Gompertz Law of Human Mortality

Your probability of dying during a given year doubles every 8 years.

Source: http://gravityandlevity.wordpress.com/2009/07/08/your-body-wasnt-built-to-last-a-lesson-from-human-mortality-rates/
added 2013-12-30T20:53:32Z by anders

americans are as likely to be killed by their own furniture as by terrorism

overall, a comparable number of Americans are crushed to death by their televisions or furniture each year.

Source: Americans Are as Likely to Be Killed by Their Own Furniture as by Terrorism - Micah Zenko - The Atlantic
added 2013-08-18T19:28:51Z by anders

increased automobile deaths due to people deciding to drive instead of fly

500 per year

Source: Schneier on Security: Harms of Post-9/11 Airline Security
added 2012-03-29T16:59:52Z by anders

Early detection of prostate cancer doesn't significantly reduce mortality

After a median follow-up of 11 years in the core age group, the relative reduction in the risk of death from prostate cancer in the screening group was 21% (rate ratio, 0.79; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68 to 0.91; P=0.001), and 29% after adjustment for noncompliance. The absolute reduction in mortality in the screening group was 0.10 deaths per 1000 person-years or 1.07 deaths per 1000 men who underwent randomization. The rate ratio for death from prostate cancer during follow-up years 10 and 11 was 0.62 (95% CI, 0.45 to 0.85; P=0.003). To prevent one death from prostate cancer at 11 years of follow-up, 1055 men would need to be invited for screening and 37 cancers would need to be detected. There was no significant between-group difference in all-cause mortality.

Source: Prostate-Cancer Mortality at 11 Years of Follow-up [NEJM]
added 2012-03-19T10:08:31Z by anders