When in Rome

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.

Back in 1971 whilst still an architecture student my friend and I decided to go to Greece. We both had summer jobs and I decided to leave early and hitch hike to Athens. My friend was to fly out later and I would meet him at the airport. I duely hitch hiked to Athens and was there for about a week before his flight was due. Somehow As the plane was due in just after midnight one of us must have got confused about the date and he wasn't on the plane. This was before mobile phones so I assumed he changed his mind. I had a great 8 weeks going all over the Greek Islands and the time came to return. I got the ferry to Brindisi in Italy and started to hitch hike up Italy. I eventually arrived at Rome and went to the Youth Hostel. Who should be checking out at the exactly the same time I arrived but the friend I should have met at Athens airport 10 weeks earlier
Total votes: 944
Date submitted:Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:31:06 +0000Coincidence ID:3378