Monthly Archives: November 2009

The Statistics of Fear

By all rights we should be rather scared of cars. We should regard them in much the same way we would regard a tarantula on the bedsheets or a short stroll on a tightrope. Yet we aren’t. Curious. Cars kill far more people than lava flows, piranhas or anthrax.

Perhaps they are too new for evolution to equip us?

Now if we look into the stats you realise we should be even more terrified of crap food, and the word “sedentary” should be a glare-inducing swear-word. If our bodies knew what was good for them, we would get grouchy after a day without a vigorous walk, and start shaking weakly after two. Sugar, so long sweet, should soon evolve to be utterly disgusting. Not soon enough for some.