More or Less

Latest Episodes:

Higgs boson statistics Dec 16, 2011

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In the week scientists at the Large Hadron Collider announced that the most coveted prize in particle physics - the Higgs boson - may have been found, Tim Harford hears that the statistical significance is being mis-reported. Plus, the difficulties of cornering a market (especially when the commodity is a 1980s plastic doll). And, Tim Harford talks to author Keith Devlin about how Fibonacci revolutionised trade by introducing medieval businessmen to simple arithmetic.

Supermarket price wars Dec 09, 2011

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Tim Harford on National Literacy Trust figures and the maths of supermarket price wars. Plus, he continues to scrutinise the popular statistics of the Eurozone crisis - do Italian tax payers really shell out 2 billion euros a year for their politicians to be chauffeured around? And, what are the odds of cracking six double-yolk eggs in a row?

Pensions, and the Eurozone crisis. Dec 02, 2011

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In the week of a nationwide strike over pension changes, Tim Harford explains how the government can make public sector pensions sound generous, at the same time the unions can make them sound small. And he finds out why a Greek national statistician is under suspicion of committing crimes against numbers. Plus, is it really true that there are more Porsche Cayenne owners than tax payers declaring an income of more than 55,000 euros in Greece? Also, are affordable homes affordable? And can the whole world fit on the Isle of Wight? Tim tries to cram his studio full of Radio 4 presenters and producers to test the theory.

Brain Culture Part 3 Nov 29, 2011

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In a change to our usual format, we are podcasting Matthew Taylor's "Brain Culture" series. The former Number 10 strategy head looks at politics and mind control, asking if new knowledge about the human brain will allow us to make better choices or leave us open to ever more manipulation .

Brain Culture Part 2 Nov 22, 2011

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In a change to the usual format, we are podcasting Matthew Taylor's "Brain Culture" series. Matthew Taylor’s series “Brain Culture” continues. The former Number 10 head of strategy asks whether Britain’s education system will be changed by new insights into how human brains learn and retain knowledge.

Brain Culture Part 1 Nov 15, 2011

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In a change to the usual format, we are podcasting Matthew Taylor’s series “Brain Culture”. He explores how neuroscience will change society, asking how the justice system will change now that we can scan criminal brains.

Government waste Sep 09, 2011

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In More or Less this week: Government waste, a logic puzzle, the statistics of spying, Olympic economics and the Janitor problem.

A Euro Debt Odyssey Sep 02, 2011

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In this week's More or Less: a Euro debt odyssey, the placebo effect and 70 years of social surveys.

Scottish Independence Aug 26, 2011

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On this week's More or Less: Scottish independence, mobile phones and cancer, and is Tendulkar the greatest sportsman?

Is salt bad for you? Aug 19, 2011

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More or Less has the latest on salt, 'zero tolerance' policing, and how to predict the adult height of growing children.

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