public? This episode originally aired on April 11, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

38 min

Nov 2, 2025Episode 46

46. How Can You Stop Feeling So Irritable?

Also: what’s wrong with being impatient? This episode originally aired on April 2, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37 min

Oct 26, 2025Episode 45

45. How Much Better Do You Really Want to Be?

Also: why do we pad our speech with so much filler language? This episode originally aired on March 28, 2021 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

36 min

Oct 19, 2025Episode 44

44. Is Empathy in Fact Immoral?

Also: is it better to “go with the wind” or to “be the wind”? This episode originally aired on March 21, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

36 min

Oct 12, 2025Episode 43

43. What Do We Really Learn From Failure?

Also: what is teasing supposed to accomplish? This episode originally aired on March 14, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

38 min

Oct 5, 2025Episode 42

42. How Does When You Are Born Affect Who You Are?

Also: how did Angela do with her no-sugar challenge? This episode originally aired on March 7, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

35 min

Sep 28, 2025Episode 41

41. Why Are We So Attracted to Fame?

Also: do we subconsciously lie about our major influences? This episode originally aired on February 28, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

36 min

Sep 21, 2025Episode 40

40. Have We All Lost Our Ability to Compromise?

Also: is it better to be right or “not wrong”? This episode originally aired on February 21, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37 min

Sep 14, 2025Episode 39

39. Is Everybody Cheating These Days?

Also, what's better: to learn new skills or go deep on what you're good at? This episode originally aired on February 14, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

34 min

Sep 7, 2025Episode 38

38. What Does It Mean to Be a “Good” Man?

Also: how can you stop ruminating? This episode originally aired on February 7, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

39 min

Aug 31, 2025Episode 37

37. How Do You Know if People Don’t Like You?

Also: do self-help books really help? This episode originally aired on January 31, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

36 min

Aug 24, 2025Episode 36

36. Which Matters More, a First or Last Impression?

Also: does wisdom really come with age? This episode originally aired on January 14, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

32 min

Aug 17, 2025Episode 35

35. Does Psychotherapy Actually Work?

Also: how many “selves” is it OK to have? This episode originally aired on January 17, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

35 min

Aug 10, 2025Episode 34

34. Are Humans Smarter or Stupider Than We Used to Be?

Also: how can you become a more curious person? This episode originally aired on January 10, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

38 min

Aug 3, 2025Episode 33

33. Is Optimism a Luxury Good?

Also: why is public speaking so terrifying? This episode originally aired on January 3, 2021. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

33 min

Jul 27, 2025Episode 32

32. Which Gets You Further: Talent or Effort?

Also: where is the line between acronyms, initialisms, and gibberish? This episode originally aired on December 20, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

36 min

Jul 20, 2025Episode 31

31. How Much Do Your Friends Affect Your Future?

Also: which professions have the happiest people? This episode originally aired on December 13, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

35 min

Jul 13, 2025Episode 30

30. Why Do We Seek Comfort in the Familiar?

Also: is a little knowledge truly a dangerous thing? This episode originally aired on December 6, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

31 min

Jul 6, 2025Episode 29

29. How Do You Know When It’s Time to Quit?

Also: why is it so hard to predict success? This episode originally aired on November 29, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

29 min

Jun 29, 2025Episode 28

28. Why Do We Hoard?

Also: do you spend more time thinking about the past, the present, or the future? This episode originally aired on November 22, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

37 min

Jun 22, 2025Episode 27

27. How Should You Ask for Forgiveness?

Also: why is behavior change so darn hard? This episode originally aired on November 15, 2020. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.