More or Less

Economist Maria Kozlovskaya discusses wedding gift economics, helping a friend navigate the dilemma of how much to give without overspending. Topics include factors to consider for gift giving, balancing friendship and budget, and traditional etiquette around wedding presents.

Delving into the controversial drug policy in the Philippines, questioning the accuracy of reported death tolls. Exploring the intersection of mathematics and gambling, revealing strategies to improve lottery odds and exploit loopholes for guaranteed wins.

Exploring the myth of menstrual synchronization among women, with a look at the controversial theory and origins. Investigating the idea through a study on college women and baboons' data, suggesting it may be more about chance than strategy. Delving into skepticism and human fascination with narratives over randomness.

Britons flock to apply for Irish passports post-Brexit. Debunking the myth of menstrual synchronization. Exploring math in music compositions. Cathy O'Neil discusses dangerous algorithms. Desk of Good News looks at organ donations trends.

Parvais Jabbar, Co-director of the Death Penalty Project, discusses the complexities of global capital punishment abolition. The podcast explores countries that have stopped executions but still pass death sentences, the challenges in abolishing the death penalty, and the political factors affecting abolition efforts worldwide.

Exploring the gender pay gap, contrasting research on post-childbirth earnings with claims of equal pay for women born after 1975. Questioning the effectiveness of using hospitals as a measure of wasteful spending. Analyzing claims on Jeremy Corbyn's campaign efforts and electoral success. Investigating global trends in death penalty abolition and challenges to execution practices. Delving into political resistance to capital punishment and positive tourism statistics in the UK.

Dr Erin Miller from the Global Terrorism Database and Steven Pinker discuss the misperceptions surrounding terrorism deaths in Europe and globally. They highlight the complexities in defining and counting terrorist attacks, the importance of historical context, and the exaggeration of terrorism in the media despite a larger trend of declining violence worldwide.

The podcast discusses the rise in terrorism deaths in Europe in 2016, with a focus on Turkey. It also explores the number of deaths 'at the hands of the police' and Olympic medal predictions. Additionally, it delves into wedding gift economics and the decline in child road accident deaths over decades.

Swimming coach Rick Madge and science writer Christie Aschwanden discuss the rapid improvement of world records in swimming and make a case for the 5,000m race over the marathon. They explore the influence of technology on swimming records, the benefits of the 5k race, and the health advantages of running.

Policy Editor Chris Cook discusses the evidence behind grammar schools. Swim coach Rick Madge explains the ongoing improvements in swimming records. The podcast challenges stereotypes about teenage girls. The rise of TV and the maths behind lottery wins are also explored.