Exploring the Mathematics and Psychology of Coincidences

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This chapter explores the intriguing concept of coincidences and how they challenge our understanding of probabilities. Through an engaging story of a lost wedding ring, it highlights the human inclination to attribute these events to fate while advocating for a rational perspective on their mathematical significance.

The psychologist Chris French has spent decades studying paranormal claims and mysterious experiences, from seemingly impossible coincidences to paintings that purportedly predict the future. In this episode from April 2024, Ian Sample sits down with French to explore why so many of us believe in what he terms ‘weird shit’, and what we can learn from understanding why we are drawn to mysterious and mystic phenomena. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod