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Jan Eeckhout, a Professor of Economics at Pompeu Fabra University, shares insights into the dramatic rise in company markups from 17% in 1980 to nearly 60% by 2020. He discusses the challenges in calculating these figures and examines how tech firms are central to this shift. The conversation highlights the detrimental impact of monopolies on innovation, revealing a concerning drop in start-up rates. Eeckhout also addresses the complexities of digital firms, navigating their dual roles in both enhancing and hindering market competition.

Jordan Peterson, a Canadian psychologist and culture war commentator, joins Dr. Chi Chen, a researcher at Rutgers University, to discuss whether Earth is truly getting greener. They explore revealing satellite data showing a 20% increase in vegetation over two decades while unpacking the myths surrounding global greening. The conversation examines the successes of China's tree planting and the complexities of climate change impacting vegetation growth. They highlight that despite some positive trends, the overall repercussions of climate change remain detrimental.

Gary Simons, an executive editor at Ethnologue, delves into the alarming state of global languages, revealing that while 7,164 languages exist, many are at risk. He critically examines claims that a language dies every two weeks, questioning the accuracy of such statistics. Simons discusses the impact of urbanization, migration, and colonialism on language loss and emphasizes the role of communities in language preservation. With fresh data suggesting lower extinction rates than feared, he highlights hope amidst the crisis.

The podcast delves into the controversial claim that women are 14 times more likely to die in natural disasters, questioning its source and reliability. It highlights a critical meeting advocating for gender diversity in disaster research, revealing historical oversights. The conversation emphasizes the need for gender-inclusive data that accurately reflects socio-economic disparities. Case studies from disasters like Hurricane Katrina illustrate the unique challenges women face, underscoring the importance of technology and support systems in these crises.

Turbulence expert Paul Williams discusses the link between climate change and increased turbulence, its impact on flight safety, and advancements in turbulence avoidance. Exploring injury statistics, projections of rising turbulence, and strategies for managing fear of turbulence.

Tennis stats expert Jeff Sackmann joins Tim Harford to explain how Roger Federer's 54% point win rate translates to a 60% chance of winning a tennis game. They discuss the importance of consistency in point victories for overall match success and explore the correlation between points won and success in tennis, comparing statistics of top players like Federer and Serena Williams.

Matt Parker, the 'Love Triangle' author, discusses the importance and practical applications of trigonometry in GPS, architecture, and special effects. He campaigns for geometrically accurate street signs and footballs, showcasing the versatility of trigonometry in everyday systems.

The podcast delves into the accuracy of election exit polls, employment proposals by political parties, and meeting tall men in finance. It also discusses statistics on Roger Federer's tennis performance and the challenges of fixing impossible street signs in the UK.

Saloni Dattani, a researcher at Our World in Data, joins Tim Harford to uncover how a simple tick box on death certificates led to a doubling of US maternal mortality rates. The podcast explores the impact of changes in data collection methods, discrepancies in maternal mortality data due to checkbox usage, and the implications of counting all deaths with the checkbox ticked as maternal deaths.

Delving into political claims on mortgages, pension taxes, and funding disparities. Exploring the physiology of erections and debunking misconceptions. Analyzing the complexities of MRP polls in predicting voting behavior and swing distribution. Examining the uncertainties in forecasting election results and the impact of vote distribution. Investigating the implications of imposing a price cap on croissants and the cost of a croissant subsidy.