“Record” Covid cases, Trump on the death count, and ant pheromones

Case counts in perspective, a suspect stat from the US, and life lessons from insects.

• 28 mins

Spreadsheet snafu, ‘Long Covid’ quantified, and the birth of probability

Missing coronavirus case data, long-term symptoms, and a big mathematical moment.

• 21 mins

A short history of probability

Gamblers, millionaires and annuities

• 8 mins

Auction Theory - Paul Milgrom and Robert Wilson

This year’s Nobel memorial prize winners for economics and their work on auction theory.

• 8 mins

US election: facts or fiction

Tim Harford hears about the sheer volume of false claims made in the campaign.

• 8 mins

Asymptomatic Covid19 Cases

How many Covid19 cases are truly asymptomatic?

• 8 mins

How deadly is Covid 19?

Why there isn’t one single death rate.

• 8 mins

Vaccine numbers

How much protection will a new Covid 19 vaccine give?

• 8 mins

Inviting Covid for Dinner

If you go to a gathering of 25 people, what are the chances one of you has coronavirus?

• 9 mins

Tracking Covid 19

Which countries are doing well at keeping track of the virus? And which are not?

• 9 mins

Vaccines: how safe and who gets it?

Is it too soon to approve a vaccine for use? Plus choosing who goes first.

• 8 mins

QAnon: Child runaways and trafficking numbers debunked

Tackling statistics spread by conspiracy theorists.

• 8 mins

The economics of a Covid Christmas

What to consider when buying presents this year

• 8 mins

Numbers of the year: Part one

Tim Harford showcases statistics from 2020

• 8 mins

Numbers of the year: Part two

Tim Harford showcases statistics from 2020

• 8 mins

Ants and Algorithms

David Sumpter describes the algorithms ruling the world

• 8 mins

How effective is one dose of the vaccine?

Is the first dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine 52% or 90% effective?

• 29 mins

Will the vaccine bring back normal life? GDP and Fishing

If we vaccinate the top four priority groups by February, how much will things change?

• 27 mins

Counting Covid’s impact on GDP

Does GDP tell us whose economies have suffered most during Covid?

• 8 mins

Deaths at home, supermarket infections and the Cobra effect

Where are people catching Covid-19?

• 28 mins

Deaths at Home, Supermarket Infections and the Cobra Effect

Where are people catching Covid-19?

• 28 mins

The Rapid Test Row

The huge row among scientists about rapid coronavirus tests.

• 8 mins

Teachers, Test & Trace and Butterflies

Are teachers more at risk from Covid-19?

• 28 mins

Glasgow vs Rwanda

Could life expectancy in some parts of Glasgow be worse than in Rwanda?

• 8 mins

Brexit exports, cladding and are 1 in 5 disabled?

Are exports to the EU down since Brexit? Plus removing flammable building cladding.

• 28 mins

How much Covid in the World?

Counting all the virus particles in every human on the planet.

• 8 mins

Comparing death counts, Lock Down drinking and Long Covid

Is the UK’s Covid 19 death count among the worst in the world? Plus are we drinking more?

• 28 mins

Covid 19 death count: which countries are faring worst?

Tim Harford finds out if we can trust international comparisons with the available data.

• 8 mins

Why are US Covid cases falling?

From herd immunity to the weather, Tim Harford explores the theories.

• 8 mins

Sainthood and Cup draws

Your chances of becoming a saint, plus football odds.

• 8 mins