We can’t predict the future, but appreciating its uncertainties will make us happier

Coincidences are more likely to happen than we think - so we should expect the unexpected and avoid magical thinking

When the mathematician Dr Kit Yates sees a weather forecast predicting a 25% chance of rain, he packs an umbrella. When he meets someone who shares his birthday in a crowded room, he is not in the least surprised. And if he comes across an unfamiliar phrase, such as the Baader-Meinhof effect", he knows he is likely to encounter it again, very soon.

One of the biggest things I learned from writing my book was that surprisingly unlikely things can and do happen, given enough opportunities," Yates says, referring to his new book, How to Expect the Unexpected.

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