Is the world getting less miserable?

Is the world getting less miserable?

When you follow the news, particularly in countries like the UK and the US, it sometimes feels like people are less optimistic about their lives than they were in the past. But a new piece of analysis from polling company Gallup suggests this might just be the local view, not the global one. Using data from the Gallup World Poll, it suggests that “people in more countries are living better lives and expressing more hope for the future” than at any point in the last decade.

Tim Harford speaks to Gallup’s Benedict Vigers, who wrote the report, to understand what improvements in the “global median for thriving” really means. If you’ve seen a number in the news you think we should look at, email the team: moreorless@bbc.co.uk

Presenter: Tim Harford Series producer: Tom Colls Sound mix: Bob Nettles Editor: Richard Vadon

Jaksot(1052)

Trouble on the Greek railways (WS)

Trouble on the Greek railways (WS)

Would it be cheaper to send every Greek rail passenger by taxi instead? This programme was first broadcast on the BBC World Service.

14 Touko 20129min

Are CEOs worth it? (R4)

Are CEOs worth it? (R4)

Executive pay, chess and trouble on the Greek railway.

11 Touko 201228min

A grand economic experiment? (WS)

A grand economic experiment? (WS)

Are we witnessing a grand economic experiment being played out between Europe, trying to cut its way out of trouble, and the United States, trying to spend its way to redemption? Plus, we investigate the height of North Koreans. This programme was first broadcast on the BBC World Service.

4 Touko 20129min

Austerity, border queues and bank holidays (R4)

Austerity, border queues and bank holidays (R4)

Are we witnessing a grand economic experiment playing out between Britain and the United States? How long have travellers been waiting to get through immigration at Heathrow? Plus, are you going to destroy the economy this bank holiday weekend?

4 Touko 201227min

The formula that changed the world

The formula that changed the world

The Midas Formula - In this week's More or Less: The story of Black-Scholes, the equation that transformed Wall Street – and the arguments over whether it made the world a better place, or helped cause the financial mess we have all been dealing with for the past five years. This programme was first broadcast on the BBC World Service.

27 Huhti 20129min

The formula that changed the world

The formula that changed the world

Rain and drought in numbers, the formula which changed Wall Street and then the world forever - and why Conservative MPs used to be taller than their Labour counterparts.

27 Huhti 201228min

20 Apr 12

20 Apr 12

Is the rate of species extinction exaggerated - or even unknowable? Producer: Richard Knight This programme was first broadcast on the BBC World Service.

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20 Apr 12

20 Apr 12

We investigate the height of North Koreans, the width of police officers and rate of species extinction. Producer: Richard Knight

20 Huhti 201227min

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