Latest Geneticrisk Podcast Episodes

How Misinformation Spreads

Risky Talk - December 14, 2021 05:30 - 53 minutes
From anti-vaxx propaganda to partisan political news and wild covid conspiracies, social media is awash with dodgy, even dangerous (mis)information. Who is pushing this content online, what are they trying to achieve and how can we stop it - without censoring free speech? David is joined by a ...

Covid By Numbers

Risky Talk - October 14, 2021 04:05 - 40 minutes
Excess deaths, vaccine harms and lockdowns: how should experts communicate about these complex, politically explosive issues? Michael Blastland quizzes statistical duo David Spiegelhalter and Anthony Masters on what they’ve learnt while writing a weekly column for the Observer. They explore the ...

Communicating Evidence to Policymakers

Risky Talk - April 26, 2021 06:18 - 49 minutes
Politicians and civil servants are hungry for data to help design effective policy. How do we best collect and communicate this evidence - to support good governance and public accountability?  Joining David to explore interactive dashboards, misinformation and what’s not in the data are:  Pro...

Doing Journalism with Data

Risky Talk - March 28, 2021 07:55 - 46 minutes
Statistics need care and context - but journalists are under pressure to craft engaging stories. Is there a way of doing both?  Joining David to explore how you turn data into a clear and compelling story are: Caelainn Barr - Data Projects Editor at The Guardian Tom Chivers - Science Edito...

Communicating about Vaccines

Risky Talk - November 23, 2020 05:30 - 41 minutes
Communicating about vaccines has never been higher stakes. How do we do it well? Joining David to explore the importance of scientific rigour, listening and building relationships are: Professor Heidi Larson - Director of the Vaccine Confidence Project and the author of Stuck: How Vaccine R...

Communicating In a Crisis

Risky Talk - September 18, 2020 05:00 - 36 minutes
Chemical spills, food scares, terrorist attacks and, of course, pandemics: How can we help manage and reduce the impact of these frightening events with good communication - even while evidence is scant and uncertainty predominates? Joining David to share their experience from the frontlines a...

Communicating Evidence in a Pandemic

Risky Talk - August 20, 2020 05:00 - 39 minutes
The public appetite for scientific evidence during the coronavirus pandemic has been voracious. But communicating it well is a fiendish challenge. How can governments give clear advice while also acknowledging uncertainty? How can scientists debate complex evidence while supporting strong interv...

Confronting Uncertainty with Tamsin Edwards

Risky Talk - May 23, 2020 05:00 - 36 minutes
For leading climate scientist Dr Tamsin Edwards, probabilities and possible futures are part of her everyday work. She joins David to explore uncertainty in different aspects of her life: as a statistician and mathematical modeller, as a communicator about possible climate futures, but also as a...

Coronavirus: Understanding the Numbers

Risky Talk - April 02, 2020 13:19 - 26 minutes
The unfolding coronavirus pandemic is a story driven by numbers. But how reliable are the numbers we have? What can the data really tell us – and what are the major areas of uncertainty? In this special episode, recorded on 1st April,  Michael Blastland and Professor David Spiegelhalter help u...

Communicating about Climate Change

Risky Talk - March 01, 2020 21:45 - 51 minutes
How can we communicate about climate change in the most engaging, informative and even persuasive ways? What are the different audiences we need to reach, and how can we craft effective communications for each of them? Joining David to guide us through the psychology, politics and science of c...

Stats in the Headlines: Crime, Immigration and Political Polls

Risky Talk - March 01, 2020 21:30 - 41 minutes
Stats about crime, immigration, unemployment and political polls fuel political debate and drive headlines. But how are these ‘soft’ numbers really calculated? How uncertain should we be about them? And how can they be reported honestly and usefully - without losing trust? Joining David to mak...

Communicating Genetic Risk

Risky Talk - March 01, 2020 21:13 - 53 minutes
Personal genetic risk information is set to be become part of everyday healthcare. But is some unhelpful, even dangerous? What psychological impact does it have on patients? And do doctors know enough about genetics to effectively guide patients and inform treatment decisions? Joining David to...

Introducing Risky Talk

Risky Talk - February 05, 2020 16:23 - 1 minute
Risky Talk features conversations with the world’s top experts in risk and evidence communication addressing urgent, practical challenges: How can doctors communicate the risks and benefits of medical treatment? How should scientists communicate evidence about climate change? How can journalists...