300 episodes

Tim Harford and the More or Less team try to make sense of the statistics which surround us. From BBC Radio 4

More or Less: Behind the Stats BBC Podcasts

    • Business
    • 4.6 • 2.7K Ratings

Tim Harford and the More or Less team try to make sense of the statistics which surround us. From BBC Radio 4

    Does the Russian government really spend 40% of its budget on the military?

    Does the Russian government really spend 40% of its budget on the military?

    According to the head of the British military, the Russian government spends 40% of its budget on its war machine. But is it true?

    With the help of Professor Bettina Renz from Nottingham University and Dr Richard Connolly from The Royal United Services Institute, Olga Smirnova investigates the figure.

    Presenter: Tom Colls
    Producer: Olga Smirnova
    Production Co-ordinator Katie Morrison
    Series Producer: Tom Colls
    Sound Mix: Graham Puddifoot
    Editor: Richard Vadon
    Image: Russian Military Perform Victory Day Parade Night Rehearsal in Moscow Credit: (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)

    • 8 min
    Is public speaking really our biggest fear?

    Is public speaking really our biggest fear?

    For over 50 years it’s been widely reported that speaking before a group is people’s number one fear. But is it really true? With the help of Dr Karen Kangas Dwyer, a former Professor in the School of Communication at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and Dr Christopher Bader, Professor of Sociology at Chapman University, Tim Harford tracks the source of the claim back to the 1970’s and explores whether it was true then, and whether it’s true today.
    Presenter: Tim Harford
    Producer: Debbie Richford
    Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
    Series Producer: Tom Colls
    Sound Mix: Neil Churchill
    Editor: Richard Vadon
    Picture Credit: vchal via Getty

    • 8 min
    Ultramarathons: Are women faster than men?

    Ultramarathons: Are women faster than men?

    As running races get longer, the gap between male and female competitors seems to close. Tim Harford and Lucy Proctor investigate the claim that when the race is 195 miles long, women overtake men to become the fastest runners.

    Presenter: Tim Harford
    Reporter: Lucy Proctor
    Producers: Nathan Gower and Debbie Richford
    Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
    Series Producer: Tom Colls
    Sound Mix: Neil Churchill
    Editor: Richard Vadon
    (Image:Male and female running together up a mountain trail. Credit: nattrass via Getty)

    • 8 min
    School spending, excess deaths and billions of animals at Heathrow

    School spending, excess deaths and billions of animals at Heathrow

    Is school funding at record levels as the education secretary claimed? Why did the ONS change how they measure excess deaths? Is there a shoplifting epidemic? Did 6.5bn creatures arrive in the UK by plane last year?
    Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news.
    Presenter: Tim Harford
    Producers: Nathan Gower, Perisha Kudhail, Debbie Richford and Olga Smirnova
    Series producer: Tom Colls
    Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
    Sound mix: Sarah Hockley
    Editor: Richard Vadon

    • 28 min
    NBA basketball: Is height more important than skill?

    NBA basketball: Is height more important than skill?

    In the NBA, the US professional basketball league, the average player is a shade over 6ft 6 inches tall. So just how much does being very tall increase a man’s chances of becoming a professional player?
    Tim Harford talks to data scientist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, author of Who Makes the NBA?: Data-Driven Answers to Basketball’s Biggest Questions.
    Presenter: Tim Harford
    Producer: Debbie Richford
    Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
    Series Producer: Tom Colls
    Sound Mix: David Crackles
    Editor: Richard Vadon
    (Image: Charlotte Hornets v New York Knicks. Credit: Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

    • 8 min
    Per capita GDP, MP claims and the entire EU budget

    Per capita GDP, MP claims and the entire EU budget

    What does per capita GDP tell us about the UK economy? Did the government spend £94bn helping with rising energy prices? Was Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg right about the cost of the EU covid recovery scheme? How did Ben Goldacre persuade scientists to publish all their medical research?
    Tim Harford investigates the numbers in the news.
    Presenter: Tim Harford
    Reporters: Nathan Gower and Lucy Proctor
    Producers: Debbie Richford, Perisha Kudhail, Olga Smirnova
    Series producer: Tom Colls
    Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison
    Sound mix: Neil Churchill
    Editor: Richard Vadon

    • 28 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
2.7K Ratings

2.7K Ratings

Evil_Pumba ,

Informative

I often end up finding myself correcting friends and colleagues using knowledge from this podcast. Everyone should listen to something like this and read and watch news and other media through the same critical lens taken on this show. Thank you!

lost but hopinv to be found ,

Much needed ray of light on the murky area of false statistics.

So many claims that don’t seem right are made, even in reputable newspapers these days, not to mention the internet. This programme redresses the balance and calls out the false statements. Manages to be so entertaining too.

Ladybird166 ,

Become shallow and superficial

Used to really like this podcast but it has deteriorated to the point I’m unsubscribing for all the reasons already pointed out in other posts.
It used to be much better when Tim Harford was in charge.

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