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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Is America鈥檚 conviction rate really 99.5%?
Sat 3 Nov 2012
Conrad Black has claimed that 99.5% of prosecution cases in America end up in convictions.
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Predicting L'Aquila Earthquake: is it right to blame the scientists?
Sat 27 Oct 2012
This week six scientists and one ex-government official were sentenced to prison for...
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Life-saving economics
Sat 20 Oct 2012
Professor Al Roth tells Tim Harford about the work for which he has just been awarded...
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Predicting the global population
Fri 12 Oct 2012
Predicting the global population: does anyone really know what鈥檚 going to happen?
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Predicting the Presidency
Sat 6 Oct 2012
Nate Silver tells us who will win the 2012 US election - and how he knows.
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Plenty more fish in the sea?
Sat 29 Sep 2012
Only 100 cod are left in the North Sea according to newspapers. Is this the most wrong...
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Factchecking America
Fri 21 Sep 2012
US Presidential Election factchecked. Is Mitt Romney right to say that 47% of pay no...
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Investigating crime statistics
Fri 14 Sep 2012
Ruth Alexander investigates Sweden's high rape rate, and finds out which countries are...
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Where are the Paralympics Medals?
Sat 8 Sep 2012
Why did the USA top the gold medals league in the Olympics, but not the Paralympics?...
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How to explain infinity to a 4-year-old
Sat 1 Sep 2012
鈥榃hat鈥檚 the number before infinity?鈥� asks Claudia, aged 4. We challenge Johnny...
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Are African leaders more likely to die in office?
Fri 24 Aug 2012
The Prime Minister of Ethiopia is the fourth African premier to die this year alone.
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Levelling the statistical playing field
Mon 20 Aug 2012
Given that some countries are richer than others, and some have larger populations, us...
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The great playing field sell off?
Fri 17 Aug 2012
Given that some countries are richer than others, and some have larger populations, us...
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How to lose money - fast!
Mon 13 Aug 2012
Last week Knight Capital lost a lot of money very quickly. It was the latest chapter...
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How to lose money - fast!
Fri 10 Aug 2012
Last week Knight Capital lost a lot of money very quickly. It was the latest chapter...
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How extraordinary is Ye Shiwen? WS
Fri 3 Aug 2012
There was controversy this week after Ye Shiwen, a young Chinese swimmer, won the 400...
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How extraordinary is Ye Shiwen?
Fri 3 Aug 2012
There was controversy this week after Ye Shiwen, a young Chinese swimmer, won the 400...
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Gun laws and gold medals (WS)
Sat 28 Jul 2012
Last week's mass-shooting at a cinema in Colorado has - not surprisingly - intensified...
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Gun laws and gold medals
Fri 27 Jul 2012
Last week's mass-shooting at a cinema in Colorado has - not suprisingly - intensified...
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Has clamping down on drugs made the Tour de France slower? (WS)
Fri 20 Jul 2012
The Tour de France, we are told, has finally cleaned up its act and clamped down on of...
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Has clamping down on drugs made the Tour de France slower?
Fri 20 Jul 2012
The Tour de France, we are told, has finally cleaned up its act and clamped down on of...
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More or Less: Who are the Libor losers? (WS)
Fri 13 Jul 2012
How much damage did messing with Libor really do to the financial system? After all, a...
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Who are the Libor losers?
Fri 13 Jul 2012
How much damage did messing with Libor really do to the financial system? And we the a...
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Drinks and drugs capital of the world? (WS)
Fri 6 Jul 2012
Do residents of the tiny micronesian island of Palau really smoke more cannabis, and...
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Hit movies and killer birthdays (WS)
Fri 29 Jun 2012
What is the highest-earning film ever if you adjust for inflation? And are birthdays...
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(WS) Weight of the world
Sat 23 Jun 2012
How fat could the global population become? Plus, Angela Saini considers whether could...
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(WS) Chance encounters
Fri 15 Jun 2012
Is the likelihood of bumping into your boss on holiday greater than you think? Angela...
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Interview with Daniel Kahneman
Fri 8 Jun 2012
Tim Harford interviews Daniel Kahneman, a psychologist who won the Nobel Prize in...
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Counting images of The Queen. (WS)
Fri 1 Jun 2012
How many images of Queen Elizabeth II have ever been created? And is Facebook really...
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Would firing staff 'at will' work? (R4)
Fri 25 May 2012
Is there any evidence to support the Beecroft Review's recommended changes to law? and...
