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
People · top 20
Companies · top 20
BBC×7OpenAI×2Google×2Microsoft×2Reuters IpsosManchester Metropolitan UniversityBritish Journal of Sports MedicineMetaNatureBasecamp ResearchPoliticoUniversity College LondonWorld Health OrganisationEuropean Biothermatics InstituteDaily MailIpsos Public AffairsUniversity of EdinburghAnthropicPew Research CenterUniversity of California Riverside
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
View AnalysisDec 27, 2025
Numbers of the year 2025
US Tariff Policy and Trade ProtectionismTariff Rate Calculation MethodologiesChina Solar Power Capacity
View AnalysisDec 31, 2025
Numbers of the year 2025
Semiconductor Manufacturing and Moore's LawAI Chip Architecture and GPU DesignSpace Exploration and Commercial Spaceflight
View AnalysisJan 3, 2026
Numbers of the year 2026
Dubai International Airport passenger growthGlobal aviation hub competitionUN population peak forecasting
View AnalysisJan 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
View AnalysisJan 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
View AnalysisJan 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
View AnalysisJan 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
View AnalysisJan 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
View AnalysisJan 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
View AnalysisJan 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
View AnalysisJan 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
View AnalysisJan 21, 2026
How close is Greenland to the United States?
Mercator Projection and map distortionGreenland-US geographic distanceNet Zero carbon emissions costs
View AnalysisJan 24, 2026
Is Greenland as big as Africa?
Mercator Projection DistortionsCartographic Bias in GeopoliticsGreenland Strategic Geography
View AnalysisJan 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
View AnalysisMay 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
View AnalysisMay 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
View AnalysisMay 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
View AnalysisMar 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
View AnalysisApr 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
View Analysis