More or Less: Behind the Stats

Earlier this month, the US Supreme Court overturned its 1973 ruling on Roe vs Wade - the case which guaranteed a constitutional right to a legal abortion across the US, sparking heated protests and debates across the country.But how many American women will have an abortion in their lifetime? One statistic circulating online puts it at as high as one in three. Reporter Charlotte McDonald has been looking into the figures and has uncovered some surprising statistics.

Covid cases are rising once again – how accurately are official figures picking up the new wave and how worried we should be? We discuss inflationary spirals and how much wage and pension increases contribute to inflation. Also how many parents actually struggle with childcare costs? Can long waits at A&E be put down to the pandemic and why the French count differently to the British.

Eugenia Cheng, a mathematician and concert pianist, dives into the fascinating world where music meets mathematics. She explains how with only 12 notes, musicians like Ed Sheeran can still create an abundance of unique melodies. Cheng illustrates the exponential growth of possible combinations through playful examples, revealing that even a few notes can yield thousands of variations. The conversation also touches on how historical composers like Bach and Handel navigated originality amidst similar melodies, blending creativity with numerical possibilities.

Do rail workers really earn £13,000 a year more than nurses? As rail strikes severely hit services we look at some of the claims being made around pay – and explain how you can measure average pay in different ways.Plus we investigate claims that Chancellor Rishi Sunak wasted £11bn by paying too much interest on Britain’s national debt.Is pollution from tyres really 2000 times worse than pollution from exhausts?And we look at sex and statistics in America.Produced in partnership with the Open University.Credits: Presenter: Tim Harford Series Producer: Charlotte McDonald Reporters: Nathan Gower, Jon Bithrey Production Coordinator: Janet Staples Sound Engineer: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

Magazine articles and advice columns are commonly littered with spurious statistics about how much sex we’re having. So how much do we really know – and what are the difficulties of collecting information about such an intimate part of our lives? Doctor Marina Adshade from the Vancouver School of Economics, who specialises in the economics of sex and love, answers questions posed by a curious More or Less listener in Japan.

The former Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt says that the cost of maternity litigation claims in England is now more than the cost of salaries for maternity nurses and doctors. We crunch the numbers and ask how worried parents and taxpayers should be. Also are there more bees in the world than stars in the galaxy? And would planes be much lighter if they didn’t bother with windows? Maths Professor Hannah Fry talks to us about her experience of cancer and the choices she and others have faced after a diagnosis. And we hear from author Simon Singh, who wants to bring fun maths conversations into homes everywhere.Produced in partnership with the Open University.

Hannah Fry, a British mathematics professor and broadcaster, shares her personal journey with cervical cancer and the critical role of statistics in medical decision-making. She questions whether patients receive adequate information to make informed choices about their treatment options. Fry discusses the pitfalls of overtreatment and the importance of clear communication between doctors and patients. She also highlights a shocking study revealing that many women may unknowingly live with undetected cancer. Her insights challenge how we view cancer and patient care.

Unemployment rates may be low, but many remain outside the workforce—experts dissect the paradox. Discover if the pyramids have actually drifted south over the years, with entertaining historical tidbits. The rarity of identical triplets is scrutinized, challenging the staggering one-in-200-million claim. Life expectancy disparities in England reveal significant gaps based on socio-economic status. Plus, enjoy some witty banter on nautical miles and hear listener feedback, adding depth to the conversation.

Experts discuss the intriguing trend of girls starting puberty earlier than in previous decades. They explore historical data and the complexities of determining puberty onset. The conversation highlights the challenges of distinguishing physiological changes and the influence of factors like obesity. Revelations from the 1980s provide context for today's observations, with a focus on the implications across different racial groups. The need for more research is emphasized to fully understand the psychological and physical effects of this shift.

Is the government really spending a billion pounds on the Jubilee, as some have claimed? We investigate some of the facts and figures around this week’s commemorations. We also ask why energy bills are becoming so high in the UK when we actually have plenty of gas, and we unpack the mystery of measuring fuel poverty. Plus after the Texas school shooting we investigate the statistics around gun deaths in the US.And finally we hear about the joys and perplexities of imperial measures with Hannah Fry and Matt Parker.