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Behind the Data | LaughTrack

Podcast

Behind the Data

Behind the Data

Andrea Jones-Rooy

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What's actually in US jobs data?Sep 8, 2025 · 40 minData about the US labor market has been all over the headlines of late -- but what's actually in these numbers? Beyond the recent political upheaval surrounding the August 1, 2025, jobs report, the process of translating complex and nuanced things like labor market activity into numbers, and then making sense of those numbers while also being mindful of long-term deeper trends that might affect those interpretations -- is super fascinating and important. In this episode we talk with Ben Casselman, Chief Economics Correspondent at the New York Times, about how to think about these numbers, how they fit into our broader understanding of the health of the economy, and some of the longer-term challenges facing our ability to collect this data going forward. It's a fascinating conversation and Ben is incredibly thoughtful and engaging, and I'm thrilled to share it with you. Note: This interview was recorded in January 2025, well before the August jobs report release and subsequent firing of the head of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That said, this discussion of how to think about the numbers, what's actually in them, and why economic activity can be really hard to measure -- is still super relevant, if not more relevant, today. In our next episode we will address the events since August. 1 in an interview with Erica Groshen, who was the head of the BLS from 2013-17. As ever, thanks for listening! I hope you find this conversation as helpful as I did in making sense of the news. Follow Ben and read his work! Here he is on X and LinkedIn. And here are some of my favorite articles by him of late: • Ben’s recent writing on jobs data reliability (referenced at the opening of this episode) • Ben’s writeup about the precedent of firing head of BLS (fantastic article for putting current events in context) • Ben’s article about trust in economic data (referenced towards the end of this episode) I'm at jonesrooy.com and @jonesrooy on all the things. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why don't we do what makes us happier?Aug 23, 2025 · 40 minWe all want to be happier, yet we often avoid the very actions that research shows would actually improve our happiness. We talk with social psychologist Lara Aknin about her work as editor of the World Happiness Report and director of the Helping and Happiness Lab to explore what we know about what makes us happy, and why we don't do more of those things. From the surprising happiness boost we get from acts of generosity to why reaching out to old friends feels harder than it should, we unpack why humans misjudge what will make them happy—and the social fears that hold us back. Along the way, we explore how the work of turning "happiness" into data in the first place not only informs policy but also reveals actionable ways to live more fulfilled, connected lives. Explore more: • Lara's Google Scholar page • Lara's Helping & Happiness lab • The World Happiness Report • Statistical appendix to chapter 2 of the World Happiness Report (a.k.a. my favorite data documentation ever!) Find out more about the show at behindthedatashow.com and more about the host at jonesrooy.com or @jonesrooy on Instagram. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Season 3 trailerAug 19, 2025Welcome back to another season of exploring the world through the magical, clarifying, and thought-provoking lens of data! Find us at behindthedatashow.com or wherever you get your podcasts. Find out more about host Andrea Jones-Rooy, Ph.D., at jonesrooy.com or @jonesrooy on Instagram. We will also have a Substack this season (coming soon)! Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Shark data week!Jun 2, 2025 · 41 minIf you've ever thought your data was hard to get, wait until you hear about shark data. We are joined by shark scientist Jaida Elcock to discuss how she gets data about sharks, why it's so difficult -- and why it's so important that we do so despite the challenges. Whether you're naturally interested in sharks, care about our planet and oceans, or just want to hear a really brilliant person talk about some truly fascinating datasets and the amazing feats she undertakes to collect them -- then you're going to love this conversation. Join us as we discuss what we know about sharks, and more importantly, frighteningly, and excitingly: the many things we still don't know. Plus: the importance of high-quality snorkel fins, how to get involved in science, and why curiosity and creativity continue to be a scientist's -- and everyone's -- best friend. Follow Jaida on all the things! • Instagram: @sofishtication_ • Threads: @sofishtication_ • Bluesky: @sofishtication.bsky.social • X: @soFISHtication • YouTube: @soFISHtication_ Follow Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), get involved, and support if you can at https://www.misselasmo.org/ and @miss_elasmo on Instagram. Here are some cool shark videos, per Jaida's search recommendations at the end of the show! I picked these particular videos, but you really can't go wrong watching most videos that show up when you search the below terms. • Basking shark breaching • Thresher shark tail whip • Goblin shark bite Follow Andrea at @jonesrooy on Instagram and at https://www.jonesrooy.com/. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The science of self-medication in animalsMay 23, 2025 · 46 minWhen we think about advances in medicine, most of us probably first picture lab coats and fancy equipment -- but as our guest, biologist Jaap de Roode, author of the extraordinary new book Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes, and Other Animals Heal Themselves shares, sometimes big discoveries (in medicine and beyond!) can come from looking for data in surprising new places. Join us for a fascinating conversation about how animals in the wild use medicine, such as plants in their environments, why this is so important to understand, and how we can all make more discoveries by starting from a place of wonder, curiosity, and open-mindedness. Plus: extremely fun animal facts!! Follow Jaap at @jaapderoode on Instagram, and be sure to buy his book, Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes, and Other Animals Heal Themselves ! Host Andrea Jones-Rooy is @jonesrooy on Instagram and at www.jonesrooy.com. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Searching for life in the Milky WayApr 15, 2025 · 43 minIs there life in our galaxy? How would we know if we spotted it? Dr. Moiya McTier, astrophysicist and folklorist, joins us to talk about her Ph.D. research on exactly that, plus the many surprising ways we get data about our universe (plus some existential pondering, of course)! Warning: we will be talking about the vastness of space and it's *no joke*! If you're overwhelmed by the universe but want to be its friend, be sure to check out Moiya's fantastic podcast Pale Blue Pod! I'm also a guest on an episode this week hooray :). Follow Moiya! • @GoAstroMo on all the things! • Moiyamctier.com • Her book is The Milky Way: An Autobiography of Our Galaxy • Her podcast rules: https://palebluepod.com/ Links & references in the episode: • Foundational archao-astronomer Owen Gingerich • Cultural astronomer Jarita Holbrook • LIGO chirp sounds & information • NASA datasets • NASA's exoplanet archive Our music is from Music Radio Creative and we are proudly part of the Daily Tech News Show ecosystem! Find me at @jonesrooy and jonesrooy.com. Chapters 00:00 Exploring Life in the Milky Way 04:09 Astrophysics vs. Astronomy: Understanding the Differences 10:30 Data Collection in Astrophysics 16:42 The Breakthrough of Gravitational Waves 21:13 The Sound of Space: Gravitational Waves and Data Representation 22:19 Multi-Messenger Astronomy: A New Era of Discovery 24:48 The Cosmic Gold Rush: Understanding Element Formation 26:21 Data Overload: The Stress of Astronomical Discoveries 28:50 Big Data in Astronomy: The Challenge of Analysis 31:12 AI in Astronomy: The Future of Data Processing 33:33 Bias in Data: The Challenges of Observational Astronomy 36:14 Null Results: The Importance of Scientific Rigor 38:37 The Search for Life: Habitable Zones in the Milky Way 40:54 Existential Reflections: Finding Meaning in the Vastness of Space 42:05 Exploring Space Data: Resources for the Curious Keywords Milky Way, life, astrophysics, astronomy, gravitational waves, data collection, science communication, cultural astronomy, world building, aliens, gravitational waves, multi-messenger astronomy, data analysis, AI in astronomy, bias in data, habitable zones, cosmic discoveries, Milky Way, space exploration, scientific rigor Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Fear and optimism in the age of AIApr 8, 2025 · 47 minVasant Dhar has been working on AI since way before it was cool (and before most people thought it was possible). I've admired his work for a long time and since I started this show have wanted to have him on as a guest to talk about the strengths and limitations of LLMs. A few days ago, he published an article in The Hill about how DOGE is using AI wrong, and I knew I had to talk to him immediately. We discuss, indeed, what DOGE is doing wrong, as well as the broader lessons we all can learn from this example about what makes a good vs. not-so-good use case for LLMs. We also talk about his recent and completely earth-shattering Severance-esque research where he and a colleague create a bot with the goal of simulating the valuation reasoning of investing legend Aswath Damodaran. Naturally, throughout the conversation, I pepper him with questions about how scared or optimistic we should be about all of this, as well as how AI can somehow be both incredible and limited at the same time. Follow Vasant! • Vasant's (excellent!) Brave New World podcast: http://bravenewpodcast.com/ • Vasant's substack: https://vasantdhar.substack.com/ • Vasant's article: "DOGE is using AI the wrong way." • Vasant's recent paper: "DBOT: Artificial intelligence for systematic long-term investing" I'm @jonesrooy on Instagram and at jonesrooy.com. And, because I'm trying to make friends with AI, below is a chapter summary! Woo hoo. Chapters 00:00 The Evolution of AI: A Personal Journey 01:49 Understanding LLMs: Are They Thinking? 04:35 The Fear of AI: Balancing Optimism and Caution 06:57 Explaining LLMs to Newcomers 09:37 Learning and The Integration of the Senses 12:24 DOGE's Approach to AI in Government 15:22 The Need for Better AI Implementation in Government 17:47 Could This Actually Work? 20:16 A Problem with Using AI on Data from Humans 21:47 Contextualizing Project Failures 22:33 Applying AI to Investing 23:45 Building an AI Investor 27:36 The Science of Long-Term Investing 28:40 Simulating Expertise: The Damodaran Bot 32:33 The Art of Questioning in AI 36:07 Expectations and Realities of AI Development 40:10 Be the AI Change You Wish to See in the World Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The power of turning political attitudes into numbersMar 25, 2025 · 30 minWe take it as a given that Americans are politically polarized, but how do we actually know if empirically this is the case? We talk with Prof. Patrick Egan (NYU) about how we can quantify something as abstract as a political attitude, why doing so helps us understand polarization, and how all of this helps reveal opportunities where we can make progress on areas where we're most divided -- such as climate change. Explore Pat's research and writing: https://wp.nyu.edu/egan/. Papers and resources mentioned in the episode: • An example of Pat's work on issue ownership is here. • The data Pat mentioned on Americans' political attitudes since 1948 is from the American National Election Studies (ANES), which you can explore for free here. • An example of measuring leaders' ideologies based on their roll call votes is here. • An example of measuring ideology based on campaign contributions is here. • Learn more about Hanna Pitkin's concept of representation in her 1972 book The Concept of Representation (helpful summary here). • Pat's 2024 climate change paper (with Megan Mullin) is US partisan polarization on climate change: Can stalemate give way to opportunity? (appeared in PS: Political Science and Politics 57(1): pp. 30-35). • BTW: the adage that states that headlines that pose a question tend to have the answer "no" is Betteridge's law of headlines and it's very fun. Follow Andrea at @jonesrooy on Instagram and/or learn more at jonesrooy.com. Be sure to check out our partner show The Daily Tech News Show! Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Building a data warehouse to help find a cure for ALSMar 18, 2025 · 46 minALS is a fatal motor neuron disease that has no cure and is estimated to affect hundreds of thousands of people worldwide. Why is a cure, or even a meaningful treatment, so elusive? We talk with data engineer, scientist, and rare disease advocate Danielle Boyce at ALS TDI about her work helping us all better understand this terrible illness. While the topic is grim, Danielle provides a lot of hope -- as well as inspiration to all of us to get involved in solving problems through data. Follow Danielle and her amazing data & statistics tips on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/data-danielle/. Find out more about ALS Therapy Development Institute (ALS TDI): https://www.als.net/ (and donate if you like!). Two other resources Danielle mentioned to get involved: https://ohdsi.org/ and https://www.geoals.org/. Follow Brooke Eby on the various social medias: @limpbroozkit. Check out my father Robert Rooy's film about our friend John Godinet: https://www.lovingjohnmovie.com/ and watch the trailer here! Follow me at @jonesrooy and https://www.jonesrooy.com/. Behind the Data is proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show ecosystem. Special thanks to Tom Merritt and our producer Roger Chang! Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Spying on Elon Musk and Tesla from spaceMar 11, 2025 · 42 minOceans of numbers come pouring out at us each day about the big tech companies -- whether it's spending on AI, iPhone sales, Tesla stocks ... or, lawsuits against SpaceX by Cards Against Humanity? -- senior tech correspondent Rani Molla is on the case. We talk with her about how to make sense of all the numbers coming our way, the power of zooming out and getting the (literal and figurative!) big picture, and why her comparative literature degree has been a surprisingly huge asset in her numbers-centric work. Also, we find out about what the heck Elon is up to (at least with respect to some of his goings-on!). Rani's articles that use satellite images: "Before and after: Aerial photos show what being Elon Musk's neighbor can do to your land," Sherwood News "Tesla's massive pileup: Tesla's unsold inventory is creating stockpiles you can see from space," Sherwood News Resources mentioned: Tesla's Form 10-K for 2024 Flourish data visualization platform Read more of Rani's great work on Sherwood News here and follow her on Bluesky here! Read more about Andrea here and on Instagram. And check out our partner show, the Daily Tech News Show! Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Just how much misinformation is out there?Mar 4, 2025 · 51 minWe all have ideas about how social media and misinformation are affecting us and our world. But, as our guest Prof. Joshua Tucker explains, received wisdom is not the same thing as scientific findings. Join us for a tour de force through how to break down "social media" and "misinformation" into researchable parts that can be theoretically and quantitatively studied -- as well as some seriously surprising findings about both. Fun fact: This episode was originally going to come later in the season, but the topic is so important we decided to release it sooner. Follow Josh and the NYU Center for Social Media and Politics at csmapnyu.org. Josh references a lot of great research. Here are links to all the papers, reports, and books he mentions -- presented in the order of appearance! • Tucker et al. 2018. "Social Media, Political Polarization, and Political Disinformation: A Review of the Scientific Literature." Hewlett Foundation. • Persily & Tucker, ed. 2020. Social Media and Democracy. Cambridge University Press. • Diamond & Plattner, ed. 2012. Liberation Technology. Hopkins Press. • Persily, Nathan. 2017. "Can Democracy Survive the Internet?" Journal of Democracy. • Tucker et al. 2017. "From Liberation to Turmoil." Journal of Democracy. • Guess, Nagler, & Tucker. 2019. "Less Than You Think: Prevalence and Predictors of Fake News Dissemination on Facebook." Science Advances. • Aslett et al. 2024. "Online Searches to Evaluate Misinformation Can Increase Its Perceived Veracity." Nature. • Allen et al. 2020. "Evaluating the Fake News Problem at the Scale of the Information Ecosystem." Science Advances. • Sanderson, Messing, & Tucker. 2024. "Misunderstood Mechanics: How AI, TikTok, and the Liar's Dividend Might Affect the 2024 Elections." Brookings. • Allen, Watts, & Rand. 2024. "Quantifying the Impact of Misinformation and Vaccine-Skeptical Content on Facebook." Science. You can find AJR at jonesrooy.com and @jonesrooy on IG. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Season 2 trailerFeb 25, 2025Welcome to Season 2 of Behind the Data! We're going to explore brand new topics through the powerful lens of data, find common ground on some issues that are really dividing us, and even gaze into the night sky and the deep seas -- join us for an adventure, and then some, and walk away with a brand new way of looking at the world through the shared language of data. This season you can expect episodes on misinformation, political attitudes, happiness, ALS, tech, and more. Behind the Data is hosted by Andrea Jones-Rooy, Roger Chang is our producer, and we are proudly part of the Daily Tech News Show network! Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to inspect data about your own life to find fulfillmentDec 9, 2024 · 54 minHow do we know what career/path/decision is right for us? How can data science help? In this special season 1 finale, we are joined by Megan Hellerer, career coach to luminaries such as AOC, as well as the author of Directional Living: A Transformational Guide to Fulfillment in Work and Life to discuss why traditional career advice doesn't work, why instead we should treat our daily decisions and behaviors like data to be studied, and how, once we collect that data, to conduct hypothesis tests to find further clues about what a uniquely fulfilling life might look like for each of us. I've always believed that data is not just some third-party abstract thing, but rather can be very personal and impactful on our own lives, and no one makes this case more strongly -- or more urgently or compellingly -- than Megan. In fact, she reminds us that sometimes the most important data we need is already right under our noses; we just need to know to look for it -- and (the really hard part) be willing to learn from it. Get your copy of Directional Living here, learn more about Megan here, and follow her on Instagram @meganhellerer! Find out more about your host here and on Instagram @jonesrooy. We will return for season 2 in early 2025. In the meantime, if you've enjoyed Behind the Data, please share it with any friends and family you think also might enjoy it! And don't forget to follow the Daily Tech News Show as well. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The art and science of measuring democracyDec 2, 2024 · 43 minIs democracy in decline around the world? This is a major question on many of our minds, and luckily for us there are very smart, thoughtful people working on tracking (as well as explaining, understanding, and predicting!) exactly this. We are joined by professor Brigitte Seim, who is a project manager for the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) dataset, which is one of the biggest and most elaborate efforts to track democracy around the world to date. We discuss how to think about turning something as abstract and unwieldy as "democracy" into a number, how to make sense of and learn from those numbers, and about her own research on the growing importance of measuring toxic political speech online to understanding the health of democracy. This is a great episode for anyone who cares about democracy or regime type broadly, but also for anyone interested in the beautiful art and science of measurement (one of my favorite topics ever!), as well as for anyone interested in learning about a dataset that is a great place to start if you're looking for some data to practice and work with in your own curiosity-based data science journey. Enjoy! Learn more on Brigitte here and check out her prolific research here. Read about and explore the Varieties of Democracy dataset at v-dem.net. Learn more about Andrea here and on Instagram at @jonesrooy. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What can we learn from data about what actually happened in the election?Nov 25, 2024 · 46 minApproximately ten billion different narratives about what happened in the recent US presidential election have emerged since said election. But how many of these narratives can be substantiated by data? How can we tell? Political scientist Seth Masket joins us to discuss how to make thoughtful inferences from this data, how and why to be skeptical of evidence-free opinions, and the importance (just like in the last episode!!) of being thoughtful about whether our narratives are based on data or we (or others who are trying to persuade us of something) are simply trying to pick data to support our narrative(s). Stick around until the end to hear how polls did and Seth's thoughts on why everything feels so politically bad these days. Follow and read more by Seth: • His substack: smotus.substack.com • His podcast: powerflour.substack.com • His personal website: sethmasket.com Follow Andrea at jonesrooy.com and on Instagram at @jonesrooy. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
What data does your doctor collect about you?Nov 18, 2024 · 1 hr 9 minDr. Steven Novella, clinical neurologist and host of The Skeptics' Guide to the Universe podcast joins us to share how he collects and analyzes data when he works with patients (there is so much more going on than I realized!) as well as how AI can hopefully improve the practice of medicine if we get it right. It's a longer episode than usual, but I hope you'll agree it's well worth it. Follow Steve: https://www.theskepticsguide.org/ https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/ https://theness.com/neurologicablog/ Follow Andrea: https://www.jonesrooy.com/ and @jonesrooy on socials. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
The (often) false promise of personal fitness dataNov 11, 2024 · 39 minScience journalist and athlete Christie Aschwanden takes us inside the not-so-scientific world of the fitness and health data that's tracked by various apps we probably own and/or are tempted to buy, and she helps us more carefully discern what's actually useful to follow and what we're better off ignoring. Plus -- an existentially (and scientifically!) important discussion about the power of uncertainty (and why it doesn't have to feel bad). Christie's Scientific American podcast is Uncertain. Her book is Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn About the Strange Science of Recovery. You can read more about her and by here on her website. Follow AJR, your host, at @jonesrooy on Instagram and find out more here. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Super cool data about movies (that are not reviews!)Nov 4, 2024 · 39 minWhen we think of data and movies the first (and maybe only) thing that comes to mind for many of us is movie reviews. But there is so much more we can learn about movies and ourselves if we just think outside the box a little bit and apply data and scientific thinking in creative ways. We talk with Walt Hickey, author of the book You Are What You Watch: How TV and Movies Affect Everything, about all kinds of exciting applications of data to track how movies affect us physically and emotionally, the value of exporting (and importing) culture internationally, whether superpowers predict evilness, how the plots of many movies have changed over time, why we like what we like, and how movies can change our entire life trajectory. Plus, prepare to learn why we should all watch Titanic again, as well as maybe consider (gasp) ignoring reviews of movies altogether. Relevant materials and links mentioned: • Buy Walt's book • Subscribe to Numlock • Check out Sherwood News • More about Walt • Follow Walt on X More on Andrea here and on Instagram. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why can't we agree on crime statistics?Oct 28, 2024 · 37 minCrime data is all over the news these days and, at least in the United States, it seems like you can tell any story you want to about whether crime is going up or down and whose fault it is. How should we be thinking about this data to figure out of what's really going on? We speak with Jeff Asher, crime data analyst and co-founder of JH Datalytics, which recently launched the Real-Time Crime Index, about where crime data comes from, why everyone seems to be disagreeing about it, and how to think and talk about it more clearly. Materials referenced in the show: • Jeff's company: https://www.ahdatalytics.com/ • Jeff's substack: https://jasher.substack.com/ • Real-Time Crime Index: https://realtimecrimeindex.com/ • One of Jeff's articles about the crime data mess of a few years ago. Andrea is here and on Instagram. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Political pollsOct 28, 2024 · 36 minPolitical polls are in our faces these days whether we want them or not -- especially if you're in the US during election season. We talk with polling expert and database journalist Dhrumil Mehta of Columbia University (formerly Nate Silver's FiveThirtyEight) about how to think about polls. Are they all just noise? Do they tell the future? Something in the middle? Join us to explore where political polls come from, how to evaluate them, and how to make the most of the information they offer. Materials referenced in the show: • Example polling tracker from Nate Silver (Dhrumil and Andrea did not work on this version directly, but it is a "descendant" of a model they did work on.) • Nate Silver article, "The Media Has a Probability Problem", FiveThirtyEight • Harry Enten article, "Fake Polls are a Real Problem", FiveThirtyEight • Harry Enten article, "Trump is Just a Normal Polling Error Behind Clinton", FiveThirtyEight • Dhrumil's polls LLM: http://pollfinder.ai More about Andrea here and on Instagram. More about Dhrumil here and on X. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Season 1 TrailerOct 21, 2024This is a short preview of what to expect in season 1! We'll have eight episodes coming out Mondays, beginning Oct. 28 with two episodes, and six weekly episodes after that through Dec. 9. We'll cover topics from political polls to crime data, from fitness apps to medical data, and from TV & movies to the health of democracy, and more! Join us to go to the root of the technological revolutions happening all around us -- as well as learn a bit more about ourselves along the way. You can find the show at BehindtheDataShow.com. We are proud members of the Daily Tech News Show ecosystem, and you can follow and learn more about host Andrea Jones-Rooy here and on Instagram. Behind the Data is a podcast that uncovers the hidden stories within the data shaping our world. From political polls to global happiness trackers, we dive into the datasets that influence the decisions we make—while showing you why data isn’t just numbers, but a way to understand the world. Whether you're a data newbie or a seasoned pro, each episode makes complex data approachable, revealing surprising insights and the human side of every dataset. Come for the discoveries, stay for the stories. We are proud to be part of the Daily Tech News Show network of podcasts. Subscribe and leave a review! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Andrea Jones-Rooy

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