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Swedish statistician Hans Rosling's captivating presentations on global development and data visualization revolutionized perceptions. He challenged misconceptions about Africa's development and fought the 'post-fact era' of global health. With a background in healthcare, he also played a crucial role in combating the Ebola outbreak in Liberia. His legacy lies in promoting an evidence-based worldview and reshaping global perspectives.

Does North Carolina really rank alongside North Korea if you measure electoral integrity

Explore the complexities of estimating crowd sizes, focusing on Trump's inauguration numbers. Learn about mathematical models for crowd calculations and comparisons between political events like the Women's March.

Exploring Blue Monday, the concept of the most miserable day, and the stark wealth gap revealed by Oxfam. Analyzing global wealth inequality, misconceptions about poverty, and the significance of billionaires' wealth. Global trends in income inequality and debunking Blue Monday as a media-driven myth.

Exploring the controversies around the claim of 90,000 Christian martyrs in 2016. Analyzing the challenges of documenting statistics on persecution and violence towards Christians. Discussing the ongoing suffering of Christians due to persecution despite efforts to suppress their faith.

Professor Stanley Goldfarb from the University of Pennsylvania debunks the myth of needing to drink eight glasses of water a day. He explains how the body regulates water intake and the risks of excessive water consumption. The podcast highlights the dangers of disrupting the body's sodium balance with medical advice on hydration.

There have been reports that those radical Swedes have decided to reduce the working day to just six hours because, it has been claimed, productivity does not suffer. Before you all rush to the Swedish job pages this is not quite the case – but there have been trials in Sweden to test whether you can shorten people’s working hours without having an effect on output. Tim Harford talks to our Swedish correspondent Keith Moore about what the trials have found. He also speaks to professor John Pencavel, Emeritus Professor of Economics, at Stanford University, and finds that reducing working hours may not be as radical idea as it first appears. (Photo: A business man carries a black briefcase)

A groundbreaking look at the Haber-Bosch Process, which revolutionized agriculture by turning nitrogen into fertilizer, saving lives and boosting food production. Hear about Clara Imovar's struggles as a female chemist in war-torn Germany and delve into the energy-intensive consequences of this revolutionary process.

Exploring how reliable data can target help for the poorest, Dr. Justice Ahedto's statistical models for malnourished children, and advancements in using data for health resource allocation and disease spread predictions.

Tim Harford poses a tough statistical challenge