Computer Identifies Most Boring Day in Modern History
[Cambridge computer scientist William] Tunstall-Pedoe’s computer programme, called True Knowledge, came to its lofty decision after being fed some 300 million facts about “people, places, business and events” that made the news.
Using complex algorithms, such as how much one piece of information was linked to others, True Knowledge determined that particular 1950s Sunday to be outstanding in its obscurity.
Cambridge University-educated Mr Tunstall-Pedoe said: “Nobody significant died that day, no major events apparently occurred and, although a typical day in the 20th century has many notable people being born, for some reason that day had only one who might make that claim – Abdullah Atalar, a Turkish academic.
Even accepting the program’s claims, if a day is notable for being the most boring day in history, does its notability make it less boring? Wikipedia, for instance, now marks April 11, 1954 as “The most boring day in history” where no note previously existed. Has the second-most boring day in 20th century history leapt to #1 boring status? Etc.
(Telegraph via Slashdot. title pic via The Sun.)
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