More or Less

BBC Radio 4

Tim Harford explains - and sometimes debunks - the numbers and statistics used in political debate, the news and everyday life.

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1,133 episodes
Updated Saturday

Episodes1133

Newest first

Dec 20, 2019 · 8 min
The Simpsons and maths
We explore the maths secrets of The Simpsons on their 30th anniversary.
Dec 13, 2019 · 8 min
Koalas
Have bushfires destroyed 80% of the koala habitat in Australia?
Dec 10, 2019 · 27 min
Election Special (2/2)
Labour's spending plans, Conservatives claims on homelessness, the SNP's education record
Dec 6, 2019 · 8 min
Tree Planting Pledges
Planting trees by numbers: UK style.
Dec 3, 2019 · 27 min
Election Special 1/2
50,000 nurses? 40 hospitals? Corporate tax rises? Tim Harford looks at Election pledges.
Nov 29, 2019 · 8 min
Testing tomatoes
Have these saucy fruits become less healthy over time?
Nov 23, 2019 · 9 min
The world’s busiest shipping lanes
Which is the busiest shipping lane in the world?
Nov 15, 2019 · 11 min
Bolivia: Can statistics help detect electoral fraud?
We look at the numbers and statistics from Bolivia’s disputed presidential election.
Nov 9, 2019 · 8 min
Reducing your risk of death
Can running and owning a dog reduce your risk of an early death?
Nov 1, 2019 · 8 min
Unbelievable: The forgotten rape data
How shelved data from rape cases in America is helping the police catch criminals now.
Oct 28, 2019 · 8 min
Edith Abbott and crime statistics
Social worker and economist Edith Abbott and her contribution to crime statistics.
Oct 18, 2019 · 20 min
Esther Duflo and women in economics
Discussing Esther Duflo, Abhijit Banerjee and Michael Kremer’s economics Nobel Prize.
Oct 11, 2019 · 28 min
The Extra Episode: Minimum wage, drinking in Scotland and identical twins.
Exploring how long one identical twin lives after the other twin dies.
Oct 7, 2019 · 8 min
WS More or Less: Does San Francisco have more rough sleepers than Britain?
Are the shocking statistics true? and how do you count people who don't wish to be found?
Oct 4, 2019 · 27 min
New hospitals promised, aid to Ukraine, and bacon sandwiches
Dissecting the government’s hospitals announcement and President Trump’s Ukraine claims.
Sep 30, 2019 · 8 min
WS More or Less: Who fought in World War 1?
Were a third of those that fought for Britain in WW1 black or Asian?
Sep 27, 2019 · 23 min
Austerity Deaths, C-Sections and being struck by lightning
Has Austerity caused 120 thousand deaths in the UK and does God hate men?
Sep 23, 2019 · 8 min
WS More or Less: Peaty v. Bolt: Which is the greatest world record?
Using statistics to compare world records in athletics and swimming.
Sep 20, 2019 · 24 min
Dementia, inflation and shark deaths
Health risks for Presidential hopefuls, falling inflation, shark deaths and salary claims
Sep 16, 2019 · 8 min
WS More or Less: Cape Town murders
Are eight people a day murdered in Cape Town and is that number unusually high?