More or Less

Dr. Hilary Cass discusses The Cass Review on gender identity services for under-18s in England's NHS. The review found weak evidence on medical interventions. Claims online circulated that it ignored 98% of the evidence. Guests delve into evaluating studies, importance of high-quality evidence, and addressing misinformation surrounding trans youth medicine review.

Astrophysics expert Dr. Anna Lisa Varri from the University of Edinburgh delves into the complexities of predicting celestial orbits and the Three Body Problem in physics, contrasting real-world systems like our solar system with fictional universes, highlighting the challenges of long-term predictability and non-hierarchical systems.

Professor Julianne Holt-Lunstad discusses the impact of loneliness on our health, comparing it to smoking. Studies show a 50% increase in survival odds for socially connected individuals, highlighting the importance of social connections for well-being and longevity.

Nobel prize-winning behavioural economist Daniel Kahneman's influence on human decision-making, cognitive biases, and the dichotomy of experiencing pleasure or pain. Explore how memory shapes perceptions and the enduring impact of Kahneman's work on decision-making.

Daniel Kahneman, Nobel prize-winning behavioural economist, discusses the concepts of fast and slow thinking, the preference for storytelling over statistical reasoning, cognitive biases, and the struggle humans face in understanding probabilities in decision-making.

Exploring the impact of climate change on Arctic sea ice, fluctuations seized by sceptics, complexities of ice measurement, annual cycle and variability, unpredictability of ice conditions, analysis of long-term decline towards an ice-free Arctic

Investigating the claim that Russia spends 40% of its budget on the military. Analyzing Russian government budget allocation to defense. Comparing Russia's military expenditure to global powers. Exploring Ukraine's higher military budget compared to Russia.

A deep dive into the fear of public speaking, challenging its status as the top fear. Experts debunk the claim dating back to the 1970s. Comparison of public speaking fear with other common fears like government corruption and health concerns.

Exploring the surprising findings on gender differences in ultra marathon pacing, where women overtake men in races over 195 miles. Highlighting female success in ultra marathons with instances of women surpassing male competitors like Jasmine Paris and Camille Herron. Discussing the challenges of gender disparities in participation and preparation levels in ultramarathon racing.

Investigating discrepancies in school funding levels, changes in excess death calculations during the pandemic, the rise in shoplifting incidents, and the influx of billions of animals at Heathrow Airport. Tim Harford delves into these intriguing numbers and trends.