

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

Oct 24, 2016 • 9min
WS More or Less: Escobar’s Cocaine Deaths
Explore the tumultuous journey of Pablo Escobar, uncovering the human toll of cocaine production in the 1990s, analyzing estimates of deaths from cocaine production, and debunking misconceptions about Colombia's violent history.

Oct 14, 2016 • 9min
WS More or Less: Algorithms, Crime and Punishment
Exploration of controversial use of Compass Assessment in criminal justice system. Highlighting racial biases in risk assessment algorithms. Debating algorithm bias in criminal justice.

Oct 7, 2016 • 9min
WS More or Less: The Sustainable Development Goals – are there just too many?
Bjorn Lomborg criticizes the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, arguing 17 goals and 169 targets are too broad. The podcast explores the feasibility of the goals, challenges in education targets, optimizing efforts, and the relationship between aid money and achieving the goals.

Sep 30, 2016 • 9min
WS More or Less: Who Won the US Presidential Debate?
Exploring the divided polling results on who won the US Presidential Debate between Clinton and Trump. Highlighting the importance of representative sampling in polls and the susceptibility of online polls to manipulation. Contrasting the accuracy of historical election predictions with the influence of sample selection on media outlet polls.

Sep 23, 2016 • 9min
WS More or Less: Trump’s crime claims
This week Donald Trump claimed that there are some inner city areas in the US which are suffering from the worst crime rates ever. They are so dangerous, he says, that Afghanistan is safer than many of these areas. But could this be true? We take a look at crime in the US and assess whether you can compare it to a conflict zone such as Afghanistan. (Image: Chicago - Neighbourhood residents watch as police investigate a homicide scene. Credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Sep 18, 2016 • 9min
WS More or Less: Wedding gift economics
Economist Maria Kozlovskaya discusses wedding gift economics, helping a friend navigate the dilemma of how much to give without overspending. Topics include factors to consider for gift giving, balancing friendship and budget, and traditional etiquette around wedding presents.

Sep 12, 2016 • 9min
WS More or Less: Drug deaths in the Philippines
Delving into the controversial drug policy in the Philippines, questioning the accuracy of reported death tolls. Exploring the intersection of mathematics and gambling, revealing strategies to improve lottery odds and exploit loopholes for guaranteed wins.

Sep 5, 2016 • 9min
WS More or Less: Menstrual Syncing
Exploring the myth of menstrual synchronization among women, with a look at the controversial theory and origins. Investigating the idea through a study on college women and baboons' data, suggesting it may be more about chance than strategy. Delving into skepticism and human fascination with narratives over randomness.

Sep 2, 2016 • 28min
Irish Passports
Britons flock to apply for Irish passports post-Brexit. Debunking the myth of menstrual synchronization. Exploring math in music compositions. Cathy O'Neil discusses dangerous algorithms. Desk of Good News looks at organ donations trends.

Aug 30, 2016 • 9min
Death Penalty abolition
Parvais Jabbar, Co-director of the Death Penalty Project, discusses the complexities of global capital punishment abolition. The podcast explores countries that have stopped executions but still pass death sentences, the challenges in abolishing the death penalty, and the political factors affecting abolition efforts worldwide.


