Podcast Episodes
Back to Search
Bonus Podcast: Professor John Horton Conway
John Horton Conway died in April this year at the age of 82 from Covid-19 related complications. An influential figure in mathematics, Conway’s ideas inspired generations of students around the world…
Published on 5 years, 8 months ago
Comparing countries, the risk to NHS staff, and birdsong
We compare Covid-19 rates around the world. Headlines say NHS staff are dying in large numbers, how bad is it? And is it just us, or have the birds started singing really loudly?
Published on 5 years, 8 months ago
Superforecasting the Coronavirus
Scientific models disagree wildly as to what the course of the coronavirus pandemic might be. With epidemiologists at odds, Tim Harford asks if professional predictors, the superforecasters, can offe…
Published on 5 years, 8 months ago
Should you wear a face mask?
Do face masks stop you getting coronavirus? You might instinctively think that covering your mouth and nose with cloth must offer protection from Covid-19. And some health authorities around the worl…
Published on 5 years, 8 months ago
Coronavirus deaths, face masks and a potential baby boom
Is the coronavirus related death count misleading because of delays in reporting? Do face masks help prevent the spread of the virus? Was a London park experiencing Glastonbury levels of overcrowding…
Published on 5 years, 8 months ago
Are more men dying from coronavirus?
Tim Harford and Ruth Alexander examine the statistics around the world to see if more men are dying as a result of Covid-19, and why different sexes would have different risks. Plus is it true that i…
Published on 5 years, 8 months ago
Supermarket stockpiling, A-level results and Covid-19 gender disparity
This week, we examine criticisms of Imperial College’s epidemiologists. We ask how A-Level and GCSE grades will be allocated, given that the exams have vanished in a puff of social distancing. Adam K…
Published on 5 years, 9 months ago
The Risk
Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter, Chair of the Winton Centre for Risk and Evidence Communication, puts the risks of Covid-19 into perspective. He found that the proportion of people who get infected…
Published on 5 years, 9 months ago
Coronavirus Special
We’ve dedicated this special episode to the numbers surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic. Statistical national treasure Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter put the risks of Covid-19 into perspective. W…
Published on 5 years, 9 months ago
Mitigation or Suppression: What’s best to tackle Coronavirus?
Last week, while schools and businesses across Europe closed in an attempt to halt the spread of Coronavirus the UK stood alone in a more relaxed approach to the pandemic; letting people choose wheth…
Published on 5 years, 9 months ago