Energy prices, excess deaths and the race to count to 200

More or Less: Behind the Stats

BBC

Business, Mathematics, Science, News Commentary, News

4.6 • 3.5K Ratings

🗓️ 31 August 2022

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

With energy prices in the UK spiralling, Tim Harford asks whether there is an easy and realistic way for bills to be cut. Also the number of excess deaths in the UK is rising – we’ll hear how much covid is still to blame. We return to the subject of counting in twenties, this time hearing how the Welsh language mixes traditional and decimal systems. And we debunk some spurious social media claims around Liverpool players and asthma medication.

Transcript

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0:00.0	BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts
0:05.0	Hello and welcome to More or Less.
0:07.1	I'm surrounded by my back-to-school supplies,
0:09.8	a satchel, a protractor, some nice sharp pencils,
0:12.8	and a new scientific calculator.
0:15.3	All are better to help us understand the numbers
0:17.4	all around us in the news and in life.
0:20.0	This week I'll learn to count in Welsh.
0:22.4	Scarolus rumours have surrounded Liverpool Football Club
0:25.2	and will be debunking some of the nonsense.
0:27.7	And I can't believe I'm having to say this yet again.
0:31.4	Excess deaths are high again in the UK.
0:34.8	We'll try to figure out why.
0:36.7	But first, the price of energy.
0:39.3	We've had our fair share of scary numbers in the news
0:42.4	over the past three years,
0:44.0	but at the moment millions of families up and down the UK
0:47.4	are looking at some more this time on their energy bills.
0:51.1	And one of these numbers in particular
0:52.9	is receiving a lot of attention.
0:55.0	£3,549.
0:58.9	That figure is, well, something to do
	...

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