Fluke: The Maths and Myths of Coincidences

By: Joseph Mazur

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Synopsis: What are the chances? 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.