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
-
![]()
“Record” Covid cases, Trump on the death count, and ant pheromones
Wed 30 Sep 2020
Case counts in perspective, a suspect stat from the US, and life lessons from insects.
-
![]()
-
![]()
Covid curve queried, false positives, and the Queen’s head
Wed 23 Sep 2020
How fast are coronavirus cases doubling? Plus testing confusion and a royal face-off.
-
![]()
The magical maths of pool testing
Sat 19 Sep 2020
Could pool testing hold the key to ramping up Covid-19 testing?
-
![]()
The magical maths of pool testing
Sat 19 Sep 2020
Could pool testing hold the key to ramping up Covid-19 testing?
-
![]()
Covid testing capacity, refugee numbers, and mascara
Wed 16 Sep 2020
Confusing claims on lab capacity, the UK’s record on asylum, and the volume of eyelashes.
-
![]()
Sex workers in the 18th century and jellyfish
Sat 12 Sep 2020
Did one in five women in 18th century London made a living selling sex?
-
![]()
Covid cases rising, a guide to life’s risks, and racing jelly-fish
Wed 9 Sep 2020
How worrying is the UK’s jump in cases? Plus balancing risks and the speed of jelly-fish.
-
![]()
Breast cancer screening
Sat 5 Sep 2020
Could screening for breast cancer from the age of 40 save lives?
-
![]()
Schools and coronavirus, test and trace, maths and reality
Wed 2 Sep 2020
Evidence on Covid-19 risks in schools, data on contact tracing, and a philosophical query.
-
![]()
Is Trump right about blood plasma therapy?
Sat 29 Aug 2020
Is convalescent plasma therapy effective for treating Covid-19?
-
![]()
Covid plasma therapy
Wed 26 Aug 2020
Claims about a Covid-19 treatment, breast cancer screening, and 18th century sex workers.
-
![]()
Obesity and poker
Sat 22 Aug 2020
Tim Harford looks at Covid-19 and obesity. Plus, what poker teaches us about statistics.
-
![]()
A-level algorithms, poker and buses
Wed 19 Aug 2020
We unpick the A-level algoshambles and discover what poker teaches us about statistics.
-
![]()
Belarus’ contested election
Sat 15 Aug 2020
Tim Harford looks at the numbers behind the widely questioned election result
-
![]()
Belarus’ contested election
Sat 15 Aug 2020
Tim Harford looks at the numbers behind the widely questioned election result
-
![]()
Hawaiian Pizza, obesity and a second wave?
Wed 12 Aug 2020
Covid-19 cases are rising in the UK - is it a sign of a second wave of the virus?
-
![]()
Melting Antarctic ice
Sat 8 Aug 2020
If all the ice in Antarctica melted, would global sea levels rise by 70 metres?
-
![]()
Melting Antarctic ice
Sat 8 Aug 2020
If all the ice in Antarctica melted, would global sea levels rise by 70 metres?
-
![]()
-
![]()
-
![]()
-
![]()
-
![]()
Covid misconceptions and US deaths
Sat 18 Jul 2020
How many of us believe the myths about coronavirus?
-
![]()
Covid misconceptions and US deaths
Sat 18 Jul 2020
How many of us believe the myths about coronavirus?
-
![]()
Sweden’s lockdown lite
Sat 11 Jul 2020
Sweden stayed open during the pandemic – how well did it work?
-
![]()
Sweden’s lockdown lite
Sat 11 Jul 2020
Sweden stayed open during the pandemic – how well did it work?
-
![]()
Why Trump is wrong about the USA’s coronavirus case comeback
Sat 4 Jul 2020
The data behind the rise in coronavirus cases in the US
-
![]()
Why Trump is wrong about the USA’s coronavirus case comeback
Sat 4 Jul 2020
Are cases really rising in the US or are they just testing more? Tim digs into the data.
-
![]()
Why did the UK have such a bad Covid-19 epidemic?
Wed 1 Jul 2020
Was it bad decision-making, bad advice, or bad luck?
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.
