Best FACTCHECK Podcasts (2025)

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Were there really Three Wise Men? 28:04

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1d ago28:04

28:04

The surprising things we learn when we count everyone - a tour of the UK census through time. We also figure out just how many parking officers there are versus soldiers in the British army. Who really does all the housework? Plus - 20 years of ‘Freakonomics’ with Stephen Dubner. And finally - were there really three wise men who visited baby Jesus…

1
The shocking world of US health costs 8:59

5d ago8:59

8:59

A loyal listener wrote in to question this claim made by neuroscientist Dr Daniel Levitin: "Here in the US valium in a pharmacy might be $3 that same pill in a hospital setting might be $750." Our listener was shocked at how one pill can cost 250 x more in a hospital setting than in a pharmacy. But can it? Sort of. We turned to Elisabeth Rosenthal …

1
Technology and the Impact on the Developing Student Brain (from "NYSCATE Conference") 45:39

6d ago45:39

45:39

In this special episode from the NYSCATE Conference, I, Mike Doughty, and Christy Bezrutczyk discuss the influence of technology and AI on the developing student brain. We examine recent findings in neuroscience, the impact of screen time and blue light on learning and behavior, and the evolving role of AI in education. Our conversation stresses th…

1
Empowering Critical Thinking Through Media Literacy (from "NYSSBA's President's Gavel Podcast") 20:56

8d ago20:56

20:56

I am excited to share a conversation I had recently with the New York State School Boards Association (NYSSBA) on The President's Gavel podcast. This episode, based on a popular session from this year's Leadership in Education Event, explores media literacy and why it is arguably the most crucial skill set we need to teach students today. Join us a…

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Do we really have ‘superflu’? 28:38

8d ago28:38

28:38

The NHS is warning of an unprecedented flu season - we check what the numbers say. Is there really a mass exodus of Brits leaving the UK due to Labour tax policies? We look at the latest emigration figures. We take a look at the prison service’s curious habit of letting prisoners out early – or keeping them in for too long - is there a trend? Plus …

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RCP 8.5: Why did the climate change model get it wrong? 8:57

12d ago8:57

8:57

Whether we like it or not, global warming is happening. The global temperature has already gone up, and it’s going to go up more, because the atmosphere is already full of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, and we’re continuing to add to that stock. Quite how much it will increase by is a very important question for all of us. Until relativ…

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Is RFK right about US sperm counts? 8:58

19d ago8:58

8:58

Around the world, many countries are concerned about tackling the decline in birth rates and total fertility rates. The US is no exception. To tackle this issue the US government announced that it would provide subsidies for Americans seeking IVF treatment. The announcement was accompanied by one suspect sounding stat from US Health Secretary Rober…

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Richard Thaler and The Winner’s Curse 8:57

26d ago8:57

8:57

In the later part of the 20th century, a pioneering group of economists started shaking up their academic field. These “behavioural economists” used findings from experimental psychology and everyday life to challenge the prevailing view that human beings were rational decision makers – acting in predictable ways to maximize their wealth. One of th…

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Is there a stock market crash coming? 8:58

1M ago8:58

8:58

For months, the share prices of tech companies have marched seemingly-ever upward, driven by fevered excitement about the potential of Artificial Intelligence. But many are now voicing fears that this surge might turn out to be a bubble, which could burst with damaging effects. So do we have to rely on vibes? Or can we use data to tell us about the…

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Has there been a $50 trillion wealth transfer to the richest Americans? 8:58

1M ago8:58

8:58

Bernie Sanders says a vast amount of wealth - $50 trillion - has moved from 90% of the population to the wealthiest Americans since the 1970s. The figure comes from a study by Carter Price, a senior mathematician at nonprofit research institute the RAND Corporation. Tim Harford speaks to Carter to understand how he calculated his figures and what t…

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Is RFK Jr right about China's diabetes rate? 8:56

2M ago8:56

8:56

The US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr is on a mission to make America healthy again. One of his health-promotion ideas is to reduce chronic illness, specifically diabetes. And has part of his campaign he said that: "a typical pediatrician would see one case of diabetes in his lifetime, over a 40 or 50 year career. Today, 1 out of every 3 kid…

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Halloween special: How many people did the real Dracula impale? 8:57

2M ago8:57

8:57

Vlad III Dracula, the Wallachian Prince who became Bram Stokers inspiration behind his famous vampire 'Count Dracula,' was a brutal ruler. So brutal that history dubbed him 'Vlad the Impaler' due to his penchant for that particularly gruesome form of execution. Which, without going into too much detail, involved driving a large stake or pole throug…

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Is your housework split sexist? 8:58

2M ago8:58

8:58

Do you ever have fights with your partner about who does more of the housework and whether it’s fair? Well data might have the answer. Corinne Low is an associate professor at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. She analyses surveys of how people spend their time, particularly in terms of “home production” - that is things like co…

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Nobel economics prize 2025: What's the big idea? 8:56

2M ago8:56

8:56

Joel Mokyr, Philippe Aghion and Peter Howitt have been awarded this year’s Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences. The three are sharing 11 million Swedish kronor, over a million dollars, after being recognised for their work in the area of “innovation-driven economic growth”. But why does this area matter and what did the three economists actua…

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Are millions of people getting Motability cars for anxiety and ADHD? 28:38

2M ago28:38

28:38

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: The Conservative party conference has been told that millions of people are getting free cars from the government because they have ADHD and anxiety. Is that right? The chair of the Labour party says that only 3% of farmers will be affected by proposed changes to inheritance tax. …

1
Are 72% of prison inmates in Switzerland foreign? 8:58

3M ago8:58

8:58

In a recent speech to the UN, US president Donald Trump set out some remarkable figures on the proportion of inmates in European prisons who were foreign nationals. Citing statistics from the Council of Europe, he references Greece, Germany and Austria, as having rates around 50%. “In Switzerland, beautiful Switzerland,” he said “72% of the people …

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Does half the UK get more in benefits than they pay in tax? 26:40

3M ago26:40

26:40

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: The Daily Mail says that over half of the UK population live in households that get more in benefits than they pay in tax - is it true? Do some billionaires earn more in a night than the population of Bournemouth earns in a year? New Green leader Zack Polanski seems to think so - …

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Is the world getting less miserable? 8:58

3M ago8:58

8:58

When you follow the news, particularly in countries like the UK and the US, it sometimes feels like people are less optimistic about their lives than they were in the past.But a new piece of analysis from polling company Gallup suggests this might just be the local view, not the global one.Using data from the Gallup World Poll, it suggests that “pe…

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Has Donald Trump ended seven 'unendable' wars? 28:24

3M ago28:24

28:24

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: US President Donald Trump claims he has ended seven “unendable” wars. Is that true? Chancellor Rachel Reeves says the UK was the fastest growing economy in the G7 for the first six months of 2025. What do you need to know about that stat? The Daily Mail has described a recent scie…

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The Case of the Missing US Data 8:58

3M ago8:58

8:58

In early February 2025, something strange started happening across US government websites. Decades of data began disappearing from webpages for agencies such as the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, the National Institutes of Health and the Census Bureau. In many cases the entire website went dark. Within a few days some 8,000 government …

1
Was it easier to deport migrants to France before Brexit? 28:48

3M ago28:48

28:48

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey says it was easier to deport illegal migrants to Europe when we were in the EU. Is that true? Did the governor of the Bank of England get his numbers wrong on the UK’s ageing population? Why is the price of beef up by 25% in a year? Is it possible to pr…

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Is JD Vance right about left-wing violence? 8:58

3M ago8:58

8:58

On September the 10th 2025, right-wing political activist and media personality Charlie Kirk was assassinated while speaking at an event in Utah. In the aftermath, his friend JD Vance, the US Vice President, hosted a special memorial edition of ‘The Charlie Kirk Show’, live from the White House, during which he called for unity, but said that could…

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S10 E2: Understanding Pop Culture's Role in Modern Education 46:07

3M ago46:07

46:07

How important is it to stay in touch with pop culture as a school leader? In this episode, I chat with Brooke Hammerling, the host of "Pop Culture Mondays… on Thursdays" podcast and the author of the widely read Pop Culture Mondays Newsletter. We dive into Brooke's unique journey from PR and communications to becoming a vital source of pop culture …

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Is it true that out-of-work benefits have almost doubled? 29:09

3M ago29:09

29:09

Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news. This week: Nigel Farage says 6.5 million people are on out-of-work benefits – with some benefits up 80% since 2018. Are those numbers right? Do French pensioners really earn more than their working-age compatriots? How is it possible for one kilogram of fish food to produce one kilogram of s…

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Will the world really be 50 million workers short by 2030? 8:58

3M ago8:58

8:58

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang says the world faces a severe labour shortage – 50 million workers by the end of the decade.The boss of the world’s most valuable company thinks humanoid robots will be needed to fill the gap. But is this prediction based on solid evidence? Tim Harford looks at the calculations behind the claim with Rajiv Gupta, a technology…

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Are Afghan nationals more likely to be convicted of sexual offences? 29:01

4M ago29:01

29:01

Tim Harford looks at some of the numbers in the news. This week: Is it true that interest payments on the UK’s national debt are equivalent to £240 per month for everyone in the country? Reform UK claim that Afghan migrants are 22 times more likely to be convicted of sex offences. Is that number correct? We try to make sense of a claim that one in …

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S10 E1: Guiding Through Change (Insights from Marie Wiles) 38:41

4M ago38:41

38:41

How does one navigate the journey from English teacher to Superintendent? In this episode, I sit down with the recently retired Marie Wiles in a unique in-person interview. We dive deep into her 36-year-long career, from early teaching days and curriculum development to her tenure in various leadership roles, including her time as a BOCES district …