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
-
![]()
Will the world really be 50 million workers short by 2030?
Sat 13 Sep 2025
Is Nvidia boss Jensen Huang right about a looming labour shortfall?
-
![]()
Are Afghan nationals more likely to be convicted of sexual offences?
Wed 10 Sep 2025
National debt, Afghan crime, menopause retirement and literal snail pace.
-
![]()
Do 11,000 sharks die every hour?
Sat 6 Sep 2025
Investigating if 100 million sharks are killed by fishing nets every year.
-
![]()
Do 11,000 sharks die every hour?
Sat 6 Sep 2025
Investigating if 100 million sharks are killed by fishing nets every year.
-
![]()
Are self-driving cars safer than cars with drivers?
Sat 30 Aug 2025
We look at claims that fully autonomous cars are 5 or ten times safer
-
![]()
Are self-driving cars safer than cars with drivers?
Sat 30 Aug 2025
We look at claims that fully autonomous cars are 5 or ten times safer
-
![]()
Do women feel the cold more than men?
Sat 23 Aug 2025
We investigate if air conditioning is set too cold for women.
-
![]()
Do women feel the cold more than men?
Sat 23 Aug 2025
We investigate if air conditioning is set too cold for women.
-
![]()
How weird was the Mediterranean Sea heatwave?
Sat 16 Aug 2025
Did the Mediterranean experience a 1 in 216,000,000,000-year sea temperature anomaly?
-
![]()
How weird was the Med Sea heatwave?
Sat 16 Aug 2025
Did the Mediterranean experience a 1-in-216,000,000,000-year sea temperature anomaly?
-
![]()
Why it matters that Trump fired data chief
Sat 9 Aug 2025
The US president fired Erika McEntarfer over job numbers. What’s the potential fallout?
-
![]()
Why it matters that Trump fired data chief
Sat 9 Aug 2025
The US president fired Erika McEntarfer over job numbers. What’s the potential fallout?
-
![]()
Are abortion numbers rising in the US?
Wed 6 Aug 2025
Looking at the data behind abortion in a post Dobbs America.
-
![]()
Does a single AI query use a bottle of water?
Wed 6 Aug 2025
We investigate how much water and power are used by artificial intelligence
-
![]()
Are abortion numbers rising in the US?
Sat 2 Aug 2025
Looking at the data behind abortion in a post Dobbs America.
-
![]()
Are abortion numbers rising in the US?
Fri 1 Aug 2025
Looking at the data behind abortion in a post Dobbs America.
-
![]()
Does a single AI query use a bottle of water?
Sat 26 Jul 2025
We investigate how much water and power are used by artificial intelligence
-
![]()
Are one in six children living through war?
Sat 19 Jul 2025
A Unicef event said one in six children are living though war. What does that really mean?
-
![]()
Are one in six children living through war?
Sat 19 Jul 2025
A Unicef event said one in six children are living though war. What does that really mean?
-
![]()
Why Manchester United can afford to play badly
Sat 12 Jul 2025
How a successful football club doesn’t always require a winning team
-
![]()
Why Manchester United can afford to play badly
Sat 12 Jul 2025
How a successful football club doesn’t always require a winning team
-
![]()
Can drinking one less bottle of coke a day halve obesity?
Wed 9 Jul 2025
Plus, the UK’s expensive electricity, church counts and babies in the City of London.
-
![]()
The economics of war: Vikings, Conquistadors and Vietnam
Sat 5 Jul 2025
Economist and author Duncan Weldon on his new book Blood and Treasure
-
![]()
The economics of war: Vikings, Conquistadors and Vietnam
Sat 5 Jul 2025
Economist and author Duncan Weldon on his new book Blood and Treasure
-
![]()
Is the UK seeing a Christian revival?
Wed 2 Jul 2025
Plus: PIP claims, immigrant returns and spotting golf balls on the moon.
-
![]()
Has Russia suffered a million casualties in the Ukraine war?
Sat 28 Jun 2025
Making sense of the numbers around the Russian dead and wounded.
-
![]()
Has Russia suffered a million casualties in the Ukraine war?
Sat 28 Jun 2025
Making sense of the numbers around the Russian dead and wounded.
-
![]()
Why is data on grooming gangs so bad?
Wed 25 Jun 2025
Plus, nuclear enrichment numbers, Curtice on Curtis and Viking economics.
-
![]()
How to spot a suspicious statistic
Sat 21 Jun 2025
Professor Alex Edmans on his book, May Contain Lies
-
![]()
How to spot a suspicious statistic
Sat 21 Jun 2025
Professor Alex Edmans on his book, May Contain Lies
Unlock the history and truth behind the data with The OU
Explore how numbers shape, and sometimes mislead us, with The Open University.
When can you trust statistics?
BBC Ideas discovers three easy ways to help make sense of statistics.
