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Is a third of Pakistan really under water?
Pakistan is battling a huge natural disaster as a result of heavy monsoon rains. It’s been widely reported that a third of the country is under water. But can that really be the case? Featuring the B…
Published on 3 years, 3 months ago
Pakistan flooding, UK power prices and Boris’s broadband claim
Devastating floods have wreaked havoc across Pakistan after the heaviest monsoon rains in at least a decade. But is a third of the country really under water, as has been claimed? Also why do electri…
Published on 3 years, 3 months ago
Can we use maths to beat the robots?
Daily advances in the technology of artificial intelligence may leave humans playing catch-up – but in at least one area we can still retain an edge, mathematics. However it’ll require changes in how…
Published on 3 years, 3 months ago
Energy prices, excess deaths and the race to count to 200
With energy prices in the UK spiralling, Tim Harford asks whether there is an easy and realistic way for bills to be cut. Also the number of excess deaths in the UK is rising – we’ll hear how much co…
Published on 3 years, 3 months ago
Kenya’s Election Rounding Error
When the official figures were announced in Kenya’s presidential election, it looked like the total percentage share of the vote for each candidate came to more than 100%. As this should not be possi…
Published on 3 years, 4 months ago
The numbers behind “natural” birth control
Videos on TikTok have been claiming that so-called “natural” birth control methods can be 99% effective. We examine what we really know, and how we know it.
Published on 3 years, 4 months ago
Is opinion polling broken?
The opinion polling industry’s reputation has taken a battering in recent years, as high profile slip-ups in the US presidential election exposed frailties. So should we write them off? Not according…
Published on 3 years, 4 months ago
Debunking the Liverpool FC Conspiracy Theory
Ahead of the opening of the new season of the English Premier League, baseless rumours and dodgy statistics circulating online have implied that Liverpool FC use asthma medication to enhance their pl…
Published on 3 years, 4 months ago
How our world measures up
Why do we measure the world around us in the way we do? There is a rich history to be explored - from measuring the depth of the Nile in Ancient Egypt to the central role the French played in develop…
Published on 3 years, 4 months ago
Does the World Athletics Championships have a false start problem?
US athlete Devon Allen has made global headlines this week after being disqualified from the 110m hurdles final at the World Athletics Championship in Eugene, Oregon. He was judged to have left the s…
Published on 3 years, 5 months ago