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More or Less

Podcasts · Science

More or Less

396 episodes · 20 with AI analysis

Tim Harford explains - and sometimes debunks - the numbers and statistics used in political debate, the news and everyday life

AI Intelligence · across all analyzed episodes

Topics · top 10

Media Headline Accuracy×2UK Census 2031 and administrative data transitionPopulation registers vs. decennial censusesMisleading statistics and data cherry-pickingGender inequality in unpaid household laborFreakonomics research methodology and replicationAbortion legalization and crime correlationDrug dealing economics and tournament modelsReal estate agent incentives and information asymmetryParental time investment trends

Analyzed Episodes

Dec 24, 2025

Were there really Three Wise Men?

UK Census 2031 and administrative data transitionPopulation registers vs. decennial censusesMisleading statistics and data cherry-picking
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Dec 27, 2025

Numbers of the year 2025

US Tariff Policy and Trade ProtectionismTariff Rate Calculation MethodologiesChina Solar Power Capacity
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Dec 31, 2025

Numbers of the year 2025

Semiconductor Manufacturing and Moore's LawAI Chip Architecture and GPU DesignSpace Exploration and Commercial Spaceflight
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Jan 3, 2026

Numbers of the year 2026

Dubai International Airport passenger growthGlobal aviation hub competitionUN population peak forecasting
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Jan 5, 2026

The Stats of the Nation: The Economy

Cost-of-living crisis persistence and measurementUK economic growth forecasts and productivityLabour market weakness and hiring patterns
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Jan 6, 2026

The Stats of the Nation: Health

Life expectancy stagnation and working-age mortality trendsNHS ambulance response times and emergency care capacityGP workforce shortages and primary care staffing
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Jan 7, 2026

The Stats of the Nation: Sex, drugs and empty homes

Empty Homes Policy and Housing Stock UtilizationUK Housing Supply Targets and Net Additional DwellingsCouncil Tax Database and Property Exemption Categories
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Jan 8, 2026

The Stats of the Nation: Older people, education, prisons and the weather

Pension wealth measurement and definitionState pension triple lock policy impactPensioner poverty statistics and trends
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Jan 9, 2026

The Stats of the Nation: Immigration, benefits and inequality

Net migration and population growth projectionsPost-Brexit migration policy and visa restrictionsAsylum system backlogs and court appeals
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Jan 10, 2026

Does Venezuela really have the biggest oil reserves in the world?

Oil Reserve Estimation MethodologyProven Reserves vs. Total Oil ResourcesHeavy Crude Oil Extraction Economics
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Jan 14, 2026

Have more than 100 private schools been forced to close because of VAT?

Private School VAT Policy ImpactStatistical Modeling Uncertainty in Public InquiriesCOVID-19 Lockdown Timing Analysis
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Jan 17, 2026

No, a study has not shown that the covid jab causes cancer

COVID-19 vaccine safety claims and debunkingStatistical methodology in medical researchPeer review standards for correspondence vs. full reports
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Jan 21, 2026

How close is Greenland to the United States?

Mercator Projection and map distortionGreenland-US geographic distanceNet Zero carbon emissions costs
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Jan 24, 2026

Is Greenland as big as Africa?

Mercator Projection DistortionsCartographic Bias in GeopoliticsGreenland Strategic Geography
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Jan 28, 2026

Can you get £71,000 on benefits?

Universal Credit benefit cap policy and exceptionsTwo-child limit removal and household benefit calculationsDisability benefits and perverse incentives in welfare systems
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May 9, 2026

Why it’s wrong to say vaping is as bad for you as smoking

E-cigarette health risks and carcinogenicitySmoking vs vaping comparative health analysisNicotine addiction and youth vaping trends
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May 16, 2026

Erdos Problem 1196: Can AI now solve maths that no human can?

AI-assisted mathematical problem solvingErdos Problems and primitive set conjecturePure mathematics research and unsolved problems
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May 2, 2026

Does it take 15,000 litres of water to produce a kilogram of beef?

Water Footprint MethodologyGreen Water vs Blue Water DistinctionBeef Production Environmental Impact
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Mar 7, 2026

US-Israel war with Iran: Do the gulf states have enough interceptor missiles?

Ballistic Missile Defense SystemsPAC-3 Interceptor MissilesIran-US-Israel Military Conflict
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Apr 25, 2026

Have RFK and MAHA really changed American views on vaccines?

Vaccine Safety and Public ConfidenceSurvey Methodology and Question DesignVaccine Policy in the United States
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