More or Less

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?

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.

Exploring neuroscience in politics and mind control, ethics of brain science manipulation, neuro-marketing influence on decision-making, skepticism around neuroscience claims, societal impact of brain science, effectiveness and ethics of nudging, benefits of mindfulness and neuro-paternalism in policy making.

Explore the impact of neuroscience on education, from brain plasticity to enhancing engagement in gaming and learning. Discover how teenagers' brains are malleable and the importance of effort over intelligence in education. Delve into mindsets and academic perceptions, along with the groundbreaking research shaping the future of teaching and learning.

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.

This podcast explores government waste, debunks misleading statistics, delves into logic puzzles, analyzes correlation in crime rates, discusses economic impacts of hosting Olympics, and explores the probability of specific Scrabble draws.

Exploring parallels between the Euro debt crisis and Greek mythology, understanding the impact of off-balance sheet accounting on Greece's entry into the Eurozone, analyzing the placebo effect in medical treatments, and the evolution of social surveys over 70 years showcasing shifts in societal attitudes and behaviors.

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

Debunking salt myths, questioning health advice, analyzing crime strategies, predicting children's height based on parents, and exploring statistical significance in health studies

In More or Less this week: riots, debt, disability benefit and when to buy a lotto ticket.