Mona Chalabi

Sometimes it's hard to know what statistics are worthy of trust. But we shouldn't count out stats altogether ... instead, we should learn to look behind them. In this delightful, hilarious talk, data journalist Mona Chalabi shares handy tips to help question, interpret and truly understand what the numbers are saying.

We all want to know if we're normal -- do I have enough friends? Should it take me this long to get over my ex? Should I move or stay where I am? Endlessly curious data journalist Mona Chalabi needs to know, and she's ready to dive into the numbers to get some answers. But studies and spreadsheets don't tell the whole story, so she's consulting experts, strangers and even her mum to fill in the gaps. The answers might surprise you, and make you ask: Does normal even exist? Follow Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi wherever you get your podcasts.

We know how long it takes to heal from broken bones, injuries and ailments, but what about a broken heart? The answer, like relationships, is a little complicated. In this episode of Am I Normal?, Mona investigates different strategies for falling out of love with the help of a couples therapist, and unveils the research on how long it takes to get over a breakup. Want to hear more from Mona? Check out her podcast Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, from the TED Audio Collective.

Sustaining friendships -- and making new friends -- can be challenging, even when we know it's important. So how can we make our friendships last without feeling overwhelmed? And is there a formula to follow for making new ones? To find out, data journalist Mona Chalabi turns to her most trusted sources: data and her mum. Want to hear more from Mona? Check out her podcast Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, from the TED Audio Collective.

You've probably heard claims like 9 out of 10 dentists recommend so-and-so toothpaste. But how can you tell what's a marketing ploy versus a solid statistic? In this episode, Mona shares three questions to ask yourself when you're faced with a suspicious statistic. (You don't need your wisdom teeth to figure it out!) Want to hear more from Mona? Check out her podcast Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, from the TED Audio Collective.

It's tempting to focus on averages when we think about data, but the world is a lot messier than those numbers can make it out to be. So what could we gain if we shifted our attention to the outliers in the data, or as data journalist Mona Chalabi likes to call them, the lost birds? Want to hear more from Mona? Check out her podcast Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, from the TED Audio Collective.

When it comes to making a baby, we know it takes two to tango. So why do the pressures of fertility often fall on only one half of the equation? In this video, data journalist Mona Chalabi examines some of the big misconceptions around fertility, shares significant blind spots in the data, and reveals why we need more research on sperm. Want to hear more from Mona? Check out her podcast Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, from the TED Audio Collective.

How we identify makes a difference in our lived experiences, but it's not always reflected in the checkboxes we see on forms. In this episode, Mona Chalabi explores why language matters in data collection, and why the categories we use should reflect who we really are. Want to hear more from Mona? Check out her podcast Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, from the TED Audio Collective.

No one remembers when you're right, but no one forgets when you're wrong. Your local weather person knows that saying all too well. But while they take a lot of the heat (get it?), how much of it is actually justified? In this episode, Mona Chalabi looks at weather forecasting data to see how accurate these predictions really are, and gives us tips for when we should--and shouldn't--trust the forecast. Want to hear more from Mona? Check out her podcast Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, from the TED Audio Collective.

There are things we accept as obvious truths that aren't necessarily backed up by data. A primary example: cousin marriage being taboo. In this episode, data journalist Mona Chalabi looks at the numbers behind our family trees to reveal that cousin marriage is much more common and much less "ick" than you might think. Want to hear more from Mona? Check out her podcast Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, from the TED Audio Collective.

The obvious answer: no. Though you haven't exactly committed to a life of crime if you jaywalk on an empty street. But if we bend the law on jaywalking, why not drunk driving? Well, there was a time when people thought drunk driving didn't really matter either. So what changed? How do we decide to follow a law or not? What even IS a law? Mona meets with social psychology of law professor, Kenworthy Bilz to understand how laws can (and can't) shape our behaviors. You can find the full text transcript along with studies cited in this episode at go.ted.com/AIN7 (Audio only)

In Britain, one-fourth of people who were adopted make contact with their birth parents before they turn 18. In this episode of Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective, guest host Saleem Reshamwala meets Amanda, a Dominican woman who was adopted by a white couple in Connecticut. Amanda always knew she was adopted, and was curious about her birth parents. After a few years of dead ends, she finally finds her biological mother ... in the last place she expected. You can listen to more Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi wherever you get your podcasts.

"You should start thinking about kids at your age! Your biological clock is ticking!" When we talk about fertility, there's one section of the population that's consistently subjected to fear mongering: the people with the ovaries. But is that worry backed up by data? Should we be stressed out about sperm too? Scientist Joe Osmundson divulges his own fears and findings on the journey to save his sperm, and Mona breaks down the scientific, cultural, and psychological elements that have shaped the way we think and talk about fertility. You can find the full text transcript along with studies cited in this episode at go.ted.com/AIN5.

How many relationships should we maintain, and what are the different kinds of friendships we need anyway? In this episode of Am I Normal?, a podcast from the TED Audio Collective, data scientist Mona Chalabi asks evolutionary psychologist Robin Dunbar what he's learned from been studying social relationships for 50 years. Then, Mona maps out her own relationships against the averages -- and invites you to do the same.