We explore how statistics can support two seemingly contradictory results. Read more
now playing
Simpson’s Paradox
We explore how statistics can support two seemingly contradictory results.
Leicester City football fluke?
The statistics behind the English Premier League’s surprise winners
The World’s Most Diverse City
Is it true that London is the most diverse city in the world?
The World's Most Profitable Product
Is the iPhone the most profitable product in history? What are the other contenders?
Refugee Camp Statistics
Is it true that the average stay in a refugee camp is 17 years?
HIV in Africa
Is it true that 74% of African girls aged 15-24 HIV positive?
Sexist Data Crisis
Are we collecting enough data about women?
When Companies Track Your Life
How are companies using our personal data?
Brexit Economics
What will happen to trade and business in the UK after leaving the EU?
Ranking Iceland’s Football Team
Are Iceland's football team the best in the world per capita?
Sleeping: the 8-hour myth
Could having a lie-in lead to an early death?
Violence, shootings and the police in the US
Tim Harford investigates the numbers surrounding police shootings in the USA.
Ireland’s Shock GDP figures
Does Ireland have the fastest growing economy in the world?
Odd Socks and Algorithms
How can the techniques of computer science help us in everyday life?
Predicting Olympic Medals
What makes a country successful at winning gold, silver and bronze?
Swimming World Records
Why are swimming world records frequently being broken?
Counting Terror Deaths
Has 2016 been a particularly bad year for terrorism in Europe?
Death Penalty abolition
The story behind the countries that have not executed anyone for 10 years
Menstrual Syncing
Do women’s periods start to synchronise if they spend time together?
Drug deaths in the Philippines
How many people have died during President Duterte’s drug crackdown?
The Cost of a Wedding Gift
How much should spend when a couple get married?
Trump’s crime claims
Are some US inner cities more dangerous than Afghanistan?
Who Won the US Presidential Debate?
Polling on the Clinton-Trump TV showdown – and why not all polls are equal
Sustainable Development Goals – Are There too Many?
Is there a better way of looking at the Sustainable Development Goals?
Algorithms, Crime and Punishment
When maths can get you locked up.
Escobar’s Cocaine Deaths
How many people die for every kilo of cocaine?
Child Marriage and Dangerous Algorithms
Is a girl under 15 married every seven seconds? And beware dangerous algorithms
Ice Cream Versus Aid
Does the world spend more on ice cream than on humanitarian aid?
Liberia’s Rape Statistic Debunked
Is the claim that three out of four women were raped during Liberia's civil war true?
Avoiding Asteroids
We’re getting better at spotting Earth-bound space rocks – but how safe are we?
Good News on Renewables?
Renewable capacity has surpassed that of coal – is this good news?