91福利社 Radio 4 - More or Less

More or Less Episodes Episode guide

Improving the numbers in the news

Tim Harford discusses the role statistics should play in the reporting of the news
Lula鈥檚 'zero deforestation' plan for the Amazon

How much of the rainforest has been lost? And can Brazil鈥檚 new president save it?
Can China鈥檚 GDP data be trusted?

Are China鈥檚 most recent figures for economic growth wrong?
Do half of new books really sell fewer than twelve copies?

We look into a claim that 50% of new books in the US sell just a handful of copies.
Ben Bernanke and the magic of banking

Tim Harford explains the work of this year鈥檚 Nobel Economics Prize winners
Catching chess cheats with data

A cheating scandal is rocking the world of chess - and data is at its heart
Teens and antidepressants, stamp duty savings and earthquake probabilities

We debunk a claim that a third of British teenagers have been prescribed antidepressants.
Nasa鈥檚 asteroid collision: How many asteroids are really out there?

As Nasa rams an asteroid to try and alter its course, how many are yet to be discovered?
Mini-budget, TV audience for the Queen鈥檚 funeral and 0.5 on the Richter scale

Did 4.1 billion people really watch the Queen鈥檚 funeral?
Ukraine鈥檚 progress in numbers

We ask how much progress Ukraine has really made in recapturing territory from Russia.
The size of Ukraine鈥檚 offensive, weak pound and how much do women really exercise?

We ask how much progress Ukraine has really made in recapturing territory from Russia.
How bad is fashion for the environment?

Does fashion really account for 10% of greenhouse gas emissions?
Energy crisis plan, imperial measures survey, gardens v national parks

How much will the UK government鈥檚 plan to limit energy price rises end up costing?
Is a third of Pakistan really under water?

We investigate a widely reported claim as Pakistan deals with devastating flooding
Pakistan flooding, UK power prices and Boris鈥檚 broadband claim

The scale of the disaster is huge, but is a third of Pakistan really under water?
Can we use maths to beat the robots?

Why improving how we teach and think about maths could help us keep an edge over machines
Energy prices, excess deaths and Wales v England in counting

Is there an easy way to cut soaring energy bills?
Kenya鈥檚 Election Rounding Error

Official figures didn鈥檛 add up - but due to rounding, not fraud
The numbers behind 'natural' birth control

We examine online claims about the effectiveness of 鈥渘atural鈥� birth control methods
Is opinion polling broken?

Following some high profile slip-ups in recent US elections, is opinion polling broken?
Debunking the Liverpool FC conspiracy theory

We debunk spurious rumours that Liverpool FC use asthma medication to enhance performance
How our world measures up

From ancient tally bones to a jar of peanut butter, a look at the history of measurement
Does the World Athletics Championships have a false start problem?

We examine the rules and tech of false starts after the disqualification of Devon Allen.
Is Uganda about to become a middle income country?

We assess President Museveni鈥檚 claim that Uganda is nearing a higher economic status.
Does it take 10,000 litres of water to make a pair of jeans?

The numbers behind water use and denim production
How many American women will have an abortion in their lifetime?

In the wake of the historic overturning of Roe vs Wade, we look at the statistics.
Covid climb, childcare costs and why can't the French count properly?

How accurately are official figures picking up the new covid wave?
Ed Sheeran and the mathematics of musical coincidences

Ed Sheeran thinks that musical coincidences will always happen鈥� but do the numbers agree?
Rail strikes, tyre pollution and sex statistics

Do rail workers really earn 拢13,000 a year more than nurses?
How often do people have sex?

Looking at sex and statistics in Japan and America.