more or less podcast

Who is the presenter of more or less?

More or Less was originally presented by the economist Sir Andrew Dilnot. I took over as presenter in October 2007, and More or Less is now a permanent part of the schedule with three series annually on Radio 4, and a shorter version of the program broadcast all year round on the BBC World Service.

What is more or less?

More or Less is devoted to the powerful, sometimes beautiful, often abused but ever ubiquitous world of numbers. The programme was an idea born of the sense that numbers were the principal language of public argument.

Who is Tim Harford on more or less on Radio 4?

“Tim Harford (presenter of the brilliant number-crunching series More or Less on Radio 4) has come up with this fascinating series in which he tries to find lessons from history. Why did inventors such as Sony and Kodak fail to capitalise on the success of their inventions? Why did John Maynard Keynes fail to predict the Wall Street Crash?

Vaccinating children, lockdowns, and ebikes

Jabs for five to 11-year-olds, lockdown effectiveness, and being green on two wheels. Governments across the UK have decided to offer Covid vaccinations to primary school-aged children. What was the data behind this decision? What effect did lockdowns have on preventing deaths from Covid? We look at a research paper that says almost none.

Hospitalisation rates for children with Covid

Covid vaccines will be offered to all children across the UK between the ages of 5 and 12 - some months after the same decision in countries such as Italy and Germany. It is a topic that has caused a fair amount of controversy and with controversy often comes suspicious statistical claims.

Questioning claims about Covid and children

How likely are children to end up in hospital because of Covid? And how many have died? We scrutinise some scary stats that have been circulating on social and examine what excess deaths figures tell us about the risks of Covid compared to other illnesses.

Testosterone and sport

In early December 2021 a member of Penn University Women’s Swim Team caused a stir. Lia Thomas not only won three events but she had the fastest time in elite college swimming in the country in two out of three races.

The prime minister in statistical bother

Boris Johnson has been ticked off for misleading Parliament on jobs and on crime. He claimed that the number of people in employment has been rising - when it’s been falling. And he made a claim that crime has fallen - when it’s risen. We discuss the truth, and what Parliament can do to defend it.

Can you fool your brain?

Have you given up on your New Year’s resolution yet? Every year many of us make the promise to become better, shinier, more accomplished versions of ourselves by the same time next year. It’s often easier said than done but to an extent it really is the thought that counts.

Does the UK have the fastest growing economy in the G7?

How fast is our economy growing? And what is happening with Omicron reinfections?

Should you follow the 5 second rule? And does inflation hit the poorest harder?

Does inflation hit poor households harder and how many people have died of Covid?

Twenty years of More or Less

A look back at our origins, plus the usual mix of numerical nous and statistical savvy.

Is it easy being green?

Expensive electricity, inadequate insulation, and a tale of tumbling trees.

Covid trends, face mask use, and the universal credit cut

Coronavirus checked, mask use measured, and a minister's claim questioned.

Death, Tax and Dishwashers

Why is estimating the number of unvaccinated people so tricky? And how deadly is 2021?

Vaccine waning, hot dogs and Afghanistan

How worried should we be about antibodies? Plus food that shortens life.

Download this programme

Subscribe to the More or Less Podcast or download individual episodes.

The duck test

How a practical examination of Covid-19 symptoms can assist with variables in testing.

Cautionary Tales

We’ve always warned children by telling them unsettling fairy tales. But my Cautionary Tales are for the education of the grown ups. And my Cautionary Tales are all true.

How to Vaccinate the World

The soberly intelligent Tim Harford and other clever people… – explain everything clearly and expertly… God, if only one member of the cabinet would listen to this show.”