More or Less Podcast
Tim Harford explains - and sometimes debunks - the numbers and statistics used in political debate, the news and everyday life.
Episodes to download
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How bad is fashion for the environment?
Sat 17 Sep 2022
Does fashion really account for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions?
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Energy crisis plan, imperial measures survey, gardens v national parks
Wed 14 Sep 2022
How much will the UK government’s plan to limit energy price rises end up costing?
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Is a third of Pakistan really under water?
Sat 10 Sep 2022
We investigate a widely reported claim as Pakistan deals with devastating flooding
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Is a third of Pakistan really under water?
Sat 10 Sep 2022
We investigate a widely reported claim as Pakistan deals with devastating flooding
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Pakistan flooding, UK power prices and Boris’s broadband claim
Wed 7 Sep 2022
The scale of the disaster is huge, but is a third of Pakistan really under water?
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Can we use maths to beat the robots?
Sat 3 Sep 2022
Why improving how we teach and think about maths could help us keep an edge over machines
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Can we use maths to beat the robots?
Sat 3 Sep 2022
Why improving how we teach and think about maths could help us keep an edge over machines
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Energy prices, excess deaths and the race to count to 200
Wed 31 Aug 2022
Is there an easy way to cut soaring energy bills?
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Kenya’s Election Rounding Error
Sat 27 Aug 2022
Official figures didn’t add up - but due to rounding, not fraud
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Kenya’s Election Rounding Error
Sat 27 Aug 2022
Official figures didn’t add up - but due to rounding, not fraud.
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The numbers behind 'natural' birth control
Sat 20 Aug 2022
We examine online claims about the effectiveness of “natural” birth control methods
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The numbers behind “natural” birth control
Sat 20 Aug 2022
We examine online claims about the effectiveness of “natural” birth control methods
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Is opinion polling broken?
Sat 13 Aug 2022
Following some high profile slip-ups in recent US elections, is opinion polling broken?
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Is opinion polling broken?
Sat 13 Aug 2022
Following some high profile slip-ups in recent US elections, is opinion polling broken?
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Debunking the Liverpool FC conspiracy theory
Sat 6 Aug 2022
We debunk spurious rumours that Liverpool FC use asthma medication to enhance performance
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Debunking the Liverpool FC Conspiracy Theory
Sat 6 Aug 2022
We debunk spurious rumours that Liverpool FC use asthma medication to enhance performance
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How our world measures up
Sat 30 Jul 2022
From ancient tally bones to a jar of peanut butter, a look at the history of measurement
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How our world measures up
Sat 30 Jul 2022
From ancient tally bones to a jar of peanut butter, a look at the history of measurement
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Does the World Athletics Championships have a false start problem?
Sat 23 Jul 2022
We examine the rules and tech of false starts after the disqualification of Devon Allen.
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Does the World Athletics Championships have a false start problem?
Sat 23 Jul 2022
We examine the rules and tech of false starts after the disqualification of Devon Allen.
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Is Uganda about to become a middle income country?
Sat 16 Jul 2022
We assess President Museveni’s claim that Uganda is nearing a higher economic status.
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Is Uganda about to become a middle income country?
Sat 16 Jul 2022
We assess President Museveni’s claim that Uganda is nearing a higher economic status.
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Does it take 10,000 litres of water to make a pair of jeans?
Sat 9 Jul 2022
The numbers behind water use and denim production
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Does it take 10,000 litres of water to make a pair of jeans?
Sat 9 Jul 2022
The numbers behind water use and denim production
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How many American women will have an abortion in their lifetime?
Sat 2 Jul 2022
In the wake of the historic overturning of Roe vs Wade, we look at the statistics.
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How many American women will have an abortion in their lifetime?
Sat 2 Jul 2022
In the wake of the historic overturning of Roe vs Wade, we look at the statistics.
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Covid climb, childcare costs and why can’t the French count properly?
Wed 29 Jun 2022
How accurately are official figures picking up the new covid wave?
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Ed Sheeran and the mathematics of musical coincidences
Sat 25 Jun 2022
Ed Sheeran thinks that musical coincidences will always happen… but do the numbers agree?
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Ed Sheeran and the mathematics of musical coincidences
Sat 25 Jun 2022
Ed Sheeran thinks that musical coincidences will always happen… but do the numbers agree?
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Rail strikes, tyre pollution and sex statistics
Wed 22 Jun 2022
Do rail workers really earn £13,000 a year more than nurses?
Unlock the history and truth behind the data with The OU
Explore how numbers shape, and sometimes mislead us, with The Open University.
When can you trust statistics?
BBC Ideas discovers three easy ways to help make sense of statistics.
