Is the proposed ABBA rule for penalty shootouts really fairer than the existing rule? Maths shows that it is, and also suggests another, more subtle rule.

David Spiegelhalter, one of our favourite experts on statistics, recently joined David Attenborough, Bill Bryson and other eminent contributors on the Royal Society's People of Science series. You can watch the video here.

Can a pint a day give you dementia? Yes, if reported claims of a recent study are to be believed, but no if you have a closer look at the data the study was based on.

If you're bored with the average, then move on to the variance!

Whether you're aware of it or not, the language you use to express yourself follows strict mathematical principles.

A brief introduction to the famous nurse and statistician.

A useful tool for spotting trends in data.

A little bit of maths can go a long way in telling the truth from lies.

Are you stumped by the dating game? Never fear — Plus is here! This article looks at one of the central questions of dating: how many people should you date before settling for something serious?

Why a positive test result doesn't necessarily mean you have the disease.

Why a DNA match doesn't necessarily prove your guilt.

Opinion polls, election forecasts, testing new medical drugs — none of these would be possible without the central limit theorem.