Are bad teeth the number one reason kids go to A&E?
Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:33) Are crumbling teeth the number one reason children attend A&E?...
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More or Less: Behind the Stats
Tim Harford and the More or Less team try to make sense of the statistics which surround us. From BBC Radio 4
Episodes
20 of 1,139 episodesCould this be the strongest El Niño in 1,000 Years?
Every year, climate scientists keep a close eye on data coming out of a particular area of the Pacific Ocean. They’re trying to measure the...
Why are so many ex-prisoners being sent back to prison?
Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:38) The number of people being recalled to prison after early relea...
Is every card shuffle unique?
Can it really be true that every shuffle of a deck of cards is unique? Mathematician and stand-up comedian Matt Parker claims that every tim...
Bonus podcast: Norman Numbers
What's this, an extra podcast? Has Christmas come early? No, the Bayeux Tapestry has instead returned to England for the first time in almos...
Do Germans really take 19.5 days of sick leave per year?
How do different countries compare, in terms of the amount of time that workers take as sick leave? Loyal listener Dave got in touch to ask...
How much of the world isn’t owned by anyone?
Sometimes world events of massive practical significance lead our minds towards some lovely impractical thoughts. So it was for loyal listen...
14 million deaths or zero deaths? The impact of the USAID cuts
As part of their mandate to stop 'waste, fraud and abuse' in federal government spending, DOGE, the department of Government Efficiency, mad...
How much of all the money in the world does Elon Musk have?
Earlier this year, South African-born tech tycoon Elon Musk briefly became the world’s first dollar trillionaire. This prompted loyal listen...
Would you take £50,000 or a 50/50 chance of £1m?
If you had a choice between instantly receiving £50,000 or a 50% chance to win £1m, which would you pick? When YouGov asked exactly that que...
The mistake in Trump’s tariff formula
What is the error in the calculation Donald Trump used to work out his new tariffs? What happened when the government ordered a recount of b...
Is crime in London ‘through the roof’?
The crime rate in London has been cropping up regularly on social media and in political discussions - US president Donald Trump has claimed...
How much luck do you need to win the World Cup?
As the 2026 World Cup approaches its end, what is the biggest factor in who wins? Is it extraordinary moments of attacking magic? Gritty def...
Does playing tennis make you live 9.7 years longer?
Recently a post did the rounds on Twitter, claiming that people who play tennis live on average 9.7 years longer than people who play other...
Does playing tennis make you live 9.7 years longer?
Recently a post did the rounds on Twitter, claiming that people who play tennis live on average 9.7 years longer than people who play other...
Does the average teacher really earn £54,000?
Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:32) A government minister has informed the nation that average teac...
Does the average teacher really earn £54,000?
Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:32) A government minister has informed the nation that average teac...
Does a full moon make crime rates go up?
The Moon is one of the most captivating features of our night's sky, and apparently, one of the most suspicious.... For thousands of years,...
Does a full moon make crime rates go up?
The Moon is one of the most captivating features of our night's sky, and apparently, one of the most suspicious.... For thousands of years,...
Examining the numbers behind Andy Burnham’s ‘Manchester Miracle’
Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:23) Andy Burnham may not be Prime Minister yet, but he’s setting ou...