Fluke [electronic resource] : The Maths and Myths of Coincidence
Mazur, Joseph2016
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This is the question we ask ourselves upon encountering seemingly impossible coincidences: the woman who won the lottery four times, the people who missed the train to work on 9/11, the man who bumped into his own brother while on holiday in Greece. But actually the odds are a lot better than any of us would have believed.Coupling lively anecdotes with clear explanations of the principles of probability, Joseph Mazur balances the fun of a great coincidence with the logical thinking of a mathematician. From clairvoyants to financial markets, and from scientific discoveries to DNA evidence, his mantra remains the same If there is any likelihood that something could happen, no matter how small, it is bound to happen to someone at some time.’ With a lightness of touch and a witty turn of phrase, Mazur sweeps aside pseudoscience and conspiracy theories, proving that there are rational explanations for even the most extraordinary series of events.
Author:
Imprint:
[Place of publication not identified] : Oneworld Publications, 2016
Collation:
1 online resource (1 text file)
ISBN:
9781780749013
Language:
English
Subject:
BRN:
2550531