Do you have a head for numbers or do they multiply your problems? This week’s story is about ants, stolen skeletons, the numerical beliefs of Hasidic Jews and the mysterious disappearance of the Neanderthals.

This is a story about how we try to make sense of the world with numbers, but how they only seem to lead us round in circles.

As ever, you can download the podcast or listen here:

And read the illustrated digital version right here: