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Statistics
Covid-19
Climate Change
American Statistical Association
Data Science
Data Visualization
National Football League
Football Analytics
Miami University
Education
Public Health
Official Statistics
Tigray Civil War
Data Communication
Statistical Literacy
Science Communication
Statistical Models
Human Trafficking
Statistical Methods
Digital Marketing

Statistics need Stories to give them meaning. Stories need Statistics to give them credibility. Every Thursday John Bailer & Rosemary Pennington get together with a new, interesting guest to bring you the Statistics behind the Stories and the Stories behind the Statistics.

PublishesTwice monthlyEpisodes446Founded13 years ago
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Education

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Artwork for Stats + Stories

Latest Episodes

Research suggests that more than half of Americans could benefit from taking a GLP-1 RA medication. The drugs were originally designed to help manage type two diabetes, but in 2024, the Food and Drug Administration approved one GLP-1, Semaglutide, fo... more

Women regularly hold leadership roles in stats departments at universities and in major statistical organizations, but it wasn't so long ago that women had to fight to be included. At one point, women faculty had to climb through the windows of the f... more

Sports and statistics go hand-in-hand. But some of those statistics are more interesting than others. Each year, the Royal Statistical Society highlights some of the most compelling sports stats in its Sports Statistic of the Year competition this ye... more

Last academic year colleges and universities across the US struggled with whether to mandate COVID vaccinations for their students. While colleges often require vaccines, the political controversy surrounding the COVID shots made adopting a vaccine p... more

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Recent Guests

Amanda Golbeck
Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in the College of Public Health at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences; Professor of Biostatistics
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Episode: Leadership and Women in Statistics | Stats + Stories Episode 392
Jessica Hargreaves
Chair of RSS Statistics in Sport Section; lecturer at University of York
Royal Statistical Society; University of York
Episode: The Best Sports Stats from the Past Year | Stats + Stories Episode 391
Rob Mastrodomenico
Sports statistician; RSS ambassador; Director of Data Science at Blue Crow Sports Group
Blue Crow Sports Group; Royal Statistical Society
Episode: The Best Sports Stats from the Past Year | Stats + Stories Episode 391
Marina Ferrari de Aquino Klemm
Associate curator at the Auckland War Memorial Museum
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Episode: Taylor Swift and Markov Chains | Stats + Stories Episode 390
Charlotte Jones-Todd
Senior lecturer at the University of Auckland
University of Auckland
Episode: Taylor Swift and Markov Chains | Stats + Stories Episode 390
Tim Thomas
Director of the Eviction Research Network; Research Director at UC Berkeley's Urban Displacement Project
University of California, Berkeley; Eviction Research Network
Episode: Urban Displacement | Stats + Stories Episode 389
Bhramar Mukherjee
Inaugural senior associate dean of public health data science and data equity; professor at Yale University
Yale University
Episode: Public Health Equity | Stats + Stories Episode 388
Chris Jordan
Photographer and artist known for Running the Numbers
Self-employed photographer (artist)
Episode: Running the Numbers: Portraits of Human Mass Culture | Stats + Stories Episode 387
Oliver Chinganya
Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the Zambia Statistical Agency; Senior Advisor at the International Growth Center (London School of Economics)
Zambia Statistical Agency; International Growth Center / LSE
Episode: Building Statistical Capacity in Africa | Stats + Stories Episode 386

Hosts

Rosemary Pennington
Host of Stats and Stories; co-host with a focus on statistical storytelling and media & journalism connections
John Bailer
Host of Stats and Stories; co-host and statistics educator with deep ties to academia and professional associations

Reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars from 77 ratings
  • Excellent show

    One of my favourite podcasts. Brilliant content, great hosts, easy listening, great interview format. Thank you!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    sophie.i.d
    Australia4 years ago
  • Thanks for this effort

    It is a such good podcast

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    medo1029
    Saudi Arabia7 years ago
  • Best way to learn about and appreciate quantitative thinking

    I found this podcast while enrolled in a beginning quantitative methods course. It has been so incredibly helpful (and inspiring!) to hear the interviews from statisticians and researchers who work with data, and put it into the context of the stories they're trying to understand. The interviews are interesting and entertaining, and helpfully put all of these concepts that I've been abstractly learning about into practical realities.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    KAyflew
    United States8 years ago
  • Listener

    I just listened to Episode 48: "Were the cancer clusters real? Statistical support for evaluating public policy" with guest David Banks - interesting topic & knowledgable guest. This episode highlighted how Statisticians can help make the world a better place when they work together with Journalists/the Media. I'm still a bit crushed by what I learned about Gregor Mendel, though.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    OxfordListener
    United States9 years ago
  • Great Podcast!

    Statistics affect our lives in so many ways but most people are not aware of it. Understanding how statistics relate to my everyday life makes this a really interesting podcast! Give it a listen!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Midwest_Surf_Guy
    United States10 years ago

Listeners Say

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

Listeners appreciate the mix of rigorous data analysis and engaging storytelling.
Clear, accessible discussions that make quantitative topics approachable.
Dascination with diverse guests providing broad perspectives on statistics in real-world contexts.

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The Best Sports Stats from the Past Year | Stats + Stories Episode 391
Q: How did the judges view the cricket stat in the context of Bazball?
Judges acknowledged the stat as a strong encapsulation of a strategic shift in cricket, illustrating how a fast-scoring approach can backfire or succeed, depending on the context and execution.
The Best Sports Stats from the Past Year | Stats + Stories Episode 391
Q: Was there any direct response from the Lionesses to being named in the Stat of the Year?
No direct responses were heard yet, but the discussion noted plans to include an England Women's Football Team analyst in a RSS Conference panel to address data gaps in women's sport.
The Best Sports Stats from the Past Year | Stats + Stories Episode 391
Q: What made the Lionesses' lead time so remarkable in the knockout stages of Euro 2025?
The stat showed they led for only a tiny portion of the knockout games—4 minutes 52 seconds in total—which contrasted with expectations of dominance and underscored the efficiency and resilience of their performances.
Taylor Swift and Markov Chains | Stats + Stories Episode 390
Q: How did you obtain and score the sentiment of the songs in relation to the colors?
They used sentiment analysis packages in R to obtain an average sentiment for each song, then manually scored 180 color mentions by category (positive, negative, neutral) and averaged those per song to relate colors to sentiment.
Taylor Swift and Markov Chains | Stats + Stories Episode 390
Q: Can you give a lay explanation of what a Markov Chain would consider in this situation?
Imagine Swift choosing outfits as a process where the next dress depends on the previous one, with a wardrobe rail representing ordered options and a pile on the floor representing randomness; Markov Chains quantify whether the sequence follows order or appears random, with a first-order model being a simple dependency on the last outfit.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Stats + Stories

What is Stats + Stories about and what kind of topics does it cover?

A analytically minded show that blends data-driven storytelling with accessible conversations. Episodes span topics from sports statistics and vaccine policy to data equity, urban housing, and the history of statistical language, often featuring researchers, professors, journalists, and practitioners who illustrate how numbers influence real-world narratives. The format emphasizes rigorous methods, clear explanations, and storytelling that makes complex concepts tangible. A notable strength is the breadth of guests—from biostatisticians and economists to visual artists—resulting in a diverse, ideas-rich listening experience that appeals to researchers, policymakers, and curious general audiences alike.

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Which podcasts are similar to Stats + Stories?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Stats + Stories:

1. Hidden Brain
2. Science Vs
3. Under the Influence with Terry O'Reilly
4. Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
5. Dear Hank & John

How many episodes of Stats + Stories are there?

Stats + Stories launched 13 years ago and published 446 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 Stats + Stories?

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What guests have appeared on Stats + Stories?

Recent guests on Stats + Stories include:

1. Amanda Golbeck
2. Jessica Hargreaves
3. Rob Mastrodomenico
4. Marina Ferrari de Aquino Klemm
5. Charlotte Jones-Todd
6. Tim Thomas
7. Bhramar Mukherjee
8. Chris Jordan

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.

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