It’s probably because humans are not particularly skilled at understanding probability—according to a 2016 University of Toronto study—especially when it comes to guessing the odds of things that could happen in their lives. The water crisis in Flint, Mich., became an international story in 2015 after news broke that city officials had known and done nothing about lead pipes contaminating the city’s water, poisoning thousands of children. The odds of being struck by lightning in your lifetime are a tiny 1 in 12,000, yet astraphobia is the third most common phobia in America, behind acrophobia (fear of heights) and zoophobia (fear of animals). Morningstar stats show that 2.3% of Americans actually have insurance to cover long-term care. I'll explain what I mean. Though plenty of kids dream of becoming the next LeBron James or Serena Williams, there’s simply not enough room on the court for the 8 million high school athletes competing across the country. Despite debates over the necessity of having surgery before the teeth cause problems, around 85% of people who have wisdom teeth—some people are born without them—still get them removed. While they’re not infinitely small, the odds are not stacked in your favor. actually 6.7% more likely to die on your birthday, Gun deaths are the leading cause of death in the U.S, are more successful at preventing pregnancy, Warren Buffett offers $1 million per year for life, 100 best films of the 21st century according to critics, 25 things we've learned about the moon since 1969, People who retire comfortably avoid these financial advisor mistakes. Though relatively rare, these “lightning fossils” have been found worldwide. And while test administrators no longer release precise numbers, only 7% of the 2.1 million test-takers in 2018 scored between 1400 and 1600—the highest score on the new test. People who are struck by lightning are often temporarily covered with what’s known as red Lichtenberg figures, which are branching, tree-like patterns created by the passage of high voltage electrical discharges along the skin. Of the 350 people (out of 325 million) struck by lightning each year, between 25 to 35 people die from lightning on a 10-year average. In the years since, more people are identifying as LGBTQ+, up to 4.5% of the population as of a 2017 Gallup poll. However, some factors can put you at greater risk for being struck. They appeared in the video game franchise with Pokemon Gold and Pokemon Silver, where players had a 1 in 8,192 chance of finding one. The U.S. is one of a small number of countries that still has a death penalty in place, though after decades of resistance it remains a legal punishment in only 29 states. People usually end up with one extra finger or toe, but the world record is held by a child born in 2010 in India with four fingers and 20 toes. Surfers are most likely to encounter them because the best places for catching a wave are also the places where sharks like to gather. The number of executions and death row sentences reached a 25-year low in 2018, as fewer than 2,500 inmates are left awaiting execution. Half of all adults older than 75 have disabling hearing loss, reports the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. Albuquerque, N.M., claimed the #1 spot for most thefts relative to population size, while Honda Civics and Accords were the top targets for thieves. Being the same height actor Hugh Jackman, who … But beware: Scientists say climate change may increase the chances to about 1 in 8,000 by year 2100. That was indeed the case for Walter Summerford, who was hit by lightning three separate times–and once more after he was laid to rest. Regional, seasonal, and temporal differences affect the risk of lightning injury. Only 5% of babies are born on their due dates, while 80% are born sometime in the two weeks before or after. Also, s… But what if your hand included four strikes of lightning? Paying taxes is stressful enough without worrying about getting audited. Catching a foul ball during a professional baseball game is a dream of any fan, and the odds of it happening aren’t too terrible, depending on some obvious factors like where you’re sitting and the pitcher-batter matchup. Two out of 3 people will be involved in a … Meteorites may be at the heart of many science fiction and disaster films; but when it comes down to real science, Earth is a big planet covered by large, uninhabited areas. More education improves chances all around, but race plays the most significant factor, the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis found. Shiny Pokemon are no different than a normal Pokemon, except that they have a different color-scheme and are incredibly rare. 7. © 2021 Reader’s Digest Magazines Ltd. - All rights reserved, We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer), This site uses “cookies” for the purposes set out in our Privacy Policy. Check out this roundup of mind-boggling science stories. At the 2018 Winter Olympics, there were only 487 medals for 2,952 athletes—meaning just enough for 16.5% of competitors. Even at these small numbers, you’re more likely to be crushed to death by furniture than die in a terrorist attack. Of all the people in the U.S. who entered college in 2010 seeking a bachelor’s degree, 60% graduated at the same institution by 2016, reports the National Center for Education Statistics. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Health Resources and Services Administration says only 30% of people who need a bone marrow transplant have a relative who matches them. The best way to lower your chance of losing your home or injuring yourself in a fire is to take extra care while you’re cooking: Kitchen-related incidents have been the leading cause of house fires for the last 10 years. Odds of being involved in a drunk driving crash — 2 out of 3. In 2017, 357,000 of fires occurred in one- and two-family homes, apartments, and mobile homes, leading to 3,400 deaths. This is potentially a conservative number, as many children aren’t tested, leaving the data incomplete. If the lightning strikes were independent events, the probability of being hit seven times would be (1:10000) 7 = 1:10 28.These numbers do not quite apply to Sullivan, however, who by the nature of his work and his physical location was exposed to more storms than the average person. The reason for the huge prize and slim odds was a 2017 rule change. It doesn’t hurt to make sure you regularly change the batteries in your smoke detectors, either. Though the figure dipped to 84% in 2010, it hasn’t otherwise gone below 90% since 1974. 8. This is partially caused by “optimism bias,” the belief that good things are more likely to happen to than bad things. Why do they bother, when taking home the grand prize is less likely than dying in a plane crash or being struck by lightning? From strange lightning strike rashes to exploding trees, these facts about lightning will, well, shock you. The odds of getting struck by lightning is 20,000 times higher than hitting the winning numbers for this week's jackpot. The Odds: Whether it is being struck by lightning or winning the lottery, everything comes down to a numbers game. Listeria, salmonella, e. coli—there are a number of organisms capable of causing food poisoning. Of the 88 million lost items the U.S Postal Service’s Mail Recovery Center received in 2014, it was only able to return 2.5 million. But beware: Scientists say climate change may increase the chances to about 1 in 8,000 by year 2100. Because the universe can be truly random, you could also end up with an entire carton of double-yolk eggs—like one British man did in 2016.

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