More or Less
BBC Radio 4Tim Harford explains - and sometimes debunks - the numbers and statistics used in political debate, the news and everyday life.
| Publishes | Twice weekly | Episodes | 1108 | Founded | 19 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number of Listeners | Categories | News CommentaryNewsScienceMathematics | |||
Listen to this Podcast
Latest Episodes
This year, the UK has had its hottest May and June days on record, with the mercury hitting the high thirties.
But while the markings on a thermometer seem scientific and regular, the way we split up our calendar does not. Why, for instance, does Ma... more
Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week:
(00:42) Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Sir Jeremy Hunt argues that you can earn far more on out of work benefits than you can on the minimum wage. We argue his figures are dece... more
This surprising claim was spotted circulating on social media: ‘The United States has surpassed China and North Korea in deaths from malnutrition’. The claim used analysis from the Global Burden of Disease database for their sums. The data does indee... more
Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week:
(00:31) Claims have circulated on the internet that Europe sees a particularly high number of deaths from heat waves, especially when compared to the US. Can we really compare the ... more
Key Facts
Similar Podcasts
People also subscribe to these shows.
Recent Guests
Host
Reviews
- Delightful
This podcast has no business being so delightful, and yet, it is.
Apple Podcasts5Capybarbarian
United States19 days 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 Podcasts1kritbjkbvzhiugf
Germany25 days 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 Podcasts1Future-is-brightUnited Statesa month ago - Language needs work
In your episode about trans women in sport, you acknowledge at the start that you are looking at studies comparing transgender women and cisgender women, which is the appropriately specific language. However, you then cease to use cisgender to specify when you mean women who were assigned female at birth, and for the rest of the episode you repeatedly compare “trans women” with “women”, implying that they fall outside of this category. This is, at best, a failure of specificity and professionali... more
Apple Podcasts2brodycalypso
Australia2 months ago - This show makes you fall in love with numbers
Always interesting, surprisingly humorous, and consistently well done. The show makes you feel more intelligent and at ease in a world full of claims. Not just debunking, some stuff is surprisingly true (and therefore even more worth exploring)!
Apple Podcasts5frondofplants
Canada2 months ago
Listeners Say
Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.
Chart Rankings
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #1 | United States/Science/Mathematics |
Apple Podcasts | #38 | United States/Science |
Spotify | #7 |  United Kingdom/Science |
Apple Podcasts | #72 | United Kingdom/Top Podcasts |
Apple Podcasts | #1 | Canada/Science/Mathematics |
Apple Podcasts | #1 | United Kingdom/Science/Mathematics |
Talking Points
Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.
Audience Metrics
Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.
| Listeners per Episode | |
|---|---|
| Gender Skew | |
| Location | |
| Interests | |
| Professions | |
| Age Range | |
| Household Income | |
| Social Media Reach |
Frequently Asked Questions About More or Less
What is More or Less about and what kind of topics does it cover?
A numbers-first show that consistently challenges headlines by unpacking the statistics behind current events and policy debates. Across episodes, it covers topics from public health, environmental science, and technology to risk language and social trends, often featuring academics, journalists, and policy experts who help translate data into actionable insights. Noteworthy traits include a preference for data-driven analysis, rigorous methodological critique, and a willingness to challenge common narratives even when it risks controversy. Listeners can expect clear explanations, nuanced discussions, and a habit of separating what is known from what is uncertain, making it valuable for decision-makers, researchers, and curious, analyticall... more
Where can I find podcast stats for More or Less?
Rephonic provides a wide range of podcast stats for More or Less. We scanned the web and collated all of the information that we could find in our comprehensive podcast database. See how many people listen to More or Less and access YouTube viewership numbers, download stats, audience demographics, chart rankings, ratings, reviews and more.
How many listeners does More or Less get?
Rephonic provides a full set of podcast information for three million podcasts, including the number of listeners. View further listenership figures for More or Less, including podcast download numbers and subscriber numbers, so you can make better decisions about which podcasts to sponsor or be a guest on. You will need to upgrade your account to access this premium data.
What are the audience demographics for More or Less?
Rephonic provides comprehensive predictive audience data for More or Less, including gender skew, age, country, political leaning, income, professions, education level, and interests. You can access these listener demographics by upgrading your account.
How many subscribers and views does More or Less have?
To see how many followers or subscribers More or Less has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.
Which podcasts are similar to More or Less?
These podcasts share a similar audience with More or Less:
1. BBC Inside Science
2. Friday Night Comedy from BBC Radio 4
3. The Life Scientific
4. Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast
5. The Briefing Room
How many episodes of More or Less are there?
More or Less launched 19 years ago and published 1108 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
How do I contact More or Less?
Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.
Where can I see ratings and reviews for More or Less?
Rephonic pulls ratings and reviews for More or Less from multiple sources, including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Castbox, and Podcast Addict.
View all the reviews in one place instead of visiting each platform individually and use this information to decide if a show is worth pitching or not.
How do I access podcast episode transcripts for More or Less?
Rephonic provides full transcripts for episodes of More or Less. Search within each transcript for your keywords, whether they be topics, brands or people, and figure out if it's worth pitching as a guest or sponsor. You can even set-up alerts to get notified when your keywords are mentioned.
What guests have appeared on More or Less?
Recent guests on More or Less include:
1. Maxwell Marlow
2. Sebastian Bicen
3. John Jerrim
4. Duncan Weldon
5. Dr Ruth McCabe
6. Kate Lamble
7. Melody Ding
8. Liam Price
To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.