There was a lunchtime lecture at UCL a few years ago about the mathematics of coincidence*, and how when viewed rationally, most coincidences are quite likely – but for some reason we seem to be wired to project great significance and unlikelihood into them.

Which is the old saw I trot out in reponse to the old saw that it's such a small world.

(*see also Barabasi, Buchanan et al)

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