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2024032320240324/25 (WS)Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life.
2024033020240331 (WS)Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life.
2024040620240407 (WS)Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life.
20240413Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life.
A Boy Meets Girl Meets Stats Story2023112520231126/27 (WS)Veronica Carlin is a data scientist who loves romantic comedies.

But she had a hunch about those movies, that there aren't many women like her, women in STEM - science, technology, engineering and maths – taking the lead roles.

So she set out on a maths quest to find out what's what.

Presenter: Kate Lamble

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Editor: Richard Vadon

Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

(Picture: A young couple with a heart-shaped balloon on the street

Credit: Cultura RM Exclusive/Spark Photographic / Getty)

A data scientist takes on rom com films to see how women in STEM are represented

A data scientist takes on rom com films to see how women in STEM are represented.

A Pocket-size History Of The Calculator2024020320240204/05 (WS)How was the calculator invented? How did it go from something the size of a table to something that could be carried in your pocket, the must-have gadget of the 1970's and 80's?

Tim Harford unpicks the history of the calculator with Keith Houston, author of Empire of the Sum: The Rise and Reign of the Pocket Calculator.

Presenter: Tim Harford

Producer: Debbie Richford

Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Mix: Hal Haines

Editor: Richard Vadon

(Technology evolution: old metal mechanical calculator 1930s, vintage plastic calculator 1970s, modern digital smartphone calculator 2000s. Credit: Getty Images)

Tim Harford explores the history of calculators from clockwork to the Kashio brothers

Tim Harford explores the history of calculators, from clockwork to the Kashio brothers, with author Keith Houston

Are There More Possible Games Of Chess Than Atoms In The Universe?2024012020240121/22 (WS)We investigate how the vast possibilities in a game of chess compare to the vastness of the observable universe.

Dr James Grime helps us understand the Shannon number – a famous figure on the chess side of the equation - and astronomer Professor Catherine Heymans takes on the entire observable universe.

Presenter: Tim Harford

Producers: Debbie Richford and Nathan Gower

Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Mix: Andy Fell

Editor: Richard Vadon

We investigate how the vast possibilities in chess compare to the vastness of the universe

Are Women In The Uk The Biggest Binge Drinkers In The World?2023111820231119/20 (WS)We check out suspect stats on boozing Brits and fishy figures on fishing fleets in the South China Sea.

With the help of Professor John Holmes from the University of Sheffield's School of Medicine and Population Health and Simon Funge-Smith, a senior fishery officer at the FAO.

Presenter and producer: Charlotte McDonald

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Editor: Richard Vadon

Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

Checking out stats on boozing Brits and fishing fleets in the South China Sea.

Can Chocolate Be Better Than Salad?2023122320231224/25 (WS)We investigate a nutritional conundrum –can chocolate ever be better for you than salad?

Today we dive in to one of our listener's family debates and try to find an answer, with the help of nutrition experts Dr David Katz and Professor Bernadette Moore.

Reporter: Paul Connolly

Researcher: Perisha Kudhail

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Engineer: James Beard

Editor: Richard Vadon

(Picture: A pyramid made of chocolate and salad

Credit: Gandee Vasan / Getty Images)

We investigate a nutritional conundrum - can chocolate ever be better for you than salad?

We investigate a nutritional conundrum – can chocolate ever be better for you than salad?

Can Maths Prove The Existence Of Aliens?2023111120231112/13 (WS)Are we alone in the universe – and if not, how many other civilisations might there be? Remarkable images and data sent back to Earth by the James Webb telescope have given a new impetus to a well-worn debate. We ask how far mathematics – and in particular a famous equation called the Drake Equation – can be used to answer one of the most fundamental questions we face. Paul Connolly investigates with the help of Catherine Heymans, Astronomer Royal for Scotland and Professor at the University of Edinburgh and Bill Diamond, President and CEO of the SETI Institute in California.

Presenter: Paul Connolly

Producers: Paul Connolly and Jon Bithrey

Editor: Richard Vadon

Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison

Sound Engineer: David Crackles

(Image: : A cluster of young stars, surrounded by clouds of interstellar gas and dust, in a nebula, located in the constellation Carina. Credit: Reuters)

We look a famous equation which tries to explain whether life exists in outer space

We look at a famous equation which tries to explain whether life exists elsewhere in the universe

China's Missing Numbers2023121620231217/18 (WS)How many young people are unemployed? How much debt does the government owe? How many people have died from Covid?

These are questions that many governments will keep regularly updated. But in China they have disappeared.

We investigate the reasons behind China's missing numbers.

Reporter: Celia Hatton

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

Editor: Richard Vadon

(Picture: Chinese flag behind a graph with statistics

Credit: Igor Kutyaev/iStock/Getty Images Plus)

How the Chinese state make inconvenient statistics disappear

How the Chinese state make inconvenient statistics on youth unemployment and covid deaths disappear.

Do Indian Women Own 11% Of The World's Gold?2023110420231105/06 (WS)The cultural importance of gold in India as a symbol of wealth, prosperity and safety is well known – but how much do Indians actually own? Reporter Perisha Kudhail looks at a widely circulated claim about Indian women owning 11% of the world's gold, with the help of Delhi based journalist Mridu Bhandari and Joshua Saul, CEO of the Pure Gold Company.

Presenter: Ben Carter

Reporter and Producer: Perisha Kudhail

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Richard Vadon

Sound Engineer: James Beard

(Image: A saleswoman shows gold bangles to a customer at a jewellery showroom in Kolkata. Credit: Reuters/Rupak De Chowdhuri/File Photo)

The cultural importance of gold is well known - but how much do Indians actually own?

Do We See 10,000 Adverts Per Day?2024011320240114/15 (WS)How many adverts does the average person see in a day? If you search for this question online, the surprising answer is that we might see thousands – up to 10,000.

However, the idea that we see thousands of adverts is a strange and confusing one, without any good research behind it. We investigate the long history of these odd numbers, with the help of Sam Anderson from The Drum and J Walker Smith from Kantar.

Presenter: Tim Harford

Series producer: Tom Colls

Production co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

Sound Mix: James Beard

Editor: Richard Vadon

We investigate the claim that each of us sees thousands of adverts every single day

We investigate the claim that each of us sees thousands of adverts every single day.

Does Endurance Sport Harm Your Heart?2023120920231210/11 (WS)Exercise is good for you in all kinds of ways, there is no medicine like it to prevent a whole range of illnesses. But for some endurance athletes, exercise also comes with increased risk of a heart condition called atrial fibrillation.

We look for the right way to think about the risks around exercise.

Reporter: Paul Connolly

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

Editor: Richard Vadon

(Picture: A cyclist training in the mountains

Credit: anton5146/Getty Creative)

We investigate the connection between high levels of exercise and arrhythmia

We investigate the connection between high levels of exercise and abnormal heart rhythm or arrhythmia.

Does The Russian Government Really Spend 40% Of Its Budget On The Military?2024031620240317/18 (WS)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 University and Dr Richard Connolly from The Royal United Services Institute, Olga Smirnova investigates the figure.

Presenter: Tom Colls

Producer: Olga Smirnova

Production Co-ordinator Katie Morrison

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Mix: Graham Puddifoot

Editor: Richard Vadon

Image: Russian Military Perform Victory Day Parade Night Rehearsal in Moscow credit: (Photo by Oleg Nikishin/Getty Images)

We investigate how much the Russian state is spending on the war in Ukraine.

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life

Greedy Jobs And The Gender Pay Gap2023101420231015 (WS)Harvard professor Claudia Goldin has become only the third woman to win the Nobel Economics Prize for her groundbreaking research on women's employment and pay. Tim Harford discusses her work showing how gender differences in pay and work have changed over the last 200 years and why the gender pay gap persists to this day.

Presenter: Charlotte McDonald

Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Richard Vadon

Sound Engineer: David Crackles

(Picture: Claudia Goldin at Havard University

Credit: Reuters / Reba Saldanha)

Tim Harford discusses the work of Nobel Economics prize winner Claudia Goldin

Tim Harford discusses the groundbreaking work of Nobel Economics prize winner Claudia Goldin

How Much Money Do The 'ndrangheta Mafia Make?2024010620240107/08 (WS)The ‘Ndrangheta are one of Italy's biggest and most dangerous criminal gangs. One piece of research suggested they have an annual turnover of €53bn - more than McDonalds and Deutsche Bank combined.

But is that number realistic? Professor Anna Sergi and Professor Francesco Calderoni help us figure out what kind of number makes sense.

Reporter: Perisha Kudhail

Series producer: Tom Colls

Sound mix: Neil Churchill

Editor: Richard Vadon

(Picture: Human hands with strings controlling diagram.

Credit: Boris Zhitkov/Getty Images)

We investigate whether one criminal group could have a turnover of billions of dollars

We investigate whether one criminal group could have a turnover of tens of billions of dollars.

Is Oxfam Right About The World's Richest And Poorest People?2024012720240128/29 (WS)We investigate Oxfam's claim that “since 2020, the five richest men in the world have seen their fortunes more than double, while almost five billion people have seen their wealth fall ?.

With the help of Johan Norberg, Historian and Author of ideas and Felix Salmon, Financial Correspondent at Axios, we explore the figures behind the wealth of the richest and uncover what it really tells us about the world's financial markets.

And Charles Kenny, senior fellow at the Centre for Global Development in Washington DC, helps us unpick why, when looking at the world's poorest people, measurements of wealth don't always tell us what we really need to know.

Presenter: Tim Harford

Producer: Debbie Richford

Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Mix: Hal Haines

Editor: Richard Vadon

(image: Elon Musk at the Viva Tech fair in Paris June 2023. Credit: Nathan Laine/Getty Images)

We investigate how Oxfam use wealth stats to illustrate global inequality

We investigate how Oxfam use wealth stats to illustrate the inequality between the world's richest five people and poorest 5 billion.

Is Public Speaking Really Our Biggest Fear?2024030920240310/11 (WS)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 of Communication at the University of Nebraska-Omaha and Dr Christopher Bader, Professor of Sociology at Chapman University, Tim Harford tracks the source of the claim back to the 1970's and explores whether it was true then, and whether it's true today.

Presenter: Tim Harford

Producer: Debbie Richford

Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Mix: Neil Churchill

Editor: Richard Vadon

Picture Credit: vchal via Getty

Tim Harford investigates the claim that public speaking is people's number one fear.

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life

Is public speaking really people's number one fear? Tim Harford tracks the claim back to the 1970's and explores whether it was true then, and whether it's true today.

Nba Basketball: Is Height More Important Than Skill?2024022420240225/26 (WS)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 player?

Tim Harford talks to data scientist Seth Stephens-Davidowitz, author of Who Makes the NBA?: Data-Driven Answers to Basketball's Biggest Questions.

Presenter: Tim Harford

Producer: Debbie Richford

Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Mix: David Crackles

Editor: Richard Vadon

(Image: Charlotte Hornets v New York Knicks. Credit: Focus on Sport/Getty Images)

How much does a man's height affect his chances of becoming an NBA basketball player?

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life

How much does a man's height affect his chances of becoming a professional basketball player in the NBA? Tim Harford talks to Seth Stephens-Davidowitz to slam dunk the numbers.

Numbers Of The Year 20232023123020231231 (WS)
20240101 (WS)
Each year we ask some of our favourite statistically-minded people for their numbers of the year.

Here they are - from the population of India to the results of a first division football match.

Contributors:

Hannah Ritchie, Our World in Data

Professor Sir David Spiegelhalter, Cambridge University

Rob Eastaway, maths author

Presenter: Charlotte McDonald

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Engineer: Neil Churchill

Editor: Richard Vadon

(Picture: Colourful numbers on blue background

Credit: Tanja Ivanova / Getty Images)

Hand-picked stats that tell you something interesting about the world

Hand-picked stats on energy, population and first division football that tell you something interesting about the world.

The Digital 'robots' Unlocking Medical Data2024021720240218/19 (WS)Big medical datasets pose a serious problem. Thousands of patients' health records are an enormous risk to personal privacy. But they also contain an enormous opportunity – they could show us how to provide better treatments or more effective health policies.

A system called OpenSAFELY has been designed to solve this problem, with the help of a computer code “robot ?.

Professor Ben Goldacre, director of the Bennett Institute for Applied Data Science at the University of Oxford, explains how it works.

Presenter: Tim Harford

Producer: Tom Colls

Production co-ordinator: Janet Staples

Sound mix: Hal Haines

Editor: Charlotte McDonald

Ben Goldacre on OpenSAFELY, protecting patient privacy while analysing health data

Professor Ben Goldacre on OpenSAFELY, a system to let researchers investigate medical data while keeping its secrets safe

The Global Gender Split In Young People's Politics2024021020240211/12 (WS)In a surprising new trend, young men and women around the world are dividing by gender on their politics and ideologies. Whilst young women are becoming more liberal, young men are becoming more conservative. Tim Harford speaks to John Burn-Murdoch, Columnist and Chief Data Reporter at the Financial Times, about why this global phenomena may be occurring and Dr Heejung Chung, Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent, explains why the ideological divisions between young men and women in South Korea are some of the most extreme.

Presenter: Tim Harford

Producer: Debbie Richford

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown

Sound Mix: Neil Churchill

Editor: Richard Vadon

(Picture: A couple with their back to each other busy with their mobile phones

Credit: Martin DM / Getty)

Tim Harford investigates the growing political divergence between young men and women.

Tim Harford investigates the growing political divergence between young men and women around the world.

The Overlooked Mathematicians Of History2023102820231029/30 (WS)Conventional histories of mathematics are dominated by well-known names like Pythagoras, Leibniz or Newton. But to concentrate solely on figures from Europe gives us only a patchwork understanding of the rich and varied history of mathematical achievement around the world.

Tim Harford speaks to Dr Kate Kitagawa, co-author of The Secret Lives of Numbers, to explore the long history of mathematical advances and innovation across civilisations and centuries, from the female mathematician at court in imperial China to the pioneers in the mathematical powerhouses of the Middle East in the first millennium AD.

Presenter: Tim Harford

Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Richard Vadon

Sound engineer: James Beard

(Photo: Statue of Al Khwarizmi, a ninth century mathematician. Credit: Mel Longhurst/Getty Images)

A global history of mathematics, from ancient China to the Middle East

A global history of mathematics, from ancient China to the mathematical powerhouse of the Middle East

Ultramarathons: Are Women Faster Than Men?2024030220240303/04 (WS)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 become the fastest runners.

Presenter: Tim Harford

Reporter: Lucy Proctor

Producers: Nathan Gower and Debbie Richford

Production Co-ordinator: Katie Morrison

Series Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Mix: Neil Churchill

Editor: Richard Vadon

(Image: Male and female running together up a mountain trail credit: nattrass via getty)

Is it really true that in extremely long races, women run faster than men?

Tim Harford explains the numbers and statistics in the news and in life

Tim Harford and Lucy Proctor investigate the claim that when a running race is 195 miles long, women are faster than men.

What Do Windscreen Splats Tell Us About Insect Decline?2023102120231022 (WS)Do you notice fewer insect splats on windscreens than you used to? There's a study in the UK trying to measure this ‘windscreen phenomenon', as it's become known. We hear more about the study and whether we can draw conclusions about insect numbers in general, from reporter Perisha Kudhail, Dr Lawrence Ball from the Kent Wildlife Trust and Professor Lynn Dicks from the University of Cambridge.

Presenter: Ben Carter

Reporter/Producer: Perisha Kudhail

Series Producer: Jon Bithrey

Editor: Richard Vadon

Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

(Photo: Dead insects on a windshield

Credit: shanecotee / Getty)

We ask whether the 'windscreen phenomenon' suggests falling numbers of insects

We ask whether the ‘windscreen phenomenon' suggests falling numbers of insects

Will There Be A Billion Climate Refugees?2023120220231203/04 (WS)Former Vice President Al Gore has said that climate change is predicted to lead to a billion climate refugees.

But where do these predictions come from and are they realistic?

We investigate the idea that floods, droughts, storms and sea level rise will cause a mass migration of people across borders.

Reporter and Producer: Tom Colls

Sound Mix: James Beard

Editor: Richard Vadon

(Photo: Floods in central Somalia

Credit: Said Yusuf - WARSAME/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)

We investigate if floods, droughts and storms will cause mass international migration