Economist and University of Chicago professor Steven Levitt was recognized in 2003 as the country’s most outstanding economist under the age of 40. He has little tolerance for conventional wisdom. Rather than look for answers in the same old places, he digs deep into the data.

In his new book, “Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything,” he asks a broad range of questions — from how to successfully parent to why crime dropped in the 1990s — and then goes through the numbers. His answers surprise us because they are often contrary to what our intuition tells us is true. Levitt’s curiosity, his fresh perspective and his ingenious analytical sleuthing have made him a standout interpreter of facts in an age of ideological pontification.

Hear a conversation with economist Steven Levitt about “Freakonomics” — myth-busting by the numbers behind everything.

Guests:

Steven Levitt, professor of economics at University of Chicago and co-author of “Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything.”