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    • Effectively hiring on LinkedIn and discoveries from the James Webb TelescopeLinkedIn is a top platform for small businesses to find potential hires, while the James Webb Telescope reveals new discoveries increasing chances of finding signs of life in the universe. Listeners can save on Blue Nile's lab-grown diamonds.

      LinkedIn is an effective platform for small businesses looking to hire professionals, as over 70% of LinkedIn users don't visit other leading job sites. This makes LinkedIn a valuable resource for finding candidates who might not be actively searching for a new job but could be open to the right opportunity. Additionally, the podcast discussed the latest discoveries from the James Webb Telescope and how they have increased the chances of finding signs of life in the universe, but the podcast team at "More or Less" emphasized their desire to know the specific numbers behind these claims. Another key takeaway was the promotion for Blue Nile's lab-grown diamonds, which are independently graded and guaranteed to be identical to natural diamonds, and the offer of a discount for listeners. Overall, the podcast highlighted the importance of looking in the right place for what you need, whether it's hiring professionals or discovering signs of life in the universe.

    • Estimating the number of civilized extraterrestrial societies in the Milky Way galaxy using the Drake EquationThe Drake Equation, developed by Frank Drake in 1961, is a mathematical framework to estimate the number of potentially civilized extraterrestrial societies in our galaxy by considering factors like star formation, planet existence, and civilization longevity.

      The Drake Equation, developed by astronomer Frank Drake in 1961, provides a mathematical framework to estimate the number of potentially civilized extraterrestrial societies in the Milky Way galaxy. The equation considers various factors, such as the rate of star formation, the fraction of those stars with planets, the number of planets that could support life, and the average length of a civilization's existence. Drake, a pioneer in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, led a meeting of scientists and scholars to discuss the possibility of alien civilizations and the scientific significance of searching for them. The Drake Equation, which was derived from the meeting's agenda, has been widely used to guide research in this field. Despite Drake's passing, his legacy continues to inspire scientists and researchers in their quest to understand the potential for life beyond Earth.

    • Estimating the number of communicable alien civilizationsFrank Drake's equation uses factors like star formation rate, planet existence, and civilization length to estimate potential communicable alien civilizations in the Milky Way

      Frank Drake's equation, initially intended for estimating the number of communicable alien civilizations in our Milky Way, also laid the groundwork for the field of astrobiology. The equation includes several key ingredients: the rate of star formation (R\*), the fraction of stars with planets (f\_p), the average number of planets that can potentially support life per star (n\_e), the fraction of planets with life (f\_l), the fraction of planets with intelligent life (f\_I), and the average length of a civilization (l). By multiplying these factors together, we get an estimate for the number of civilizations in our galaxy with which we could potentially communicate. For instance, if we assume an average of 6 stars form per year in the Milky Way, and each star has at least one planet, then we might estimate there could be around 36 civilizations with which we could potentially communicate. However, this is a rough estimate with many assumptions and oversimplifications.

    • New habitable planets in Milky Way each yearApprox. 1.2 new habitable planets discovered yearly in Milky Way, but existence and characteristics of life on them are uncertain

      The number of new inhabitable planets created each year in the Milky Way is approximately 1.2, based on the calculations of the number of stars (r), the fraction of those stars with planets (fp), and the fraction of those planets that are habitable for life (ne). However, the existence and characteristics of life on these planets, including the development of intelligent life, are still subjects of ongoing scientific debate and exploration. The estimates for the fraction of inhabitable planets with life (FL) and intelligent life (fI) vary widely, and the potential for communication between civilizations (FC) and the length of such communication (l) are considered unknown unknowns. Despite these uncertainties, scientists continue to explore our galaxy in the hopes of discovering extraterrestrial life and understanding its potential characteristics and communication capabilities. The vastness of the Milky Way, which is 100,000 light years across, adds to the complexity of this search. Ultimately, the search for extraterrestrial life and intelligence is a fascinating and ongoing scientific endeavor that requires continued exploration, innovation, and collaboration.

    • The vast distances of space make contact with alien civilizations a distant dreamWhile the possibility of extraterrestrial life exists, the immense distances and cosmic speed limit make contact unlikely, but the search for answers continues.

      Despite the vastness of the universe and the possibility of other civilizations, communication with them remains a distant dream due to the immense distances involved. Astronomers estimate that there could be a civilization in the observable universe, but given the cosmic speed limit, it would take thousands of years for signals to travel between us. This means that even if there is alien life out there, we may never be able to make contact with them. However, the search for extraterrestrial life continues, as the probability of us being the only civilization in the universe is extremely low. While the possibility of making contact with alien civilizations may seem disheartening, it is important to remember that the search for answers and understanding is a fundamental aspect of human nature. And who knows, maybe one day we'll find a way to bridge the vast distances of space and make contact with our cosmic neighbors. Until then, we can continue to explore the universe, learn about other planets and moons, and keep our fingers crossed for a cosmic phone call.

    Recent Episodes from More or Less: Behind the Stats

    How a tick box doubled the US maternal mortality rates.

    How a tick box doubled the US maternal mortality rates.

    he US has been portrayed as in the grip of a maternal mortality crisis. In contrast to most other developed nations, the rate of maternal deaths in the US has been going up since the early 2000s.

    But why? With the help of Saloni Dattani, a researcher at Our World in Data, Tim Harford explores how a gradual change in the way the data was gathered lies at the heart of the problem.

    Presenter: Tim Harford Producer: Debbie Richford Production Co-ordinator: Brenda Brown Series Producer: Tom Colls Sound Mix: Emma Harth Editor: Richard Vadon

    Election claims and erection claims

    Election claims and erection claims

    Are Labour right about the Liz Truss effect on mortgages? Are the Conservatives right about pensioners? Are Plaid Cymru right about spending? Are the Lib Dems right about care funding? Is Count Binface right about croissants?

    Why are MRP polls coming up with such different numbers?

    Do erections require a litre of blood?

    Tim Harford investigates the numbers in the news.

    Presenter: Tim Harford Reporter: Kate Lamble Producers: Simon Tulett, Nathan Gower, Beth Ashmead Latham and Debbie Richford Series producer: Tom Colls Production coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: Rod Farquhar Editor: Richard Vadon

    Do ‘pig butchering’ cyber scams make as much as half Cambodia’s GDP?

    Do ‘pig butchering’ cyber scams make as much as half Cambodia’s GDP?

    So-called “pig butchering” scams take billions of dollars from people around the globe. But do the cyber scams run from compounds in Cambodia really take an amount of money equivalent to half that country’s GDP? We investigate how the scale of these criminal operations has been calculated.

    Presenter: Tim Harford Reporter: Tom Colls Production coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: Andrew Garratt Editor: Richard Vadon

    Worse mortgages, better readers, and potholes on the moon

    Worse mortgages, better readers, and potholes on the moon

    Will Conservative policies raise mortgages by £4800, as Labour claim? Are primary school kids in England the best readers in the (western) world, as the Conservatives claim? Are there more potholes in the UK than craters on the moon?

    Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news.

    Presenter: Tim Harford Reporter: Kate Lamble Producers: Nathan Gower, Simon Tullet Beth Ashmead-Latham and Debbie Richford Production coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

    Shakespeare’s maths

    Shakespeare’s maths

    AWilliam Shakespeare might well rank as the most influential writer in the English language. But it seems he also had a knack for numbers.

    Rob Eastaway, author of Much Ado about Numbers, tells Tim Harford about the simple maths that brings Shakespeare’s work to life.

    Presenter: Tim Harford Readings: Stella Harford and Jordan Dunbar Producer: Beth Ashmead-Latham Series producer: Tom Colls Production coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: James Beard Editor: Richard Vadon

    Leaflets, taxes, oil workers and classrooms

    Leaflets, taxes, oil workers and classrooms

    What’s going on with the dodgy bar charts that political parties put on constituency campaign leaflets?

    What’s the truth about tax promises?

    Are 100,000 oil workers going to lose their jobs in Scotland?

    Will class sizes increase in state schools if private schools increase their fees?

    Tim Harford investigates some of the numbers in the news.

    Presenter: Tim Harford Reporter: Kate Lamble Producers: Nathan Gower, Beth Ashmead-Latham, Debbie Richford Production coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: Neil Churchill Editor: Richard Vadon

    Why medical error is not the third leading cause of death in the US

    Why medical error is not the third leading cause of death in the US

    The claim that medical error is the third leading cause of death in the US has been zooming around the internet for years.

    This would mean that only heart disease and cancer killed more people than the very people trying to treat these diseases.

    But there are good reasons to be suspicious about the claim.

    Professor Mary Dixon-Woods, director of The Healthcare Improvement Studies Institute, or THIS Institute, at Cambridge University, explains what’s going on.

    Presenter: Tim Harford Series producer: Tom Colls Production coordinator: Brenda Brown Sound mix: Nigel Appleton Editor: Richard Vadon

    Debate, Reform, tax evasion and ants

    Debate, Reform, tax evasion and ants

    Were there any suspicious claims in the election debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer?

    Do the claims in Reform UK’s policy documents on excess deaths and climate change make sense?

    Can the Conservatives and Labour raise £6bn a year by cracking down on tax avoidance and evasion?

    And do all the humans on earth weigh more than all of the ants?

    Presenter: Tim Harford Reporters: Kate Lamble and Nathan Gower Producer: Beth Ashmead-Latham Series producer: Tom Colls Production coordinator: Brenda Brown Editor: Richard Vadon

    Data for India

    Data for India

    India’s election has been running since 19 April. With results imminent on 4th June, More or Less talks with Chennai based data communicator Rukmini S. She founded Data for India, a new website designed to make socioeconomic data on India easier to find and understand. She talks us through the changing trends to help give a better picture of the type of country the winning party will govern.

    Producers: Bethan Ashmead and Nathan Gower Sound Engineer: Nigel Appleton Production Coordinator: Brenda Brown Editor: Richard Vadon

    UK growth, prisons and Swiftonomics

    UK growth, prisons and Swiftonomics

    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has said that the UK economy is growing faster than Germany, France and the US, while Labour says the typical household in the UK is worse off by £5,883 since 2019. Are these claims fair? We give some needed context.

    Net migration has fallen - we talk to someone who predicted it would - Dr Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatory at the University of Oxford.

    Is Taylor Swift about to add £1 bn to the British economy as some media outlets have claimed? The answer is ‘No’.

    Why are our prisons full? We ask Cassia Rowland from the Institute for Government.

    Presenter: Tim Harford Producers: Charlotte McDonald, Nathan Gower, Bethan Ashmead Latham and Ellie House Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Neil Churchill Production coordinator: Brenda Brown Editor: Richard Vadon

    Related Episodes

    Alien Etiquette 101

    Alien Etiquette 101

    People from different cultures often interpret gestures and etiquette differently, and this can lead to serious misunderstandings. So how should humans interact with extraterrestrials? Tune in as Julie and Robert explore the nuances of alien etiquette.

    Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    'We're not going anywhere', Sunak tells Putin & Europe increases military pledges to Kyiv

    'We're not going anywhere', Sunak tells Putin & Europe increases military pledges to Kyiv

    Day 686.

    Today, we bring you the latest news from across Ukraine as Rishi Sunak visits Kyiv in a major pledge of more British support. We also speak about Russian force generation efforts and Francis Dearnley updates us on important developments in Ukrainian politics.


    For more about 'Battle Lines', another foreign policy podcast from The Telegraph, visit its page here:

    https://www.telegraph.co.uk/battle-lines/


    Contributors:

    David Knowles (Head of Audio Development). @DJKnowles22 on Twitter.

    Francis Dearnley (Assistant Comment Editor). @FrancisDearnley on Twitter.

    Dominic Nicholls (Associate Editor, Defence). @DomNicholls on Twitter.


    Many of our listeners have raised concerns over the potential sale of Telegraph Media Group to the Abu Dhabi-linked Redbird IMI. We are inviting the submission of comments on the process. Email salecomments@telegraph.co.uk or dtletters@telegraph.co.uk to have your say.


    Subscribe to The Telegraph: telegraph.co.uk/ukrainethelatest

    Email: ukrainepod@telegraph.co.uk



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


    Poison (Pt 4) - UPDATE: Kenneth Law is arrested

    Poison (Pt 4) - UPDATE: Kenneth Law is arrested

    Warning, this episode contains discussions about suicide. 

    On Tuesday night, police in Canada announced the arrest and charge of a 57-year-old man on two counts of aiding or counselling suicide.

    In this update to our three-part series, Poison, we learn more about the alleged extent of his activities. 

    If you or someone you know has been affected by suicide or needs to talk to someone, please get in contact with the Samaritans online https://www.samaritans.org/ or call them for free on their 24-hour helpline 116 123.

    This podcast was brought to you thanks to the support of readers of The Times and The Sunday Times. Subscribe today: thetimes.co.uk/storiesofourtimes.

    Host: James Beal, Social Affairs Editor, The Times.

    james.beal@thetimes.co.uk



    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Budget to beat the rising cost of living

    Budget to beat the rising cost of living

    Next month has been dubbed ‘Awful April’ as the cost of pretty much everything is going up — but is your budget ready to withstand the strain? 22-year-old podcast listener Lil is worried about how she’ll cope with higher energy bills, rising rent and bigger food bills at the supermarket — not to mention National Insurance increases and changes to her student loan repayments. She’s already pretty thrifty — so can presenter Claer Barrett come up with more ways that Lil could stretch her money further?


    Charlotte Jessop, founder of the website Looking After Your Pennies, explains easy ways everyone can get to grips with budgeting and saving money, as well as ideas for boosting your income. Plus, Claer visits the home of Miguel Barclay, better known on Instagram as the £1 chef, to see what budgeting tips he’s been cooking up in his latest book.


    You can follow all of the podcast experts on Instagram: @Claerb, @lookingafteryourpennies, @miguelbarclay 


    To make the fried rice recipe Miguel cooked up for Claer, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT2bzS-vnF4


    Here’s the link to claim tax relief worth up to £125 if you’ve worked from home in the UK: https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/working-at-home


    To listen to our previous episode How to get a payrise, click here: https://www.ft.com/content/eeb84e5e-acf2-4b92-a99a-bd3514e1837d


    Charlotte’s recommended websites that offer small payments for completing consumer surveys include YouGov, Prolific and UserTesting.


    Presented by Claer Barrett. Produced by Persis Love. Our executive producer is Manuela Saragosa. Sound design is by Breen Turner, with original music from Metaphor Music.





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