Best friends turn out to be cousins

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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.

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My husband's 6 year old granddaughter, living in Hackney had her best friend from school home to her birthday party. Casual conversation between parents revealed that granddaughter's friend's grandmother was and is cousin to my husband so the little girls are third cousins. My husband and his cousin haven't met for over 20 years, live in different parts of the country, and their children have never met. It was pure chance that the conversation led to realising the relationship. How could it happen that two little girls are at the same school, in the same year group, become good friends, and turn out to be related?
Total votes: 238
Date submitted:Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:11:57 +0000Coincidence ID:4238