Merit doesn't always matter. How has a simple mathematical misunderstanding caused innocent people to be jailed? Why do the strange myths of history persist? What connection does sign language have to the theory of relativity? Might computer algorithms help us decode films? Is there a Super Bowl "nudge"? How do near-death experiences give us our modern-day myths? Has grade inflation really led to an irreversible decline in the quality of students? Do the movies of Alfred Hitchcock offer us another way to live? Can bullying ever be stopped? Whence did paper computers originate? And if a...

Offering a unique, comprehensive, and multidisciplinary approach to probability and statistics, "Apophenia's Antidote" is the perfect inoculation against dubious statistics, questionable inferences, and all other varieties of statistical illiteracy. Our brains are natural pattern detectors, which delivered significant survival benefits when our ancestors were prancing around the Serengeti. Instead of ignoring the rustling of leaves--which could very well be caused by a hiding lion, waiting patiently to snatch some prey--our ancestors exited the scene, evading the potential danger as fast as...