Factchecking claims that 400 churches were burned to the ground in France

Does the average teacher really earn £54,000?

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:32) A government minister has informed the nation that average teacher pay in England is around £54,000. Radio 4 listeners are howling at the radio in disbelief. Surely someone from the IFS would be able to explain all this? We interview someone from the IFS to explain all this. (06:32) The Independent says that Russian soldiers survive an average of 20 minutes when they get to the frontline. How can they possibly know? We take a peek into the murky information ecosystem that surrounds the war in Ukraine. (15:00) A loyal listener has resent a burning question that - mortifyingly - he first asked us nearly three years ago: why is air travel cheaper than rail travel? We push our guilt deep, deep down then make it worse by challenging the premise of the question. (21:18) Is every shuffle of a deck of cards an unprecedented event in the history of the universe? It’s a bold claim, but maths YouTuber and comedian Matt Parker has done his homework. We invite him into the studio to make his case - and show off his shuffling skills. More or Less is the programme that looks at numbers and statistics in news and in life. We’re always looking for questions from listeners - you can contact us on moreorless@bbc.co.uk [moreorless@bbc.co.uk]. Guests: Luke Sibieta - Research Economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies Andrey Vladov - BBC Monitoring Mark Galeotti - author of Forged in War - A Military History of Russia from its Beginnings to Today Simon Calder - Travel Correspondent at the Daily Telegraph Matt Parker - Mathematician, comedian and YouTuber (Stand-up Maths) Presenter: Tim Harford Series Producer: Tom Colls Reporter: Josh McMinn Producers: Nathan Gower, Lizzy McNeill Editor: Richard Vadon Programme Coordinator: Maria Ogundele, Siobhan Reed Sound Engineer: James Beard

Does a full moon make crime rates go up?

The Moon is one of the most captivating features of our night's sky, and apparently, one of the most suspicious.... For thousands of years, people have blamed the full moon for strange behavior. From ancient myths and the origins of the word lunacy to modern police folklore, the idea that a bright moon can influence human actions is one that many believe. But what does the data tell us? We spoke to Professor Eric Chudler, who has looked at crime rates and lunar cycles to discover whether the moon truly is the ultimate crime puppeteer. If you spot any suspicious numbers in the news or life and want us to investigate, please email in to: moreorless@bbc.co.uk [moreorless@bbc.co.uk]. Presenter/Producer: Lizzy McNeill Series Producer: Tom Colls Editor: Richard Vadon Sound Mix: James Beard Production coordinator: Siobhan Reed

Examining the numbers behind Andy Burnham’s ‘Manchester Miracle’

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: (00:23) Andy Burnham may not be Prime Minister yet, but he’s setting out his economic agenda, and its based on his old stomping ground, Greater Manchester. We ask whether the official figures that seem to show an economic miracle can be fully believed, and how much credit he deserves. (10:09) As our towns and cities get hotter, would turning to air conditioning really drive outside temperatures up by 10 to 12 degrees celcius? We learn about the fascinating world of ‘urban heat islands’. (15:40) We turn to homophones in an attempt to continue a running joke. This week, we follow six items about Wales with an item about whales - are our cetacean friends the carbon sinks of our dreams? Will we ever write a stranger paragraph? (22:10) Cult director and maths fanboy Werner Herzog has been waxing lyrical about the intruiging mysteries of prime numbers. Tim cracks out a surprisingly decent impression and we learn about one of the most inscrutable problems in mathematics - what’s not to like? More or Less is the programme that looks at numbers and statistics in news and in life. We’re always looking for questions from listeners - you can contact us on moreorless@bbc.co.uk [moreorless@bbc.co.uk]. Guests: Paul Swinney - Chief Economist at The Data City Liam Sides - Associate Director at Oxford Economics Dimple Rana - Heat Resilience Leader at Arup Sue Grimmond - Professor of Meteorology, University of Reading Dr Olaf Meynecke - Marine Ecologist, Griffith University James Grime - Mathematician and star of YouTube channel Numberphile Special Guest Appearance: The Voice of Werner Herzog Presenter: Tim Harford Series Producer: Tom Colls Reporter: Nathan Gower Producers: Josh McMinn, Lizzy McNeill Editor: Richard Vadon Programme Coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Engineer: James Beard

The messy history behind the modern calendar

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 May have 31 days and June have 30? To find out why our calendar has its modern form, we speak to Kristen Lippincott, former director of the Royal Observatory at Greenwich, and author of The Story of Time. If you have seen a number in the news you think we should take a look at, email moreorless@bbc.co.uk [moreorless@bbc.co.uk] Presenter: Tim Harford Producer: Josh McMinn Series Producer: Tom Colls Programme Coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Engineer: Giles Aspen Editor: Richard Vadon

Benefits vs minimum wage: Which pays 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 deceptive - and we’ve done the homework to prove it. (09:09) As the heatwave rises to a crescendo, people are saying that wet bulb temperatures could hit critical levels. Utterly mystified? So was our editor, so we made this item to explain all to him (and you). (14:34) In a tournament with so many teams, we’ve had to consult a university professor to understand the mysterious mathematical workings of the World Cup Draw. It’s even more complicated and confusing than VAR! (OK, it’s not that bad.) (19:00) Welsh comedian Elis James has a superpower - finding mutual connections with his fellow countrymen and women. So let’s add to the fun by providing a statistical framework upon which to understand his achievements. That’s how comedy works, right? More or Less is the programme that looks at numbers and statistics in the news and in life. We’re always looking for questions from listeners - you can contact us on moreorless@bbc.co.uk [moreorless@bbc.co.uk]. Guests: Eduin Latimer - Senior Research Economist at the Institute for Fiscal Studies Dr Chloe Brimicombe - climate scientist and postdoctoral researcher at the University of Oxford Dr Kat Phillips - innovation research associate at the University of Warwick and a digital maths communicator under the name ‘KatDoesMaths’ Oliver Johnson - Professor of Information Theory, the University of Bristol Returning Special Guest appearance: Elis James: comedian and well-connected Welshman Presenter: Tim Harford Series Producer: Tom Colls Reporter: Nathan Gower Producers: Josh McMinn, Lizzy McNeill Editor: Richard Vadon Programme Coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound Engineer: James Beard