UK general election: Five steps to make sense of the latest polls
Unlike the 2015 general election, when the polls were essentially static (and wrong) throughout, the…
Nigel MarriottJune 6, 2017
Predicting the UK’s snap general election
https://unsplash.com/@jamie452I have decided to build a model to try to predict the results of the…
How data is transforming the music industry
Fifteen years ago, Steve Jobs introduced the iPod. Since then, most music fans have understood…
Brian MoonMay 24, 2017
What’s happened to the polls since the 2015 UK election?
When British Prime Minister Theresa May called a snap election for 8 June 2017, it…
Timothy Martyn HillMay 15, 2017
New statistical methods would let researchers deal with data in better, more robust ways
https://www.flickr.com/photos/24801682@N08/2978799610No matter the field, if a researcher is collecting data of any kind, at some…
Rand WilcoxMay 9, 2017
How to explain screening test outcomes
Consider the following problem: “The serum test screens pregnant women for babies with Down's syndrome.…
Tim BrockApril 27, 2017
Queen Elizabeth II – an extreme event monarch?
In 2016, Queen Elizabeth II entered the tenth decade of her life and cemented her position as…
Anastasia FrantsuzovaApril 12, 2017
E-sports, mind sports and the Olympics: What is a sport, anyway?
Most of us could describe a sport if asked. It might involve physical exertion of…
Ray StefaniMarch 28, 2017
A variation of the birthday problem – a reader responds
"A variation of the birthday problem" by Mario Cortina Borja is very much like a…
Emil M. FriedmanMarch 7, 2017
What is the most popular birthday in England and Wales?
The UK Office for National Statistics (ONS) recently published an analysis of live births from…
Mario Cortina Borja and Peter MartinMarch 3, 2017
The value of an Oscar, and the science of sequels
The annual Academy Awards ceremony take place this Sunday, 26 February. Nominees for one of…
Robert Langkjær-BainFebruary 22, 2017
Remembering Hans Rosling
Professor Hans Rosling, a statistician and public educator who was committed to sharing the joy…
Brian TarranFebruary 8, 2017
Groundhog Day: the truth about these furry forecasters
The groundhog has evolved into a winning combination of cute and ungainly. This burrowing squirrel…
Mike JeffriesFebruary 3, 2017
The frequency of “America” in Trump’s inaugural address
In “The frequency of 'America' in America” - from the October 2016 issue of Significance…
Adam B. KashlakJanuary 26, 2017
Slow-talking the inaugural
Before Donald Trump's inaugural speech on Friday, 20 January, I wondered whether he would turn…
Mark LibermanJanuary 24, 2017
6 Nations Rugby – who’s the biggest overachiever?
The 6 Nations Rugby championship kicks off in a little over three weeks. England is…
Ray StefaniJanuary 12, 2017
Why don’t people get it? Seven ways that communicating risk can fail
Many public conversations we have about science-related issues involve communicating risks: describing them, comparing them…
Rod LambertsJanuary 6, 2017
Who said it?
The Royal Statistical Society's Christmas Quiz is highly regarded for the level of challenge it…
Jim NortonDecember 19, 2016
How sharp was the decline in live births in Central and Eastern Europe after the collapse of communist regimes?
December 2016 marks the 25th anniversary of the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist…
Jekaterina Kremneva, Angie Wade and Mario Cortina BorjaDecember 16, 2016
Ask a statistician: A variation of the birthday problem, part 2
Our latest 'Ask a statistician' question received not one but two different solutions. We published…
Brian TarranDecember 14, 2016
