Voting matters – August 2016 issue preview
Some readers may find it ironic that, less than two months after the UK voted…
Brian TarranAugust 9, 2016
The challenges for GDP, now and in the future
When Professor Sir Charlie Bean published his review of UK economic statistics in March, he…
The past, present and future of prediction
Our US readers will be aware that April is Mathematics Awareness Month (MAM) – and…
Brian TarranApril 11, 2016
Why forensic bite mark analysis lacks teeth
Steven Mark Chaney was convicted in 1987 of the murder of a drug dealer who…
Jim Norton and George DivineMarch 17, 2016
Introducing the new-look Significance
You’ve probably noticed that things look a little different here. To coincide with the start…
Brian TarranFebruary 16, 2016
Bacon, cancer, and the vital importance of statistical reasoning
In September 2015, the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) International Agency for Research in Cancer (IARC)…
David SpiegelhalterJanuary 29, 2016
How Frank Wilcoxon helped statisticians walk the non-parametric path
Part of the job of a statistician is to make inferences about a population from…
Mario Cortina Borja & Julian StanderDecember 7, 2015
What do we mean when we say ‘better data’?
Statistics play an important role in improving human lives, not least through helping to identify…
Maitha Al Junaibi and Karl Royce AshworthDecember 1, 2015
The stats in sport panel at RSS 2015: the bigger picture
In the absence of huge amounts of money, gaining a competitive edge in sport requires…
Oz FlanaganSeptember 30, 2015
How to communicate the uncertainty in economic statistics
Government statistical agencies often report official economic statistics as point estimates. Buried within the documents…
Charles ManskiSeptember 22, 2015
Making mistakes, minimising error – June 2015 issue preview
There are many opportunities for us to make wrong decisions in life – whether it…
Brian TarranJune 16, 2015
Does Christmas really come earlier every year?
It has become something of a cliché to remark upon the ever earlier arrival of…
Nathan CunninghamNovember 11, 2014
The hot hand effect gets hot again
When statisticians make an appearance in the press or popular culture they are often portrayed…
Stephanie KovalchikMarch 18, 2014
Is Warren Buffett poking fun at sports statisticians?
Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway and Dan Gilbert's Quicken Loans are going to make this year’s…
Stephanie KovalchikFebruary 3, 2014
Google wants to extend your life
Can statistics save your life? Well, Google certainly thinks it can. Moreover, the company has…
Carlos Alberto Gómez GrajalesSeptember 30, 2013
Statistical tests: beads for furs?
You have no doubt heard the legend about the Native American tribe being seduced by…
Altea Lorenzo-ArribasAugust 16, 2013
Bernoulli and the foundations of statistics: can you correct a 300-year-old error?
Ars Conjectandi is not a book that non-statisticians will have heard of, nor one that…
Julian ChampkinJune 10, 2013
International Women’s Day: Gertrude Cox, the first lady of statistics
Happy International Women's Day! If last week's article proved anything, it's that there are lot…
Julian ChampkinMarch 8, 2013
