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Currently Playing: Searching For Meaning In Randomness

What do we mean when we call an event random? Most people view randomness as a fundamental property of the universe, but is it just a label for our own lack of knowledge? Whether it is a weighted coin toss, a scratch card, or the digits of Pi, unpredictability usually emerges from rules and patterns that sit just beyond our perception. Professor Hannah Fry and Michael Stevens dismantle the logic of chance, exploring how chaos is governed by strict mathematical laws and why a coin can be '50 / 50' until the moment you apply the laws of physics to its flight. How does probability measure what we cannot see rather than what will happen. Why do patterns inevitably emerge when we zoom out, how minute uncertainties allowed for the formation of galaxies, and why is the human mind is so determined to find meaning in a world built on statistical mechanics. ------------------- For more information about Cancer Research UK, their research, breakthroughs and how you can support them, visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/our-research/rest-is-science?utm_source=therestisscience&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=goalhanger_podcast_partnership Cancer Research UK is a registered charity in England and Wales (1089464), Scotland (SC041666), the Isle of Man (1103) and Jersey (247). A company limited by guarantee. Registered company in England and Wales (4325234) and the Isle of Man (5713F). Registered address: 2 Redman Place, London, E20 1JQ. ------------------- Video Editor: Adam Thornton Video & Social: Bex Tyrrell Assistant Producer: Imee Marriott Producer: Becki Hills Senior Producer: Lauren Armstrong-Carter Head Of Digital: Samuel Oakley Exec Producer: Neil Fearn