Calculating Odds, Survivors of the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster has compared it to the Titanic disaster, and rescue missions for the remaining missing people have been suspended because rescuers say there is zero chance of survival.
This tragedy inspired us to consider how often things like this occur. costa concordia, We look at the odds of being involved in a deadly storm and other natural disasters, accidents and lucky events. Click through this list of likelihoods to figure out whether you should run in fear or try your hand.
Cruise Line Disaster The Jan. 13 Costa Concordia cruise line disaster left several people dead and missing after the ship went off route, hit a reef and ran aground. The captain abandoned ship before everyone was evacuated. It’s unclear how often cruise ships sink. See a list of past incidents. cruise ship disaster, ,
Struck by Hurricane As we saw in 2005 with Hurricane Katrina, the force of a hurricane can destroy homes, lives and even an entire city. struck by hurricane, hurricane katrina, +odds of being hit by a hurricane 1 in 2.18,
Although Katrina took place in August, the US may be more likely to get hit by a hurricane in September. What are the odds of your city being hit by a hurricane in September? hurricane katrina new orleans,
Lightning Strikes Being struck by lightning can affect a person mentally, physically, emotionally or worse. Lightning Strikes, effects of lightning strike + difficulty with short-term memory + multitasking + irritability , effects of lightning strike + intense headaches, ringing in the ears, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, effects of lightning strike + become irritable and easy to anger, Over the past 30 years, lightning has killed an average of 58 people each year, Odds of being struck by lightning in your lifetime + 1/6250, Odds of being struck by lightning in a given year + 1/500,000, U.S. National Park Ranger Roy Sullivan + record for being struck by lightning seven times,
Meteorite Hits A meteorite is an object from space, Meteorite hits, usually made of these materials, that survives impact with the earth's surface. "fireball" + meteorite , "shooting star" + meteorite , meteorites + composed of rock or metallic iron-nickel, odds of being killed by a meteorite i+ about 1 in 700,000, Gerrit Blank + hit by meteorite + Germany, meteorite auctions,
Plane Crash Fans of this suspenseful series may be wary of the dangers of flying. what to do plane crash, But for others, the friendly skies are the only option when it comes to travel. Plane crash, The odds an airplane passenger will be involved in a plane crash in a year are 1 in 10,790,000, Tenerife plane crash claimed the lives of 583 people + March 27, 1977, US Airways Flight 1549 plane crash + all aboard reported safe + 2009,
Shark Attack Selachophobia sufferers and Peter Benchley fans may never wade in the surf. selachophobia, Peter Benchley + author of Jaws, New Smyrna Beach Florida + shark attacks, a person's chance of getting attacked by a shark is 1 in 11.5 million, a person's chance of getting killed by a shark is less than 1 in 264.1 million,
Royal Flush Getting a royal flush in five-card poker will earn you ultimate bragging rights. Watch it happen. ace + king+ queen + jack + 10 + royal flush, odds of drawing a royal flush are 1 in 649,740, gambling,
Winning the Lottery Lottery payoffs can differ depending on the state and the game. Winning the lottery, But for those aiming to try their luck, the Mega Millions prize is where the big money is. The odds a Mega Millions entry will win the jackpot are 1 in 175,700,000 , $390 million won March 6, 2007, The odds a Powerball entry will win the jackpot are 1 in 195,200,000, mistake leads to Mega Millions win in Kentucky,
Car Accidents We all know the safety tips that help you arrive alive: buckle up for safety, Car Accidents, Don't Drive Drunk + Stevie Wonder, don't drive drunk, minimize distractions. But sometimes tragedy strikes. Oprah + campaign against distracted driving, +1 in 84 odds of dying in a car accident, drivers in southern states dying in higher-than-acceptable numbers + CDC, Auto accidents cost each American more than $1,000 a year + 2008 study,
Four-leaf Clover For superstitious types, the four-leaf clover can help ward off bad omens, Oxalis tetraphylla + four leaf clover, or help find these good ones. Oxalis tetraphylla + four leaf clover, Four-leaf clover + can help you see fairies, odds of finding a four-leaf clover are 1/10,000, Edward Martin has found 160,000 four-leaf clovers,
Pearl in an Oyster Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but for a unique gift, Pinctada + pearl oyster, a pearl-filled Pinctada is hard to beat. Pearl in an oyster, odds that an oyster will hold a pearl are 1 in 12,000, Pearls are formed inside the shell of certain mollusks as a defense mechanism against a potentially threatening irritant, saltwater + freshwater pearls,
Having Twins Having twins can mean double the trouble, double the noise and double the parental pride when they're successful. Giving birth to twins, identical + fraternal twins, Ronnie and Reggie Kray + British organized crime, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, twins Kim and Kelley Deal + The Breeders, The odds a baby will be part of a twin delivery are 1 in 31.1, famous hollywood twins,
Divorce Factors affecting divorce run the gamut -- whether it's money squabbles, irreconcilable differences or headline-grabbing reasons such as this one. schwarzenegger shriver split, schwarzenegger love child, 3.4 per 1,000 population + divorce statistics, Marriage calculator + divorce odds, Rupert Murdoch's divorce from Anna Murdoch + $1.7 billion settlement,
Identity Theft The Federal Trade Commission estimates this many Americans have their personal info stolen each year. Thieves can strike in public or online. federal trade commission, The FTC estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. , "shoulder surfing" + identity theft, spam + identity theft, 200 to 1 + odds of having your identity stolen, Deter, Detect, Defend + FTC tips on identity theft,
Killer Tornadoes If only all tornadoes were about ruby slippers and Emerald Cities. Alas, Killer tornadoes , twisters can be deadly business, 2011 tornado outbreak, as we have seen with the recent destruction of the April and May outbreaks. +1-in-60,000 + odds of being killed by a tornado,
