How many people died? It's one of the first questions asked in a war or violent conflict, but it's one of the hardest to answer. In the chaos of war many deaths go unrecorded and all sides have an interest in distorting the figures. The best we can do is come up with estimates, but the trouble is that different statistical methods for doing this can produce vastly different results . So how do we know how different methods compare?

Economists reveal that your neighbours significantly impact on your well-being.

John Henstridge and Jodie Thompson tell Plus about life as consultant statisticians, modelling real-world problems in areas as diverse as the shipping industry and water rationing.