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

Feb 18, 2018 · 10 min
WS More or Less: Debunking guide – on a postcard
How to question dubious statistics in just a few short steps.
Feb 16, 2018 · 28 min
UN rape claims, Stalin and Mr Darcy
Back of the envelope calculations on rape, and how many died under Stalin?
Feb 11, 2018 · 6 min
WS More or Less: Has Russian Drinking Fallen by 80% in five years?
Alcohol consumption has fallen sharply according to Russia’s health ministry
Feb 9, 2018 · 28 min
The Dow, Tampons, Parkrun part II
Why the biggest ever fall in the Dow wasn't, and how much do women spend on tampons?
Feb 5, 2018 · 13 min
WS More or Less: Is China On Track to End Poverty by 2020?
We investigate whether the Chinese government can really achieve its extraordinary pledge
Feb 2, 2018 · 31 min
Transgender Numbers, Parkrun and Snooker
How many transgender people are there in the UK? Plus a statistical take on parkruns.
Jan 29, 2018 · 9 min
Is the US Census Under Threat?
The survey question that could affect the accuracy of its results.
Jan 26, 2018 · 23 min
A Girl's First Time, Shark's Stomachs, Prime numbers
First sexual experience - checking the facts.
Jan 22, 2018 · 8 min
WS More or Less: Real Lives Behind the Numbers
How individuals manage their money - the personal stories behind economic data.
Jan 19, 2018 · 27 min
Gender Pay Gaps and How to Learn a Language
Why are women paid less than men in specific industries and occupations?
Jan 15, 2018 · 9 min
WS More or Less: How Louis Bachelier Scooped Economists by Half a Century
A forgotten French mathematician’s unusual approach to the stock market.
Jan 12, 2018 · 28 min
Missed appointments, graduate pay, plus cocaine on bank notes
Do missed appointments cost the NHS £1 billion? And do you always earn more with a degree?
Jan 7, 2018 · 8 min
WS More or Less: Just how rare is a hole-in-one?
Why it isn’t as simple to work out as you think.
Dec 31, 2017 · 9 min
More or Less: Statistics of the Year 2017
Phones, lawn mowers and how Kim Kardashian helped the public understanding of risk.
Dec 24, 2017 · 9 min
WS More or Less: Will Bitcoin use more electricity than the United States?
Measuring the energy used to keep the cryptocurrency secure.
Dec 18, 2017 · 9 min
WS More or Less: Diet Coke Habit; 'Contained' Wildfires
Could the US President’s Diet Coke habit affect his health? and 'contained' wildfires
Dec 15, 2017 · 9 min
Diet Coke Habit
What effect could the US President’s Diet Coke habit have on his health?
Dec 11, 2017 · 10 min
WS More or Less: Does Eating Chocolate Make Your Brain Younger?
Are research findings misrepresented by funders, PR machines and the media?
Dec 10, 2017 · 10 min
Does Eating Chocolate Make Your Brain Younger?
Are research findings misrepresented by funders, PR machines and the media?
Dec 4, 2017 · 10 min
WS More or Less: Just how lucky are regular lottery winners?
Are some people just very lucky? The maths suggest that is unlikely.