3 statistical stuff-ups that made everyday items look healthier (or riskier) than they really are

By Adrian Esterman, Professor of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of South Australia

Conducting scientific studies is never easy, and there are often major disasters along the way. A researcher accidentally spills coffee on a keyboard, destroying the data. Or one of the chemicals used in the analysis is contaminated, and the list goes on.

However, when we read the results of the study in a scientific paper, it always looks pristine. The study went smoothly with no hiccups, and here are our results.

But studies can contain errors, not all of which independent experts or “peer reviewers” weed out before publication.

Statistical stuff-ups can be…

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