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!

COSTCO RESCUE

I hauled a huge box on a flat-bed cart out into the broiling Costco parking lot. Inside was a porch-set: two chairs, a love-seat, and two glass-topped tables, all intricately packed. I was confident that I could place the pieces here and there in Donna's Camry. Actually, none of the pieces fit, re-packing was impossible, and passers-by couldn't help but laugh as they saw our predicament. After a few minutes the sedan next to us pulled out, and a pickup truck pulled in. The couple in the truck got out and started towards the store, and then we heard "Tom, Donna, is that you?" It was our good friends Ann and Roger, who had arrived alongside all unknowing.

Almost (but not quite) spooky

My wife died last year. I'm now in the very early stages of seeing a woman I've known on and off for 30 years, all going nicely, very low key. So last Saturday, I was out for dinner with some friends in a completely different circle, when the wife of the couple asked me how Christine is. I talked about Christine for a bit, then she explained to my friend's sister, who was at the dinner and is in yet another social circle, that I am in the early stages of going out with this woman, and what she did for a living. The sister then turned out to know her from a yoga group. This was mildly surprising, given there are 8m+people in London, but it happens. But then my friend's sister started looking as if something was troubling her. She denied there was anything up, but she was clearly concerned about something. Over the next week, it turned out that after my wife's death, my daughter had invited a few women to pick over my wife's jewellery in case they would like a keepsake. My friend, the host of the dinner party, picked a very distinctive and unusual necklace.

Cell Phone Dies

My brother and I were talking last night (he in Calgary, me in Ontario) and my phone went dead (forgot to put in charger). I plugged in, waited for enough charge to call him when he messaged me on FB to apologize because he forgot to put his charger in and his phone died. At the exact same time! What are the chances that. BTW, this brother and I also have a tendency to choose the same obscure passwords. Not twins, I am 4 years older.

My First experience of a coincidence

When I was a kid My Mum said she was taking me out to a kids club/play group I had an instant thought that I was going to see a class fellow from my school there her name was Donushka a Sri Lankan girl, I was right when I got to the venue she was there this was my first experience of a meaningful match. What are the chances bearing in mind could of been any class fellow, or even the fact that a class fellow would be there at all. Throughout my life I've experienced messages in my dreams, But most lately I am experiencing unusual coincidences, I could be reading something, or say something and the exact words will be said at the exact time on a different device, For example I was commenting on a holiday apartment to my Mum the other day, I said it looks like its by the sea at that exact moment an advert came on for a program called by the sea, I said it at the exact same time as it was read on TV. Another I was reading an article online in the article of news there was a sentenced that I read it contained the words Gods Plan at that exact time my daughter was searching you tube for a song called Gods plan I read and she spoke at the exact same time.

Do you come here often?

Couple years ago, sitting in restaurant in Sedona, AZ -- hear patron and waiter discussing NYC bridges. I chime in, we chat a while. At some point, introductions. Other fellow from Brooklyn -- hey, I'm from Brooklyn. More conversation, where'd you go to high school? Brooklyn Tech, Hey, I went to Tech. What year graduated? 1964. Hey, I'm class of 1964 too! Of course, we didn't know each other -- 1200 graduates, not really surprising. But still, interesting/unlikely coincidence.

Shopping coincidence

My daughter and I went into a supermarket together, she got all her stuff (just a few items) and I carried on shopping, I got lots of things (as much as I could carry) when I got to the car I said I had spent £27 (27.32). She sent me a photo of her receipt this evening, she had spent exactly £27.32 too.

Amazing Holiday Coincidence

Nearly 30 years ago now, when I was mid to late twenties, I went on hokiday with my then husband to Singapore and Bali. I live in the UK, Birmingham to be precise. A few days before we flew, I friend, who I worked with, was on maternity leave and given birth to a baby boy. I went to visit her and took some photos. On arriving at Singapore, I finished off the film in my camera and had them developed. After being in Bali for a couple of nights, we got talking with a couple from New Zealand who were originally from Birmingham. It turned out the chap was my work colleague's uncle and he didn't know that she had the baby. I was able to go to my hotel room and get the photo's of his new born second nephew. I very much believe that has to be more to life than we know, and that has come from that time. Life has thrown me a few coincidences which make me sit up and take notice.

Danny's Song

Was in the car on a long drive 8 months pregnant with my first child, and hadn't felt him kick all day. I was becoming overcome with fear. I'd gotten this old song stuck in my head earlier in the day - Kenny Loggins, Danny's Song. It had been released several years prior, and was by no means a top 40 hit at that point. The line, "You bring a tear of joy to my eyes, and tell me, everything is going to be alright" had been repeating in my mind. I don't pray, but I was starting to panic, and I thought, "if I just had a sign. If there is anything in the universe that could give me a sign to help calm me". Nothing was happening and I had this crazy thought. I will turn on the radio, and if that song is playing, I will know. I turned on the radio and there it was. I am not superstitious, but I was immediately calmed. Four years later I was pregnant with my second child. I had heard from the doctor that morning that my amniocentesis result showed a problem. They couldn't determine what it was, but my doctor told me that he had patients who had "aborted for less". I was devastated and fraught with anxiety about what to do.

meeting in a wood

some background: we live in a comparatively small country (2 million; furthest trip under 500 km), my family and my brother with have apartments in the same house in the capital (under million). we are no under frequent communication and the like, and neither had we communicated before this event. we, with a child a bit over one year, decided to go to the seaside. like 150 km away from home. spent some days in a hotel and on the seaside. then on Saturday we decided just to drive around and see (or rather show the child) what else interesting is there. one site, another. then we headed to a place we had never visited (we had been thereabouts and passing by quite often, including with my brother and his partner). it was a nasty road into the forest, where there were some interesting stone formations. when we reached it, there was one car. my brother's. the walking path there was like 15-25 minutes in a circle shape, start at which end you want. needless to say, we met my brother half way, them coming from the opposite direction.

The Hawaiian Shirt

Me and my friend like a boy. We were going to a Halloween party where he was attending as well. We constantly made assumptions about his costume. We jokingly said, "imagine if he wears a Hawaiian shirt unbuttoned with his abs hahaha that would be so hot!". As we arrive we see he is not wearing that costume. What are the odds of him wearing the costume simply created in our joke? Later that night, we look over and TO OUR SURPRISE he is wearing the unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt! Out of the infinite amount of costumes he ended up wearing the own, we constantly imagined.

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