Podcast Episodes

Tackling The Three-Body Problem

Netflix has a big new show named after and inspired by a classic problem in astrophysics, 'The Three Body Problem', where predicting the course and orbits of three or more celestial bodies proves nea…

Published on 1 year, 8 months ago

Is loneliness as bad for you as smoking?

Is loneliness as bad for you as smoking 15 cigarettes per day? That’s the claim circulating on social media.

We trace this stat back to its source and speak the scientist behind the original research …

Published on 1 year, 8 months ago

Remembering Daniel Kahneman

Daniel Kahneman, a Nobel prize-winning behavioural economist and More or Less hero, has died at the age of 90. Tim Harford explains his ideas and influence.

Presenter: Charlotte McDonald Series prod…

Published on 1 year, 8 months ago

Bonus episode: Daniel Kahneman on Thinking, Fast and Slow

In an episode of More or Less from 2012, Daniel Kahneman – the Nobel prize-winning behavioural economist who has died at the age of 90 – explains the big ideas in his book Thinking, Fast and Slow.

Published on 1 year, 9 months ago

What's happening to Arctic ice?

The area of ice covering the Arctic ocean has been in a state of long decline, as climate change takes effect. But recent fluctuations in the ice have been seized on by climate change sceptics, who s…

Published on 1 year, 9 months ago

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 Universit…

Published on 1 year, 9 months ago

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…

Published on 1 year, 9 months ago

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…

Published on 1 year, 9 months ago

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 …

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago

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 play…

Published on 1 year, 10 months ago