The Secret Life of Numbers is a science communication podcast uncovering the stories behind everyday numbers and statistics.
Terms that are thrown around often but what do they mean, why do they matter, and how do scientists keep them in mind when communicating their research?
We tackle these very questions in the second instalment of our science communication mini series where we talk about what scientists do AFTER they finish their research. Tune in now, available wherever you listen to your podcasts!
What is the difference between qualitative and quantitative research? Can they be compatible? Complimentary?
We answer these questions in the first episode of our science communication mini series. Link in bio to all episodes!
Info adapted from McGill Qualitative Health Research Group
What’s the scientific method? We are going back to basics with our mini series on science communication and our episode about qualitative versus quantitative research is no exception. While this simplified diagram is relatively linear, the research process is usually more tortuous and cyclical. Good research means being willing to be flexible and follow the data.
What’s the difference between qualitative and quantitative research?
This week we dive into the methods behind the research that we share. If you’ve ever wondered what’s behind the curtain of research, you do not want to miss this episode!
Available on all platforms (link in bio!)
As stated by StatsCanada, “The consumer price index is an indicator of changes in consumer prices experienced by Canadians. It is obtained by comparing, over time, the cost of a fixed basket of goods and services purchased by consumers. Since the basket contains goods and services of unchanging or equivalent quantity and quality, the index reflects only pure price change.”
In other words, the consumer price index gives us an idea of how prices change year to year. And while the basket is fixed, our own personal baskets differ and thus how we experience year to year changes differs as well.
To learn more, be sure to check out our inflation episode!
You’ve heard of inflation, but have you heard of personal inflation?
The inflation rate is an average based on the cost of a standard basket of goods, but if your basket of goods has a different composition, your personal inflation rate will be different.
To learn more about inflation and how to calculate your personal inflation, make sure you check out our latest episode (link in bio)
SEASON 3 IS HERE!
We’ve spent the past few months working on season 3 and we are so excited to launch today with our first episode all about inflation!!
It’s something top of mind right now as we hit a decades high with inflation and as the Bank of Canada increased interest rates. But what does this mean for you?? Tune in to learn all about it!
Be sure to like and share this post and don’t forget to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and Spotify!!
Our season 2 finale dives into the gender pay gap with a particular focus on the gap in medicine.
If you’re wondering how large the gap is, how we got here, and how we can move forward, this post is for you.
Please like and share to spread the word and be sure to listen to our podcast episode to learn more (link in bio!)
This final for season 2 is all about the gender data gap. We learned this week about the gender pay gap, but did you know there’s one in data too?? Check out our episode for some examples of this gap and swipe to see a book rec to learn more!!
Did you know that the gender pay gap is real?
And no it’s not because women work less hours, or choose lower paying jobs.
In fact, medicine has one of the highest gender pay gaps of any field…
How is this possible and what can we do about it??
Tune in to our season finale on the gender pay gap - available everywhere!!
SWIPE TO THE END TO SEE THE 2021 TOTAL COST OF GIFTING THE 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS!!
Happy holidays friends!!
Our this week is short and sweet: happy holidays!!
Thank you for all of the support of the podcast in 2021 - we can’t wait for 2022!
Happy holidays friends!
Every year, the PNC Financial Services Group publishes the PNC Christmas Price Index which lists how much it would cost to buy your true love the gifts from “The 12 Days of Christmas”…
Swipe to check out the 2021 prices for the first 6 days and make sure to check out our latest episode to hear our discussion of the 2020 Christmas Price Index and what we can learn from it about the Consumer Price Index 🎄
If you missed our last post, we talked about variance using the example of daily water requirements. There are a lot of different factors that affect how much water you need on a daily basis, and fluctuates day to day… and it may be more or less than the ol 8 cups.
How much water you need to drink depends on a lot of factors, and thus varies across the population. Variance is the statistical measurement of that variation in a data set. To learn more about what factors affect your water consumption needs, and to hear more about variance, make sure to check out our 8 cups of water episode. Available everywhere!
This post sounds kind of dramatic, but we aren’t kidding. The origins of the recommendation to drink 8 cups of water per day will surprise you.
Make sure to check out our latest episode where we wrap up our 8 x 8 x 8 series all about the 8s of our lives!
Available everywhere!!
Words like hustle and grind have become part of our everyday language and have shaped how we view work and productivity. Just a little reminder that resting, recharging, and filling your own cup are also part of working hard and living a balanced life. To hear more about hustle culture and working hours, check out our latest episode!
This week we talked about the 8 hour work day and our is that more isn’t always more… which is true in both life and science. To learn more about what we mean by this, and to hear our thoughts on the 6 hour work day pilot project in Sweden and hustle culture, make sure to check out our latest episode!
Do you work 9-5?
Our 8 x 8 x 8 series has us tackling the “8”s of our lives and this week we are talking about the origins of the 8 hour work day. So grab your cup of ambition and check out our latest episode on your commute! Available everywhere.
So we know that sleep is key… but how do we get a good night’s sleep?? Here are some tips to optimize your sleep 💤 check out our full episode on sleep to learn more!!
This week we discussed the recommendations for sleeping 8 hours a night and our discussion really highlighted different qualities of evidence. If you remember back to our episode about ghosts, we had market research done on a relatively unknown population. For sleep recommendations, we have systematic reviews, which review all available and relevant studies on a topic to determine the strength of evidence available, and panels of international experts who vote on the recommendations.
To learn more about the research methods underlying the recommendation to sleep 8 hours a day, check out our latest episode! Available everywhere!
How many hours did you sleep last night?
We all know that sleep is important for our health and well-being, so why do we use it as a reserve of extra time to cut into to give us a few more hours in the day?
This week’s episode tackles why we need 8 hours of sleep and what happens if we sleep too much, or too little. We also answer the hotly debated question, can you catch up on sleep?
Tune in wherever you get your podcasts!
Sometimes it can be hard to spot a scam… here are some things to look out for that the multilevel marketing company you’re in/being recruited to might be a pyramid scheme.
Check out the latest episode of The Secret Life of Numbers podcast for more info!!
This week on the podcast we tackled the stat that 99% of people in multi level marketing (MLMs) lose money.
We break down what exactly is an MLM and how it is different from a pyramid scheme. However, some pyramid schemes look like legitimate MLMs, which blurs the lines of legality.
Check out our latest episode for a full dive into MLMs
Have you heard of multi-level marketing?
Our episode this week tackles the stat that 99% of people who join a multi-level marketing company lose money. To learn what a multi-level marketing company is, and to find out how this statistic was calculated and what the Federal Trade Commission has to say, check out our latest episode!
Are our individual efforts to reduce carbon dioxide emissions futile since 71% of global CO2 emissions are produced by 100 companies?
No.
It all comes down to how emissions are classified. Much of the 71% of emissions referenced in the 2017 Carbon Majors Report that this statistic came from are Scope 3 emissions, which means that they include downstream (ie consumer) emissions. For a full breakdown of the different scopes of emissions and why we still have a personal responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint, check out our latest episode. Available everywhere.
Is climate change on your mind?
You’re not alone! With recently and now the extreme flooding in British Columbia, climate change is impossible to ignore. If you want to learn more about climate change, and where the world is at, we encourage everyone to check out the 2021 climate change report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. In particular, the summary for policy makers is concise with clear figures. AND make sure to check out our overview of the latest in this week’s podcast episode!!
Have you heard that 100 companies are responsible for 71% of carbon dioxide emissions? Does this leave the rest of us off the metaphorical hook for our emissions?
These questions are exactly what we are tackling in this week’s episode of . Tune in wherever you get your podcasts!
If only 9% of plastic is actually recycled, what happens to the rest of it? The rest is incinerated, sent to landfill, or leaked into the environment. For more info on the fate of all plastics ever made, make sure to check out our latest episode!!
Do you know what’s recyclable in your local area? Every community has different recycling protocols and although we wanted to give advice about how to recycle in your community, it’s different everywhere!
Our this week takes a page from one of our favourite podcasts and leaves you with a call to action. Find out what’s recyclable in your area!!
Some general tips:
♻️ make sure the items are clean and dry
♻️ remove labels and separate the object into its component parts. For example, take the cap off of a bottle.
♻️ soft plastic film is very hard to recycle so unless it is recyclable in your area, don’t put it in the blue bin!
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