Cambridge Coincidences Collection

As of the 23rd May 2022 this website is archived and will receive no further updates.

understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.

Many of the animations were produced using Flash and will no longer work.

Well I Never!

Professor David Spiegelhalter of Cambridge University wants to know about your coincidences!

Mother and stepmother

My father married my mom, Vera Becker. She was born on May 22, 1949. She has a sister, Helena Becker. My parents divorced 7 years later. A few years after that, my dad got married again, with another woman, from another family (not related with ours, we are catholics, they are luterans) who was born in a different town: Helena Becker. She was born on... May 22, 1949! And she has a sister called Vera Becker! What are the odds?

Elizabeth Theory

Me and my best friend have the same middle name, and almost had the same first name. We repeatedly say things at the same time without even knowing it, we get hungry and our stomachs growl at the same time, we have the same favorite things, like not liking nuts on our muffins, but loving banana muffins.

Cards

In holdem, everybody is dealt two cards face down. These are known as hole cards. And I am experiencing a pretty amazing coincidence regarding these hole cards, as pocket pairs--that is two of the same rank. It's not that I get more than my share of pocket pairs, but when I get a pocket pair, odds are like close to 100% that the next pocket pair will be the same as the last one--repeating one time. Then I will get another pocket pair, and the next time I get a pocket pair it will be the same one--but AA, KK, QQ, and JJ are not part of this. The repeats will be of 22 through TT. The repeats occur not 100% of the time, but like 8 out of 10 times. One other thing that is odd but I don't think the odds of this are really far out--I have gotten dealt AA back to back 3 times recently--I mean, on the very next deal. (On the pocket pairs I speak of above, the repeats will come later.) The odds of being dealt AA are 1 in 221--thing is, that is going to happen. This is something that just seems really far out there. Not long ago in an hour and a half, I got beat by queen trips 3 times during that one half hour.

Congo/007

I was watching the film CONGO which is based on a story by Michael Crichton. That same evening I went to the local store in an impromptu visit to pick up some items to enhance the dwindling weeks shopping. As I often do, I checked out the reduced price shelf only to find Michael Crichton's novel CONGO was reduced to £1. Off to one side was a dumpster containing multiple copies of the same book. In a similar way, tonight I was watching 007 James Bond in Casino Royale whilst flicking through Ebay online. I happened to be looking for AKAI electronic items and was surprised to find a collectors James Bond card for Quantum of Solace in the search results that was bracketed (Akai). I am not sure why there is a connection between Bond and Akai? Maybe he product placed the company in the film. All the same for it to show up in this way whilst he was on Tv was quite odd.

An Encounter with the law, pi and impulsive decisions

This event is connected to the coincidence #8191 I was sued for specific performance, its too long a story to tell so I'll skip over the details except that the property I wanted to sell didn't get financing until the wonderful river front home I had contracted to buy was sold to a back up buyer. The contract my buyer and I had was expired but it was desirable property so they hired a lawyer who told me "contracts don't mean a thing'. I was outraged so I went to a lawyer that took my case to the State Supreme Court. One day I was writing checks to pay my attorney, using my ironing board for my desk. I put the check into an envelope, then without any intent to do so, my hand reached over to a packet of pictures I'd just had developed and picked up one, then slip it into the envelope. I mailed the letter. Almost a year later (it was a long legal event) I was on the phone with my attorney when he asked me if I remembered sending him a picture of a pi model. I said yes then he told me he'd mailed it to a friend of his who was writing a book about pi.

Birth Coincidence

I always knew my mother and I shared a birthday, but today I found out we were also born on the same day of the week (Tuesday). She was born August 24th, 1954 and I was August 24th, 1982. Both Tuesdays, but roughly 28 years apart. I've been trying to find out what the odds of that happening are, but can't figure it out. Also, I was actually born two weeks late, so it's kind of spooky, if I had been born on time, we never would have shared such a connection.

October 13

Family company was registered October 13 1961. October 13 1991 helicopter crash killed 9 members of the family

Ex neighbor in Madrid

I live in Margarita Island in Venezuela. I have beentraveling to different places since may 15. On July 30 I entered Zara store in Serrano avenue. I hear a Venezuelan accent. When I turn around it was my ex neighbor with her mother.

birth dates

I was born on March 5, 1962. In US date pattern it's 3-5-62. 3 +5 = 8, 6+2=8. Just funny. My daughter was born on September 4, 1994. In US date pattern that's 9-4-94. 9+4=13, both times. My grandfather died on 04-04-04, US or European it's still April 4, 2004. there are many other numerical oddities in my life, but these are the fun ones. I've decided to reread Jung....

What or who creates 'meaningful coincidences'?

Jung wrote about a life process he named individuation. Other authors have created different names, for a life process that is supposed to develop 'a unique personality'. I mention Swedenborg's name 'regeneration' because Jung 'devoured'' some 7 volumes according to Ellenberger. The first time (the early 1980's) I experienced the kind of coincidence that obviously cannot be related immediately to a process of individuation didn't leave a lasting impression on me. Neither did the second, third, fourth event... Many similar events had to happen before I was curious and attentive to the new to me kind of experience. I posted the first one on this site but I'll repeat it condensing as much as possible: I wasn't feeling well, I was driving on I-5 in a lot of heavy traffic, when I heard myself say to my husband: "I don't feel like myself any more. I''m not Betty any more I am Ju-anna." At just that moment a white van on the passenger side of our van crossed dangerously close in front of me, then to the driver side lane and sped away.

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