Mind & EverydayFact

Why sharks feel more dangerous than the water itself.

Your brain judges probability by how easily examples come to mind. Anything dramatic and in the news feels frequent. Sharks kill about 8 people a year worldwide on average, while drowning kills roughly 300,000 according to the WHO. Almost everyone fears sharks, hardly anyone fears the water. How memorable something is tells you nothing about how common it is.

Useful: When a risk feels huge on gut instinct, look up the real numbers.

Source: floridamuseum.ufl.edu

Bias Risiko

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