Sketchplanations - The Podcast

• Microlives & The Art of Uncertainty with Sir David Spiegelhalter

  What's your life expectancy trade-off for enjoying a crispy bacon sandwich? 🥓Sir David Spiegelhalter is a celebrated Professor of Statistics at the University of Cambridge; widely accepted as one of the UK's foremost statisticians. He explains the concepts of 'micromorts' and 'microlives', which quantify risk and the impact of lifestyle choices on life expectancy. The discussion delves into acute vs. chronic risks, with practical examples such as the dangers of skydiving or how regular smoking affects longevity of life. The conversation also covers the application of statistics in medicine, the importance of randomisation in clinical trials, and the philosophical underpinnings of uncertainty. Additionally, David highlights the human capacity to judge risks, the pitfalls of intuition, and offers practical advice on dealing with uncertainty in everyday life. Lively anecdotes, insightful explanations, and practical takeaways make this episode a compelling listen for anyone interested in the intersection of statistics, risk, and daily decision-making.David's latest book, The Art of Uncertainty is available in all good bookshops and online.Here are some useful links to further explore some topics raised:The work of Ron Howard at Stanford UniversityJono's sketch on Word SpectrumsDavid's many other books - including Sex by NumbersPoisson Distribution explainedDavid tells the tale of Persi Diaconis - the Mathemagician.Episode Summary:00:00 Introduction, David's Background & Achievements01:43 The Wipeout Experience03:13 Understanding Micro-Morts04:27 Acute vs. Chronic Risks05:29 Micro-Morts in Everyday Activities12:05 Introduction to Micro-Lives18:03 Medical Applications of Data and Statistics21:27 The Role of Uncertainty in Life27:52 Building Resilience Over Robustness29:18 Embracing Uncertainty in Life33:35 Misuse of Statistics in Media and Politics40:30 The Gamblers Fallacy and Intuition42:29 The Uniqueness of Card Shuffles45:43 Common Misconceptions About Probability48:02 Practical Tips for Dealing with Uncertainty51:33 Final Thoughts and ReflectionsAll music is provided by Franc Cinelli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• The Pomodoro Technique

  This genius time management hack was conceived by Francesco Cirillo. The technique involves working for 25 minutes followed by a mandatory 5-minute break, repeating this cycle three to four times before taking a longer break. We share our personal attempts at using the method, explore the psychology behind productive work cycles, the importance of taking breaks and reflect on its effectiveness in both office and home environments. We also discuss the broader context of productivity obsession and share insights from using related tools eg. online "focus buddies". The session concludes with a follow-up on how the Pomodoro Technique has worked for them a week after recording the episode, reenforcing a lot of the theory we originally set out. Could this be our favourite procrastination buster yet!?!External linksIn the episode we reference a number of items you can find out more on here: Previous podcast episodes came up a lot (procrastination is a recurring theme for us): How to Instantly Feel Better; Yak Shaving; Goldilocks Tasks & The Fresh Start EffectRemarkably, there's currently no sketch for it, but Jono talks about The Red Queen Effect or Hypothesis - the concept of having to run to stay still.The Bear Focus Timer (used by Jono and now Tom as well). Available on Apple Store Examples of Focus Buddy or Accountability Partner websites include Focus Mate and Flow Club.Episode Summary00:00 Introduction to Sketchplanations Podcast00:29 Exploring the Pomodoro Technique01:03 Origins and Basics of the Pomodoro Technique02:57 Implementing the Pomodoro Technique in the Office07:23 Challenges and Adaptations of the Pomodoro Technique17:10 Alternative Productivity Methods18:53 Accountability and Shame in Productivity19:40 Origins of the Pomodoro Technique20:17 Applying Pomodoro in Different Environments21:32 Psychological Benefits of Time Blocking22:38 Challenges and Adaptations in the Office23:01 Personal Admin and Procrastination23:22 Flow and Creative Tasks26:16 Post-pod Findings on Pomodoro Technique Usage28:44 Final Thoughts and OutroAll music on this podcast series is kindly provided by the very talented Franc Cinelli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Canal Locks with David Macauley

  In this episode, Jono meets one of his heroes, as we engage in a conversation with acclaimed author, illustrator and explainer, David Macaulay.We talk about David's journey from architecture to creating educational illustrations that make complex concepts understandable and engaging - and the Canal Lock is a great example of this from Jono's collection.We discuss the significance of sketching for understanding and teaching intricate ideas, and reflect on some of David's famous works, including his book, 'The Way Things Work.'David shares insights into his creative process, the importance of curiosity, and how integrating humour and playfulness in his illustrations can enhance learning.This conversation would not be complete without questioning David about his famous woolly mammoths - used in his illustrations to help explain machines, mechanics, physics and science. LinksSee here for more information about David as well as his bibliography.Jono specifically references David's maths book, Mammoth Maths, when comparing his own sketch on "Parts of a Circle".When addressing humour in Architecture, David talks about his book "Great Moments in Architecture".Summary00:00 Welcome to Sketchplanations - introducing David Macaulay01:30 David's Journey into Explanations03:42 The Way Things Work04:35 The Joy of Learning and Teaching04:47 Collaborating on The Way Things Work09:54 Exploring Canal Locks15:24 The Art of Sketching and Curiosity20:05 The Importance of Sketching20:34 Humour in Learning25:07 The Origin of the Woolly Mammoth in David’s drawings26:37 Balancing Humour and Information30:07 Encouraging Sketching in Education33:30 Everyday Wonders and Final Thoughts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Ordering Adjectives with Author Mark Forsyth

  When describing something with numerous adjectives (eg. the big brown dog, the heavy square steel door) there's a natural order we all instinctively follow as english speakers. I don't remember ever being taught it, nor would I be able to explain it to you, but my ear can definitely tell if someone gets it wrong!English adjectives follow a specific order. Who Knew?!?Well, there's one person for sure:What our special guest on this episode, award-winning author, journalist, and etymologist, Mark Forsyth, doesn't know about the English language, simply isn't worth knowing.In our conversation, Mark breaks down the correct traditional ordering of adjectives. And Mark's passion for the English language becomes clear as he walks us through other nuances of English, such as Ablaut Reduplication (why it's Zig Zag and Splish-Splash rather than Zag-Zig or Splash-Splish), Chiasmus (inverting phrases in a speech eg. “Ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.” — John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address (1961)) and many more.Additionally, in celebration of Mark's latest book; "Rhyme and Reason : A short history of Poetry and People (for people who don’t usually read poetry)" we talk about the history of poetry and its impact on readers from medieval times to the present. We learn how poetry was once widely shared and enjoyed socially (a bit like sharing memes on social media today) and how English has natural cadences and rhythm to it, that we all make use of every day - again, without having a clue that we're doing it. And we also learn why most of us have been thinking about poetry all wrong ever since school.In the episode, we also reference Mark's other books such as The Etymologist and The Elements of Eloquence, which can all be found here.And you can follow Mark's musings and love of language on his blog as The Inky Fool, on Twitter, and on Instagram.Episode Summary00:00 Welcome & Introduction to Mark Forsyth: Wordsmith Extraordinaire01:05 Mark Forsyth's Journey with the English Language01:44 The Fascinating World of Words and Their Origins02:27 Mark Forsyth's Books and Their Unique Insights06:32 The Popularity of Poetry Through the Ages11:06 The Decline of Poetry and Rise of Pop Lyrics12:48 Exploring English Syntax and Adjective Order15:03 The Intricacies of English Grammar21:38 Fun with Language: Reduplication and Compounds27:38 Rhyme and Reason: Poetry in Society29:27 The Unsung Heroes of Songwriting30:42 The Evolution of Poetry's Popularity41:33 The Rhythms of English Language50:54 The Charm of Limericks54:49 The Joy of Reading Poetry Aloud56:45 Closing Thoughts and FarewellAll music on this podcast series is provided by the wonderfully talented Franc Cinelli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Jevon's Paradox

  This time we discuss Jevons' Paradox, the counterintuitive concept that improvements in fuel efficiency can lead to increased overall fuel use. We explore the origin of this idea, dating back to 1865 by British economist William Stanley Jevons, and discuss its relevance today in areas such as car fuel efficiency, advances in battery technology, and even the proliferation of LED lighting in homes. Inevitably, the impact of emerging technologies like AI also arise. We also talk about the broader implications of Jevons' Paradox in everyday life and business, and how it can be managed through policies and smart design.Quick LinksSome links are included below to certain topics we reference in the chat:Other Sketchplanations referenced include: The Generalised Peter Principle, The Peter Principle, The Laws of ExpansionYou can also listen to our previous podcast on The Peter Principle.More Work For Mother book by Ruth CowanSummary00:00 Introduction to Sketchplanations Podcast00:33 Exploring Jevons Paradox01:11 Historical Context of Jevons Paradox02:37 Modern Examples of Jevons Paradox05:14 Personal Anecdotes and Parallels10:12 AI and Future Implications15:29 Energy Demands of AI and Nuclear Facilities15:51 The Evolution of Spreadsheets and Work Efficiency17:07 Jevons Paradox and Environmental Concerns17:29 Advancements in Battery and Water-Saving Technologies19:33 The Impact of Video Compression on the Internet21:47 LED Lights and Household Energy Consumption24:27 Government Policies and Behavioral Incentives26:10 Reflections on Jevons Paradox and Human Nature28:26 William Stanley Jevons' Insights and Predictions30:06 Conclusion and FarewellAll music on this podcast series is provided by the very talented Franc Cinelli. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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