Podcast Episodes

Are girls starting puberty earlier?

In the 1980s, Dr Marcia Herman-Giddens was one of the first people to notice that girls were starting puberty earlier than expected. We talk to Dr Marcia Herman-Giddens and Dr Louise Greenspan about…

Published on 3 years, 6 months ago

Jubilee costs, fuel poverty and imperial measures

Is the government really spending a billion pounds on the Jubilee, as some have claimed? We investigate some of the facts and figures around this week’s commemorations. We also ask why energy bills a…

Published on 3 years, 6 months ago

Noisy Decisions

Nobel memorial prize winner Daniel Kahneman is one of the world’s most famous psychologists, known particularly for his work identifying the role of cognitive bias in everyday decision making. In thi…

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

Germany’s excess deaths, Eurovision and teacher shortages

Some recent, and surprising, estimates from the World Health Organisation suggested that the UK fared better than Germany in the pandemic. But did they get it right?

At Eurovision this year an algorit…

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

Are just 100 companies responsible for 71% of global emissions and how stressed are South Africans?

In the fight against global warming we’re constantly told to do our bit to reduce green house gas emissions. However, a claim circulating that just ‘100 companies are responsible for 71% of global em…

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

Did the WHO get some of its excess death estimates wrong?

The World Health Organisation recently released some new estimates of the global death toll of the pandemic. But the figures for a few countries have caused controversy. Tim Harford speaks to Profe…

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

Have the oceans become 30% more acidic?

Although the climate-changing effects of Carbon Dioxide emissions are well known, they are changing our oceans too, making them more acidic. But how much?

Tim Harford explores the statistical quirks o…

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

Sweden’s polarising pandemic response

When much of Europe went into lockdown at the start of pandemic, Sweden’s lighter touch strategy got lots of attention. Fans of the approach say it was a huge success that showed lockdowns were point…

Published on 3 years, 7 months ago

Understanding India through Data

How do you go about understanding a country with a population as diverse as it is vast?

Data journalist Rukmini S is the author of Whole Numbers and Half Truths: What Data Can and Cannot Tell Us About…

Published on 3 years, 8 months ago

Subitising and simplifying: how to better explain numbers

Have you ever looked at a numerical claim and thought ‘what on earth does that mean?’ Complex numbers are often badly communicated, making it difficult for the public to appreciate what they signify …

Published on 3 years, 8 months ago