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More or Less

BBC Radio 4
United States
Climate Change
Donald Trump
Artificial Intelligence
Autism
Statistics
China
NHS
Covid-19
Mathematics
UK Economy
Education
Mental Health
US Healthcare Costs
Microplastics
Daniel Kahneman
Housework
Obesity
Labour Party
United Kingdom

Tim Harford explains - and sometimes debunks - the numbers and statistics used in political debate, the news and everyday life.

PublishesTwice weeklyEpisodes1147Founded19 years ago
Number of ListenersCategory
Society & Culture

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Latest Episodes

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:42) Is the UK uniquely miserly when it comes to the state pension? That’s the story a viral social media post is telling - but have they adjusted to account for complicated stru... more

How much could climate change cost the global economy?

That would be a very useful thing to know, and scientists have developed statistical models that they think can help give a reasonable answer. These involve finding the patterns in economic dat... more

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week:

(00:40) Does the UK account for nine out of ten of the poorest regions in Northern Europe? It’s a classic story of devil meets detail where the true meaning is the geographical ine... more

US president Donald Trump has claimed in a speech to the UN that the US and Venezuela combined now have 60% of the world’s oil. 100% of the team on More or Less were confused.

What measurement was the president using to get to this figure? Barrels o... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Kateryna Pavluk
Beekeeping correspondent
BBC/More or Less
Episode: Does the UK really have nine out of the ten poorest regions in Northern Europe?
Bill Farren-Price
Distinguished research fellow at the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies
Oxford Institute for Energy Studies
Episode: Trump fact-check: Do the US and Venezuela have 60% of the world’s oil?
Johnny Gowdy
Director at Regen, renewable energy consultancy
REGEN
Episode: Has the UK’s productivity puzzle been solved?
Chris Giles
Friend of the Programme and Financial Times economist
Financial Times
Episode: Has the UK’s productivity puzzle been solved?
Alexander de Vriesgao
Contributor referenced in data centre discussion
Unspecified
Episode: Has the UK’s productivity puzzle been solved?
Steve McGrath
Professor, Rothamsted Research
Rothamsted Research
Episode: Are carrots becoming less nutritious?
Robin Marles
Former senior scientist, Canada's Food and Nutrition Directorate
Episode: Are carrots becoming less nutritious?
Chris Vernazza
Consultant in Pediatric Dentistry and head of the Dental School at Newcastle University
Newcastle University
Episode: Are bad teeth the number one reason kids go to A&E?
Mark Samuels
Chief executive
Medicines UK
Episode: Are bad teeth the number one reason kids go to A&E?

Hosts

Tim Harford
Host of More or Less; renowned economist and author, known for data-driven storytelling and critical thinking on numbers
Lizzy McNeill
Co-host and climate data specialist providing context-rich explanations and data interpretation
Elis James
Co-host and Welsh broadcaster; participates in social-networking segments to illustrate probability concepts

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 5.6k ratings
  • Very engaging short podcast, especially for me because I play tennis myself and host a YouTube channel on the sport. (Check it out! - @CourtChaosTennis123 - for amazing and frankly, chaotic tennis videos!)

    Podcast Addict
    5
    @CourtChaosTennis123 YT
    2 months ago
  • Superb

    It is incredible for people who want to know what is going on around the world without getting brainwashed by social media

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Harry_bike_racing
    United Kingdom3 months ago
  • Delightful

    This podcast has no business being so delightful, and yet, it is.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Capybarbarian
    United States4 months ago
  • Propaganda with numbers

    We all know by now that BBC is all about promoting their own ideological agenda. The only special feature of this program is that numbers are used for this purpose. Yet this doesn’t make it any more solid than any other BBC propagandist venture. Trapped in their own bubble, they are desperately trying to project some appearance of credibility, which is however gone with the wind. No one trusts this fraud any more other than their own bubble

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    kritbjkbvzhiugf
    Germany4 months ago
  • Just to biased to math

    More or Less should bring the math but they twist it in analysis.

    Recently they headlined “Debunking, the claim that migrants will get half of new homes”. Funny enough the expert you brought on said, the number’s not wrong on its face and certainly there is a link between increased migration and housing supply as they have to live somewhere. But then the non-math analysis was that the migrants would have to compete for the new homes so the conservatives are incorrect in their claim as stated ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    1
    Future-is-bright
    United States4 months ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

A mix of skepticism and curiosity; consistently high factual standard.
Excellent for building statistical literacy and understanding real-world numbers.
Some listeners feel occasionally biased in the framing, but data is carefully explained.
Valuable, rigorous, and accessible data storytelling that clarifies complex topics.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Could this be the strongest El Niño in 1,000 Years?
Q: What is the El Niño effect, and how often does it occur?
El Niño is a mode of natural climate variability driven by winds and ocean circulation in the tropical Pacific; it tends to occur every three to seven years, though its strength varies and depends on the prevailing conditions when it forms.
Do Germans really take 19.5 days of sick leave per year?
Q: So, what's going on? Are these numbers legit?
Lukas explains the difference between calendar days and working days, and notes that the 19.5 days figure is an admin count from insurer records, not a survey, with caveats about underreporting and how long absences skew averages.
14 million deaths or zero deaths? The impact of the USAID cuts
Q: How much money was the US putting into foreign aid in the first place?
The best available data from 2023 show the US contributed around $62 billion, roughly a third of global foreign aid, highlighting its role as the largest single contributor.
How much of all the money in the world does Elon Musk have?
Q: So how much of the world's money does Elon Musk actually own if his fortune were all cash?
If all of Musk's fortune were cash, it would be around 0.8% of the world's money supply, which is still a surprisingly small slice given the scale of his wealth, mainly because his wealth is largely tied to shares rather than cash.
Is crime in London ‘through the roof’?
Q: But is it true that London is a lawless hotbed of violent activity?
The guest explains that when you compare across cities with harmonised definitions and reporting practices, London's homicide and assault rates are generally in line with other large European and global cities, and do not support the claim of London being uniquely dangerous.

Audience Metrics

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Frequently Asked Questions About More or Less

What is More or Less about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show regularly dissects numbers behind current events, policy debates, and everyday decisions, often featuring data-driven guests who challenge sensational headlines. Episodes cover health aid impacts, global wealth concepts, risk and behavioral economics, crime statistics, World Cup math, climate and heat risk, and education policy, always highlighting methodological caveats and the grey areas where data can mislead. A notable strength is bringing rigorous statistical literacy to broad audiences through approachable demos and expert guests, making it well suited for listeners who want clear, evidence-based takes on complex issues and for sponsors seeking a thoughtful, data-forward audience.

A standout trait across episodes is the cons... more

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1. BBC Inside Science
2. Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
3. Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast
4. The Briefing Room
5. Sliced Bread

How many episodes of More or Less are there?

More or Less launched 19 years ago and published 1147 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on More or Less?

Recent guests on More or Less include:

1. Kateryna Pavluk
2. Bill Farren-Price
3. Johnny Gowdy
4. Chris Giles
5. Alexander de Vriesgao
6. Steve McGrath
7. Robin Marles
8. Chris Vernazza

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