The Norm chronicles stories and numbers about danger and death / Michael Blastland and David Spiegelhalter.

Author/creator Blastland, Michael
Other author Spiegelhalter, D. J.
Format Electronic
Publication InfoNew York : Basic Books, A Member of the Perseus Books Group, [2014]
Descriptionxx, 358 pages : illustrations ; 21 cm
Supplemental ContentFull text available from Ebook Central - Academic Complete
Subjects

Abstract "Is it safer to fly or take the train? How dangerous is skydiving? And is eating that extra sausage going to kill you? We've all heard the statistics for risky activities, but what do they mean in the real world? In The Norm Chronicles, journalist Michael Blastland and risk expert David Spiegelhalter explore these questions through the stories of average Norm and an ingenious measurement called the MicroMort-a one in a million chance of dying. They reveal why general anesthesia is as dangerous as a parachute jump, giving birth in the US is nearly twice as risky as in the UK, and that the radiation from eating a banana shaves 3 seconds off your life. An entertaining guide to the statistics of personal risk, The Norm Chronicles will enlighten anyone who has ever worried about the dangers we encounter in our daily lives"-- Provided by publisher.
Abstract "Is it safer to fly or take the train? How dangerous is skydiving? And is eating that extra link of breakfast sausage going to kill you? We've all heard the statistics for risky activities, but what do those numbers actually mean in the real world? In The Norm Chronicles, journalist Michael Blastland and risk expert David Spiegelhalter answer these questions--and far more--in a commonsense (and wildly entertaining) guide to personal risk. Through the adventures of the perfectly average Norm, his friends careful Prudence and the reckless Kelvin brothers, and an ingenious measurement called the MicroMort--essentially, a one in a million chance of dying--Blastland and Spiegelhalter show us how to think about risk in the choices we make every day"-- Provided by publisher.
Bibliography noteIncludes bibliographical references (pages 321-350) and index.
Access restrictionAvailable only to authorized users.
Technical detailsMode of access: World Wide Web
Genre/formElectronic books.
LCCN 2014004656
ISBN9780465085705 (paperback)

Availability

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Electronic Resources Access Content Online ✔ Available