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More or Less: Behind the Stats - Higgs boson statistics

In the week scientists at the Large Hadron Collider announced that the most coveted prize in particle physics - the Higgs boson - may have been found, Tim Harford hears that the statistical significance is being mis-reported. Plus, the difficulties of cornering a market (especially when the commodity is a 1980s plastic doll). And, Tim Harford talks to author Keith Devlin about how Fibonacci revolutionised trade by introducing medieval businessmen to simple arithmetic.

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Start the Week - 12/12/2011

On Start the Week Andrew Marr asks if sport still embodies a notion of fair play and Corinthian spirit, or whether it has become mired in corruption, money and celebrity. Mihir Bose argues that sport is no longer just a game, but has become one of the most powerful political tools in the world. The social historian Janie Hampton looks back to a time when amateur wasn't a dirty word, while Brian Moore the 'pitbull' of the scrum, looks back at a disastrous year for the professionalism of English rugby. The philosopher Julian Savulescu believes the nostalgia for the age of the amateur is blinding people to the reality of today, and that far from penalising those who take performance enhancing drugs, we should merely set a safe limit and allow free rein. Producer: Katy Hickman.

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Motley Fool Money - Motley Fool Money: 12.09.2011

Jobless claims fall as the EU continues to search for a resolution to the debt crisis. Ford reinstates its dividend for the first time in 5 years. Microsoft releases a major upgrade to Xbox Live. McDonald’s stock hits an all-time high and JC Penney buys a stake in Martha Stewart. Our analysts discuss those stories and more, and share 3 stocks on their radar. Venture capitalist Paul Holland discusses the future of technology and “Something Ventured”, his documentary film about the start of the VC movement.

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More or Less: Behind the Stats - Supermarket price wars

Tim Harford on National Literacy Trust figures and the maths of supermarket price wars. Plus, he continues to scrutinise the popular statistics of the Eurozone crisis - do Italian tax payers really shell out 2 billion euros a year for their politicians to be chauffeured around? And, what are the odds of cracking six double-yolk eggs in a row?