More or Less: Behind the Stats

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.

Uncovering 'pig butchering' cyber scams in Cambodia that potentially take half of the country's GDP. Heartbreaking story of Cindy falling victim to a cryptocurrency scam. Delving into the challenges of estimating cyber scam revenue globally and their impact on victims. Investigating the scale of these illicit operations and the difficulty in verifying the estimated losses. Previewing the next installment and inviting audience feedback on the questionable figures.

Investigating the validity of political claims on mortgages, primary school reading abilities, and potholes in the UK. Highlighting discrepancies in financial projections and campaign strategies between Labour and Conservatives. Examining the impact of excluding gold bullion on trade statistics and the comparison of potholes on British roads to craters on the moon.

Author Rob Eastaway discusses the mathematical references in Shakespeare's works, highlighting the use of numbers for dramatic effect and the intriguing connection between Shakespeare's portrayals of currency and finance. The conversation delves into the intersection of mathematics and literature, shedding light on the hidden numerical depths of Shakespearean texts.

Investigating misleading bar charts in political leaflets, tax promises, potential job losses for oil workers, and impact on class sizes in state schools. Tim Harford delves into the numbers in the news with Kate Lamble.

Professor Mary Dixon-Woods from Cambridge University debunks the claim that medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the US. The discussion explores instances of medical errors, challenges in attributing deaths solely to mistakes, controversies in research methods, and the importance of accurate reporting for patient safety in healthcare.

The podcast delves into suspicious claims in election debates, Reform UK's policy documents, cracking down on tax evasion, and the intriguing question of whether all humans weigh more than ants. Tune in for a mix of politics, statistics, and an amusing segment on ants.