More or Less
BBC Radio 4
Tim Harford explains - and sometimes debunks - the numbers and statistics used in political debate, the news and everyday life
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 17, 2018 • 9min
WS More or Less: Dam Lies and Statistics
Are mega-dams really sustainable?
Nov 30, 2018 • 9min
WS More or Less: Sex and Heart Attacks
Are women more likely to die from a heart attack than men?
Nov 23, 2018 • 16min
WS More or Less: Are 90% of War Fatalities Civilians?
Xavier Zapata examines what the data tells us about the deadly impact of war on civilians
Nov 16, 2018 • 9min
WS More or Less: When’s a Kilogram Not a Kilogram?
Updating the kilogram.
Nov 9, 2018 • 9min
WS More or Less: Do Assassinations Work?
How likely are assassination attempts on heads of state to succeed?
Oct 28, 2018 • 11min
WS More or Less: Vaccines - The importance of the herd and social media
What proportion of a population needs to be vaccinated to stop a disease spreading?
Oct 19, 2018 • 9min
WS More or Less: Foreign Aid: Who’s the most generous?
In foreign aid terms what’s the best way of measuring how generous a country is?
Oct 12, 2018 • 9min
WS More or Less: Paul Romer and William Nordhaus’ Big Ideas
Discover the groundbreaking ideas of recent Nobel laureates who tackle climate change and economic growth. The discussion centers on the potential of a carbon tax as a catalyst for sustainable practices. Innovative economic models are explored, drawing inspiration from successful governance examples like Hong Kong. The interplay between economic development and environmental strategies is illuminated, showcasing how advances in lighting technology can pave the way for sustainable solutions. Join the conversation on the future of economics and its impact on our planet.
Oct 9, 2018 • 10min
Loneliness, School Funding, Same-Sex Divorce
New figures reveal that same-sex divorce rates are much higher among women than among men. The pattern is the same in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK. Everywhere where there are statistics on same-sex divorce it is the same sex doing the bulk of the divorcing. Tim Harford discusses why this may be with Marina Ashdade, economist at Canada’s Vancouver School of Economics and author of Dirty Money, a book which applies economic ideas to the study of sex and love. Producer: Ruth Alexander (Photo: Same-sex wedding cake toppers. Credit: Lucas Schifres/Getty Images)
Oct 7, 2018 • 9min
WS More or Less: Why are Lesbians More Likely to Divorce than Gay Men?
New figures reveal that same-sex divorce rates are much higher among women than among men. The pattern is the same in Belgium, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden and the UK. Everywhere where there are statistics on same-sex divorce it is the same sex doing the bulk of the divorcing. Tim Harford discusses why this may be with Marina Ashdade, economist at Canada’s Vancouver School of Economics and author of “Dirty Money”, a book which applies economic ideas to the study of sex and love. Producer: Ruth Alexander Image: Same-sex wedding cake toppers Credit: Lucas Schifres/Getty Images
