Worse mortgages, better readers, and potholes...

As the 2026 World Cup approaches its end, what is the biggest factor in who wins? Is it extraordinary moments of attacking magic? Gritty defensive organisation? Or is it all just a question of luck and random chance? We look at how mathematicians and analysists make sense of chao ...  Show more

Recently a post did the rounds on Twitter, claiming that people who play tennis live on average 9.7 years longer than people who play other sports.The figure comes from a recent analysis of people's exercise habits in Denmark. But not everyone on Twitter was convinced. Tennis is ...  Show more

Can lipstick, packed lunches and pants tell us about the health of the economy? Matt is joined by The Times' Science Editor Tom Whipple to test the theories and judge whether the times we're living in are good or bad. 

Plus: Columnists India Knight and James Mar ...

Is the UK economy headed for its longest ever recession? Tim Harford, BBC presenter and “Undercover Economist”, unscrambles the latest figures, explains what happens when the economy starts to shrink, and chats to Adam about his uni lessons with former PM Liz Truss.Also, as Just ...  Show more

GCSE grades are out and they show a growing regional divide in England. Adam is joined by BBC Education correspondent Hazel Shearing, and Sam Freedman, senior fellow at the Institute for Government, to chew over the results.UK households will soon find out how much their bills wi ...  Show more

Potentially Dangerous RAAC Concrete found in schools just before the start of term.Former teacher and a senior analyst for the Times Education Supplement, Gráinne Hallahan explains how widespread the problem is, and who’s picking up the bill. We also hear from a parent whose son’ ...  Show more