Archive Archives - Page 8 of 26 - Significance magazine

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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

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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…

Gianluca BaioMay 30, 2017

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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

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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

https://www.flickr.com/photos/24801682@N08/2978799610

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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Remembering Hans Rosling

Professor Hans Rosling, a statistician and public educator who was committed to sharing the joy…

Brian TarranFebruary 8, 2017

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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

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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

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Slow-talking the inaugural

Before Donald Trump's inaugural speech on Friday, 20 January, I wondered whether he would turn…

Mark LibermanJanuary 24, 2017

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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

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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

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Who said it?

The Royal Statistical Society's Christmas Quiz is highly regarded for the level of challenge it…

Jim NortonDecember 19, 2016

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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

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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