Site • RSS • Apple PodcastsDescription (podcaster-provided):
Hannah Fry follows the numbers on thrilling journeys of data and discovery. Along the way we meet the remarkable people who dug into the data and unearthed something extraordinary.Themes and summary (AI-generated based on podcaster-provided show and episode descriptions):
➤ data-driven mysteries • graphs exposing fraud, errors, scandals • justice-system insights • earthquakes, ocean search, whale sounds • astronomy signals • climate and Anthropocene evidence • AI harms • networks, happiness, longevity • risk decisions, economics debates • medical anomalies, crime detectionThis podcast uses mathematics and data analysis as the engine for narrative investigations into real-world mysteries, controversies, and discoveries. Hosted by Hannah Fry, it treats graphs, charts, and datasets not as abstract artifacts but as clues that can reveal hidden patterns in human behavior, natural phenomena, and complex systems. Across the stories, the central question is often how a single piece of evidence—sometimes a striking visualisation—can challenge accepted wisdom, expose wrongdoing, or transform understanding.
A recurring theme is data as a tool for accountability. The podcast follows researchers and investigators who detect anomalies and inconsistencies that point to deeper problems, including potential fraud, institutional failures, and systems that harm the people they are meant to help. It also explores how evidence can be contested in public life, and how technical debates can spill into high-stakes social and political conflict.
Scientific discovery is another major strand. The show traces journeys from puzzling signals and unusual measurements to breakthroughs in fields such as astronomy, climate science, medicine, geology, and ocean research. These accounts frequently highlight uncertainty, the difficulty of interpreting noisy or incomplete information, and the consequences of getting conclusions wrong.
Alongside big societal questions, the podcast applies quantitative thinking to everyday life and personal decisions—how choices are made under pressure, how social networks shape outcomes, and how patterns in age and experience relate to well-being. The storytelling foregrounds the people behind the numbers: students, scientists, professionals, and ordinary individuals caught up in events where careful analysis can mean recognition, controversy, rescue, or justice. Overall, listeners can expect data-driven detective stories where the stakes range from individual lives to global debates, and where the methods of mathematics illuminate the world in unexpected ways.
| Episodes: |
20. The Confidence Trick2024-Sep-09 17 minutes |
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19. A Different Kind of Justice 2024-Sep-09 14 minutes |
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18. The Night the Earth Shook 2024-Sep-09 17 minutes |
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17. The Golden Spike 2024-Sep-09 15 minutes |
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16. A Drop in the Ocean 2024-Sep-09 16 minutes |
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15. Song of the Sea 2024-Sep-09 14 minutes |
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14. Whispers from the Cosmos 2024-Sep-09 15 minutes |
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13. The Grain of Truth 2024-Sep-09 15 minutes |
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12. Scandal in the Air 2024-Sep-09 15 minutes |
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11. Love Bytes 2024-Sep-09 17 minutes |
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Introducing... Uncharted with Hannah Fry Series 2 2024-Sep-02 2 minutes |
10. Devil in the Detail2023-Oct-02 14 minutes |
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9. Access Denied 2023-Oct-02 14 minutes |
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8. In the Habit 2023-Oct-02 14 minutes |
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7. The Gossip Mill 2023-Oct-02 13 minutes |
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6. The Happiness Curve 2023-Oct-02 13 minutes |
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5. The Choice 2023-Sep-25 14 minutes |
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4. This Train Has Been Delayed 2023-Sep-25 13 minutes |
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3. The Doctor Will See You Now 2023-Sep-25 14 minutes |
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2. The Hockey Stick 2023-Sep-25 13 minutes |
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1. The Returning Soldier 2023-Sep-25 14 minutes |
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Introducing... Uncharted with Hannah Fry 2023-Sep-18 less than a minute |