Podcast Episodes

Do 94% of marriages in Portugal really end in divorce?

Portugal has a divorce rate of 94% and India just 1%, according to a social media post about divorce in 33 countries that has gone viral. But how are these figures calculated and what do they really …

Published on 2 years, 7 months ago

Why is life expectancy falling in the USA?

The average life expectancy of Americans is shrinking at an alarming rate.

Between 2019 and 2021, a staggering 2.7 years has been shaved off, leaving the revised figure at 76.1 years - the lowest it’…

Published on 2 years, 7 months ago

How much is the Coronation crown worth?

Consisting of 2 kilograms of gold and 444 gemstones, the iconic St Edward’s Crown will play a central role in the coronation of King Charles III, as it has for many of his predecessors. There has bee…

Published on 2 years, 8 months ago

The Pentagon Leaks and Fox News

The leaking of US intelligence documents and the arrest of a 21 year old airman who authorities believe to be responsible has caused a media and diplomatic storm. We look at how the leaks were report…

Published on 2 years, 8 months ago

How accurate is baby's due date?

Paul Connolly is expecting his second child, and the due date is just under two weeks away. In hopes of easing his anxiety every time the phone rings , he is joined by Professor Asma Khalil, Professo…

Published on 2 years, 8 months ago

How to better understand and explain numbers

The covid-19 pandemic has brought the use of statistics into everyday life in a way never seen before. Tim Harford talks to Professor Oliver Johnson, author of Numbercrunch: A Mathematician’s Toolkit…

Published on 2 years, 8 months ago

A groundbreaking new proof for Pythagoras’ Theorem?

Pythagoras’ Theorem, explaining the relationship between the three sides of a right angled triangle, is one of the most famous in maths. It’s been studied and put to use for thousands of years. Now t…

Published on 2 years, 8 months ago

Covid vaccines and false claims about miscarriage

Misinformation around covid-19 and vaccines is rife and as the data available increases, so do often misleading and even wild claims. This week More or Less examines multiple viral claims that the Co…

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago

Silicon Valley Bank: a very modern bank run

After the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank sent jitters through the financial system, Duncan Weldon explains how it’s just the latest in the long history of bank runs.

He talks to financial analyst and…

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago

Do fungi kill three times as many people as malaria?

The smash hit TV show and video game ‘The Last of Us’ has spawned lots of curiosity about how worried we should be about the relatively unknown world of fungi. A figure in a recent BBC online article…

Published on 2 years, 9 months ago