While we are talking about statistics, what do you suppose is the source for data on women's fertility? Data coming from the last 30 years? 50 years? 100 years?
This BBC Radio 4 radio programme says that the data comes from 1680 - 1810!
It has an interesting discussion about why this is the case but it does make you wonder about the validity of statistics that are generally used in public discourse. There is also a discussion about rape statistics in developing countries and a not-very-convincing defence of the figures by some UN researcher.
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