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BBC Radio 4

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

#1106

Does the average teacher really earn £54,000?

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:32) A government ... more

08 Jul 2026

28 MINS

28:28

08 Jul 2026

#1105

Does a full moon make crime rates go up?

The Moon is one of the most captivating features of our night's sky, and apparently, one o... more

04 Jul 2026

08 MINS

08:58

04 Jul 2026

#1104

Examining the numbers behind Andy Burnham’s ‘Manchester Miracle’

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:23) Andy Burnham ... more

01 Jul 2026

28 MINS

28:29

01 Jul 2026

#1103

The messy history behind the modern calendar

This year, the UK has had its hottest May and June days on record, with the mercury hittin... more

27 Jun 2026

08 MINS

08:58

27 Jun 2026

#1102

Benefits vs minimum wage: Which pays more?

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:42) Former Chance... more

24 Jun 2026

28 MINS

28:29

24 Jun 2026

#1101

Is the US worse than North Korea for malnutrition deaths?

This surprising claim was spotted circulating on social media: ‘The United States has surp... more

20 Jun 2026

08 MINS

08:57

20 Jun 2026

#1100

Does Europe suffer more heat deaths than the US?

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:31) Claims have c... more

17 Jun 2026

28 MINS

28:38

17 Jun 2026

#1099

Andrew Ross Sorkin: What can the Great Crash of 1929 tell us about today?

The Great Crash of 1929 has faded into history, but financial journalist and author Andrew... more

13 Jun 2026

08 MINS

08:58

13 Jun 2026

#1098

Education, Education, Education (and immigration)

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:32) The internet ... more

10 Jun 2026

28 MINS

28:37

10 Jun 2026

#1097

Factchecking claims that 400 churches were burned to the ground in France

In certain corners of the internet some suspicious numbers are cropping up again and again... more

06 Jun 2026

08 MINS

08:58

06 Jun 2026

#1096

Debunking the claim that migrants will get half of new homes

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: The Daily Express cla... more

03 Jun 2026

28 MINS

28:48

03 Jun 2026

#1095

The known unknowns of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

On the 17th of May the World Health Organisation declared a new outbreak of Ebolavirus in ... more

30 May 2026

08 MINS

08:58

30 May 2026

#1094

Does a fall in the UK's healthy life expectancy mean what you think it means?

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: Headlines have claime... more

27 May 2026

28 MINS

28:39

27 May 2026

#1093

Is the ‘loneliness epidemic’ real?

What does it mean if you say that something is an epidemic? In the case of a virus, it usu... more

23 May 2026

08 MINS

08:55

23 May 2026

#1092

Are refugees more likely to commit crime?

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. On the programme: Last week, Ann... more

20 May 2026

28 MINS

28:10

20 May 2026

#1091

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

It’s said that AI could soon be coming for the jobs of artists, lawyers, and software engi... more

16 May 2026

08 MINS

08:58

16 May 2026

#1090

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

According to the World Health organisation, smoking kills some 7 million people every year... more

09 May 2026

08 MINS

08:58

09 May 2026

#1089

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

If you spend much time on social media, and we don’t necessarily recommend it, then you’ve... more

02 May 2026

09 MINS

09:03

02 May 2026

#1088

Have RFK and MAHA really changed American views on vaccines?

Vaccine policy in the US is something of an ideological battleground. Health Secretary Ro... more

25 Apr 2026

08 MINS

08:59

25 Apr 2026

#1087

Is Trump right that wind turbines are killing millions of birds?

US president Donald Trump is no fan of wind turbines, or windmills as he calls them. Not o... more

18 Apr 2026

09 MINS

09:05

18 Apr 2026

#1086

Dr Spock’s dangerous advice on baby sleep

Sometimes it is obvious to everyone when an idea is harmful, or a piece of advice is damag... more

11 Apr 2026

08 MINS

08:58

11 Apr 2026

#1085

How likely is ‘likely’?

When you’re listening to the news, you will often hear words that are meant to communicate... more

04 Apr 2026

08 MINS

08:58

04 Apr 2026

#1084

How much water does AI consume?

As Artificial Intelligence continues to expand rapidly, some people have raised concerns a... more

28 Mar 2026

08 MINS

08:59

28 Mar 2026

#1083

Paul Ehrlich: The man who bet England wouldn’t exist by the year 2000

Paul Ehrlich’s bestselling book The Population Bomb opens with an apocalyptic paragraph. ... more

21 Mar 2026

08 MINS

08:58

21 Mar 2026

#1082

Transgender women in sport: Does ‘comparable’ mean ‘equal’?

In most sports, men compete against men and women compete against women. That is generally... more

14 Mar 2026

08 MINS

08:57

14 Mar 2026

#1081

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

On Saturday 28th February, the US and Israel launched a military attack on Iran, targeting... more

07 Mar 2026

08 MINS

08:58

07 Mar 2026

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#1106

Does the average teacher really earn £54,000?

#1105

Does a full moon make crime rates go up?

#1104

Examining the numbers behind Andy Burnham’s ‘Manchester Miracle’

#1103

The messy history behind the modern calendar

#1102

Benefits vs minimum wage: Which pays more?

#1101

Is the US worse than North Korea for malnutrition deaths?

#1100

Does Europe suffer more heat deaths than the US?

#1099

Andrew Ross Sorkin: What can the Great Crash of 1929 tell us about today?

#1098

Education, Education, Education (and immigration)

#1097

Factchecking claims that 400 churches were burned to the ground in France

#1096

Debunking the claim that migrants will get half of new homes

#1095

The known unknowns of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

#1094

Does a fall in the UK's healthy life expectancy mean what you think it means?

#1093

Is the ‘loneliness epidemic’ real?

#1092

Are refugees more likely to commit crime?

#1091

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

#1090

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

#1089

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

#1088

Have RFK and MAHA really changed American views on vaccines?

#1087

Is Trump right that wind turbines are killing millions of birds?

#1086

Dr Spock’s dangerous advice on baby sleep

#1085

How likely is ‘likely’?

#1084

How much water does AI consume?

#1083

Paul Ehrlich: The man who bet England wouldn’t exist by the year 2000

#1082

Transgender women in sport: Does ‘comparable’ mean ‘equal’?

#1081

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