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Even though people fall ill or get into accidents and other unfavorable situations all of the time, many think that it’s not going to happen to them; that they are somehow immune to the hardships and calamities in life, which might prove to have a higher chance of happening than one thinks.

Members of the ‘Ask Reddit’ community recently discussed things that people don’t realize have an extremely high chance of happening, after one of them started a discussion about it. The netizens’ answers covered all sorts of misfortunes—and a couple of more positive scenarios—so if you’re wondering what might be more likely to happen than you think, continue scrolling through to find out.

On the list below, you will also find Bored Panda’s interviews with Professor and the founding director of the Fire Safety Engineering Group (FSEG) of the University of Greenwich in London, UK, Dr. Ed Galea, and Assistant Professor at Michigan State University in the US, expert in hazard mitigation and science communication, Dr. Robert E. Drost, who were kind enough to answer a few of our questions about emergency situations.

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#1

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) We able-bodied tend to think of disabled people as unlucky but (as has been pointed out) being able-bodied is AT BEST temporary. Everyone will at some point have to face a life of disability unless you die early. 


The ADA helps everyone and is one of America's great achievements.

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Michael Fernandez
Michael Fernandez
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I went from completely healthy with no symptoms to needing a cane to walk in the span of two years. Fortunately I’m insured and was able to get a hip replacement, which is basically a miracle operation.

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#2

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Sadly, Miscarriage in the first trimester. Some studies estimate as high as 40% of pregnancies terminate by 12 weeks.

Edit: Since this has gained mild traction I figure I should highlight a through-line featured in a lot of comments: normalize talking about miscarriage.
Obviously folks who have experienced a miscarriage should not be forced to discuss it if they aren't comfortable, but I have seen so many first-time pregnancies that miscarried where their first question was "what did I do wrong?" A significant majority of the time, there is nothing they did that triggered it; the more society is able and willing to provide that reassurance, the better off these people will be.

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PattyK
PattyK
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One ob-gyn explained that pregnancy is essentially the introduction of a foreign body (the father’s genome) into a woman. She said it’s a wonder that all pregnancies aren’t rejected.

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#3

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Being diagnosed with a chronic illness.

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Bob
Bob
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Especially if you already have one. Comorbidity is a b***h.

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No matter how high or low the chance of an accident happening in your area, it’s best to always be prepared and know what’s the expected procedure in one situation or another.

“My motto is 'Chance Favors the Prepared Mind',” expert in crowd safety, Prof. Ed Galea told Bored Panda in a recent interview. “In most emergency situations, every second counts and so it is essential to be prepared.

“It is not uncommon in disaster situations for people to display what is known as 'Behavioral Inaction', a situation where they are so overwhelmed by the rapidly unfolding circumstances of the disaster that they don't know what to do, they can freeze and do nothing while they take in and try to comprehend the situation or they do things that are not appropriate to the situation. So having a plan of how you would respond to a disaster can make the difference between life and death.”
#4

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Complications during labor and delivery.

My wife wasn't high risk with either of our kids. We had no indication that we had anything to be concerned about.

With my first child, he got stuck in the birth canal and had to be emergency vacuum extracted. He likely would have been still born had we not had an OB at the ready to act fast.

My wife hemorrhaged unexpectedly during recovery after delivering our second child. She likely would have bled out had she not been monitored during recovery by labor and delivery nurses, and emergency treated by an OB when the hemorrhage happened.

I know many women want to have their children in different arrangements than a traditional hospital birth, and I respect that. Just understand that having a doula in a birthing center is not the same as a team of labor and delivery nurses along with an OB that has an OR with blood band ready if things go sideways. The likelihood of complications is much higher than many understand. Just because you aren't classified as high risk does not mean you are at zero risk of complications.

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CamiCamilion
CamiCamilion
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yup! It's okay to have a birth plan, but it's just preferences. You likely won't get everything you wanted. My first was an emergency c-sec after I wouldn't dilate (and more problems). Tried to plan baby 2's c-sec, but she decided to come early.

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#5

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Having an important relationship come to a sudden end.

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Prof. Galea continued to point out that in a case of emergency, it’s crucial to know your surroundings. “Situational awareness is probably one of the most important factors in a rapidly changing environment. So knowing and understanding the layout of the space you are in is essential.”

For example, when you’re entering a crowded space, such as a shopping mall or a theater, the expert suggests checking out where the emergency exits are, and if possible identifying more than one exit. “Figure out how you would leave if you had to go in a hurry. Don't leave it until you are immersed in the disaster to figure out how to get out.”
#6

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) That thing you needed to find last week? You’ll find it when you don’t need it anymore.

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Cat Chat
Cat Chat
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You'll find it as soon as you give up searching and buy a replacement.

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#7

That we will permanently damage the environment. We aren't going green fast enough and politicians and big businesses keep working against green energy. We are setting ourselves up to be the first species to destroy ourselves because it wasn't profitable to do otherwise.

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#8

In the US, going into poverty because of medical expenses.

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Nea
Nea
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

But dont Americans think about it all the time?

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“On an aircraft, identify where the nearest exits are—in front of you and behind you—and count how many seats you are away from the exit (if the aircraft fills with smoke, you may not be able to see the exit). And always try to get an aisle seat as close to an exit as possible,” Dr. Galea continued. “When seated, always keep your seat belt fastened and if you have to evacuate, leave your cabin luggage behind.”

While on a train, he advises sitting with your back towards the direction of travel, if possible; that way, if your train is involved in an accident resulting in a sudden stop, you won't be flung forward out of your seat.
#9

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Being killed in a car accident through no fault of your own. We are driving metal projectiles near each other at high speeds. S**t gets unpredictable, and you can’t control other people. 

Consequently, you could survive an accident that absolutely devastates your health, functioning, and finances for years. You never know when you’re going to wake up on your last truly normal day. .

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#10

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Being betrayed by someone close to you.

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#11

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Dying. Many people take things for granted and do not prioritise right. Something I’ve noticed after I got cancer. Because I made the same “mistake.”.

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“If you live in an area that is prone to wildfires or floods or earthquakes, always have a 'go bag' prepared. This should include a change of clothes, important medication, some cash, bottled water, some dried food or energy bars, and keep your important documents such as passports, birth or marriage certificates in a place that is easily accessible in case you need to grab them quickly.

“Another piece of advice, if you hear an evacuation alarm, react to it immediately, don't assume it’s a false alarm,” Prof. Galea added. “People don't appreciate how quickly an emergency can turn into a disaster, literally, 'every second counts', so start to evacuate as soon as you hear that alarm.

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“In most survivable disasters, many people that don't make it either delayed the start of their evacuation or didn't know how to evacuate, so situational awareness is key (know your way out), as is a rapid response (when you hear the alarm, don't question it – get out).”
#12

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) People often don't realize that everyday accidents, like car crashes or household injuries, have an extremely high chance of happening compared to more dramatic or rare events.

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#13

Becoming disabled. There’s so much ableism in the world because people think it could never happen to them.

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clairebear
clairebear
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Suddenly got arthritis due to menopause. No one talks about that.

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#14

A cyber attack or out of control vulnerability shutting down every single non air gapped communications network and computer on the planet, putting us in a quasi stone age for weeks or months. Very real possibility and almost certain to happen in the next decade or so.

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Robert T
Robert T
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

One very good reason for advocating the use of different platforms and outlawing monopolies. And it doesn't need to be a vulnerability, just a poorly handled update...

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Discussing crowd related disasters, which is something few people think about when attending a big gathering—the excitement of seeing a favored artist or a spectacular show tends to occupy too big of a part of one’s mind—the expert in crowd safety pointed out that while they are not common, they still happen all too often.

“When they occur, they can have serious consequences for those in the crowd. Crowd disasters can happen anywhere in the world, from the poorest to the richest, most sophisticated countries in the world. They usually happen because authorities or those in charge failed to manage the space appropriately; there has either been poor or no control on numbers of people entering the space or there has been poor management of the crowds once the people have entered the space.

“Two recent examples of these types of disasters, where the authorities failed to control numbers and failed to appropriately manage the crowd once in the space, include the Itaewon crowd crush disaster of 2022 in South Korea (where more than 150 people died in a crowd crush on the streets of Seoul) and the Duisburg Love Parade crowd crush disaster of 2010 (where 21 people lost their lives and more than 650 people were injured simply because of poor crowd management).”

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#15

One thing people often don't realize has an extremely high chance of happening is experiencing some form of mental health issue during their lifetime. According to various studies, a significant portion of the population will deal with conditions like depression, anxiety, or stress-related disorders at some point. Despite this, mental health is still stigmatized, and many people don’t seek the help they need. It’s important to recognize that mental health issues are common and to encourage open conversations and support for those who are struggling.

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Jo Bennett
Jo Bennett
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Even when you do seek help, you can't find a professional near you that will "actually" see you in person. COVID has been managed but getting an in-person appointment is non- existent in my area.

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#16

Crashing and possibly killing yourself and/or others when you prefer to pay more attention to your phone than the road. Texts and social media can wait until you've parked your car somewhere.

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Susan Reid Smith
Susan Reid Smith
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Phone calls can wait too. Use special tones for particular people from whom calls or texts are high priority.

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#17

People don’t realize that there’s an extremely high chance of getting hooked on a TV show just before it gets canceled. It’s like a cosmic law of entertainment: the more you love it, the quicker it’s destined to leave you hanging.

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Another thing people are unsurprisingly not keen on thinking about, though they should, is a scenario where their home is hit by a natural disaster.

In an interview with Bored Panda, the expert in natural hazard mitigation, Dr. Robert E. Drost, seconded the idea that time and readiness are of utmost importance in case of an emergency situation. “Knowing what actions to take in a natural hazard event is a critical element to ensuring one’s safety. Often, decisions must be made quickly due to short lead times; the amount of time from when a warning is received until the hazard makes impact. There are many sources for information related to prudent preparation and evacuation practices available from local, state and federal agencies.”
#18

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Getting diabetes. At least here in the US people really don’t get how deep the deck is stacked against them.

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Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
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4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The food industry, and the medical industry are making shed loads of money out of diabetes and the like. Ill health is a money maker.

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#19

Your parents dying. I’m in my mid-thirties and I’m seeing all these posts like “omg, I’m going to lose my mom/dad one day”

Yes. This was always a thing and you are supposed to outlive your parents. Make a plan now and talk about the hard stuff and then it’s not nearly as hard when it does happen. (My mother and I have been actively talking/planning for when she passes away since I was about 10- I lost my dad at 17).

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Alexx Liindholm
Alexx Liindholm
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Lost my mom 2019 due to cancer. Was the hardest thing I have gone through. I had been having a migraine and we talked on the phone about me visiting the day after and the day after came, I wasn't worried when mom didn't pick up, I figured she was at her neighbours for coffee and accidentally left her phone at home. A hour later I get a call from a unknown number, I usually don't answer but I did, I got the news that mom had died by a emt and that I needed to come sign papers. (Oldest child priviledge lol). One of my friends drove me and we then drove to where my sister stayed with a friend for the weekend. My sister and I just hugged and sat on the pavement outside her friends apartment. It made us closer but sometimes I still think, maybe I should shoot mom a message and see if I can come over...

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#20

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Dropping your phone right after taking off the case.

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Emma London
Emma London
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's because your fingers form a memory of the exact dimensions of the phone. After removing the case, the dimensions differ slightly, making you fumble.

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According to Dr. Drost, the most important action to take in case there is a natural disaster is being prepared ahead of time, which entails developing an evacuation plan, identifying a safe shelter, and having a well-furnished kit that provides for hazard updates (a NOAA battery powered radio, water, cash, for example).

When working on being prepared for an emergency, you might want to take into consideration the type of the natural hazard that might occur, which is often linked to specific geographic locations based on weather and geologic conditions. “For instance, earthquakes are more common in the western part of the U.S. and tornadoes in the Midwest. Hurricanes are typical during certain seasons and most often along coastal areas. Though, this can—and has—changed as we experience changing climate patterns,” the expert noted.
#21

The US power grid failing. It would have extreme consequences. Just about everything we need and do in American society requires some sort of power. Even the water you drink.

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Squirrel Chaser
Squirrel Chaser
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Perfectly aligned coronal mass ejection (CME) that pumps billions of watts of power into our atmosphere disabling electronics and wiping out power grids.

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#22

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Getting hooked on social media. It happens so quickly and easily without ever realizing it.

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Nat Rich
Nat Rich
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4 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm not hooked. Puts down phone. Picks up phone to check for replies.

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#23

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) If you live long enough, the likelihood of developing some sort of cancer approaches 100% If nothing else gets you first, cancer will eventually.

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Brian Hawley
Brian Hawley
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Many forms are very survivable these days. I had bowel cancer. They chopped out a length of pipe, joined up the ends, a bit of chemo and I’m good to go. Six years ago and still clear.

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Discussing natural hazards with Bored Panda, Dr. Drost added that it’s important that individuals pay attention to watches and warnings that are published to the public. “These can come from a variety of sources such as the National Weather Service, NOAA and the USGS; often this information is delivered by local meteorologists, social media and even cell phones. It’s a smart practice to be aware of what’s happening and have a plan to stay safe in a natural hazard event,” he said.
#24

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) We could die at any moment for any reason. Human body is extremly complex and it's easy to not know what happening with our own body.

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Emma London
Emma London
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And still we make plans thinking of growing old, because living with a thought that we could drop dead at any moment would make life miserable.

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#25

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Tomorrow being almost identical to today.

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XenoMurph
XenoMurph
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Contradicting almost every other scaremongering post here.

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#26

Blowing through the ground water and overfishing.

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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We may very well see wars fought over access to water. People will fight like pit bulls when the necessities of life are on the line.

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#27

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Personal injury. It’s atrociously easy to get hurt in a way that will stay with you for life.

Being aware will mitigate most of that risk.

Drinking severely limits your ability to mitigate.

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Remi (He/Him)
Remi (He/Him)
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Slipped and fell a few years back and my left hand still gives me grief especially when it's cold out. I was also sober btw, just in a hurry to catch the bus, so not liking the shade thrown in the last sentence

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#28

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Natural disasters like earthquakes and floods have a high chance of happening.

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Apatheist Account2
Apatheist Account2
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Only in some places. Not very likely on top of a hill that's nowhere near a fault line.

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#29

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) Losing your phone or having it stolen. It’s more common than you think, so it’s good to have a backup plan.

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BebeR
BebeR
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Reminder to please write down your phone's serial number before throwing the box away. If your phone is stolen - you need that serial number to report it as stolen, and the serial number is needed to block the phone.

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#30

Another biological outbreak!!!!!

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#31

"What Do People Not Realize Has An Extremely High Chance Of Happening?" (30 Answers) I'm going to go against the mold here and list a good thing since everything else in this thread is negative:

Getting married. Almost 90% of people will get married in their lifetime but for some it can seem hopeless or nearly impossible.

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#32

A heart attack , I had one 2 week ago , straight out of nowhere .

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Michael Largey
Michael Largey
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Both of my two younger brothers died of sudden unexpected heart attacks. And yes, I have the same heart condition they did. And so it goes.

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#33

We are probably well overdue for another mass-causality natural disaster somewhere in the world.

Likewise, we’re overdue for a mass-causality man-made disaster, like that dam in China or the one north of Baghdad suddenly bursting: Millions live down-stream from these dams.

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#34

Major failure in government and financial networks and services all over the world because a lot of the backbone of essential softwares and servers runs on legacy codes, almost dead programing languages, and archaic hardware.

Major climate catastrophe because of the collapse of the AMOC.

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#35

I think people have an attitude of "well COVID JUST happened, so we're not due for another one of those for another century." 

We've spent the last century building the perfect environment for pandemics.

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XenoMurph
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We've spent the last century building the perfect environment for CURING a pandemic. We are cleaner, more educated about infection, more technologically advanced, more capable of creating a cure. If covid had happened a century earlier, tens of millions more would have died. Don't disparage the advances we have made.

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#36

Dying at any moment. There are countless reasons why you might die in 30 seconds.

Heart attack. Aneurysm. A very unfortunate fall on something sharp or piercing.

A car could crash through your house. Or a plane. The next door neighbor's propane tank might explode, sending shrapnel through your window and into you. Or you might be the unfortunate landing spot for a stray bullet.

If you're at work, someone might try to rob your business and shoot you or stab you. Or a hostile coworker might go postal. Or an irate customer.

But our brains conveniently shut all this out. We're not guaranteed the next minute, let alone tomorrow.

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#37

Food shortages. Climate change is destroying croplands and will do so more in the near future.

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Susan Reid Smith
Susan Reid Smith
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

War causes food shortages too. Ukraine is or use to be a major exporter of wheat.

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#38

Anything bad if you don't prepare for it.

People don't prepare for bad scenario (flood, crime, earthquake, even war, etc) simply because they're to afraid about it. Thinking "preparing is just jinxing" "Bad thing happen when you think about it".

Preparation might not 100% prevent bad thing to happen. But it'd prevent bad thing from turning into terrible thing.

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Remi (He/Him)
Remi (He/Him)
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Preparing by probability is also a thing. Not prepared for zombie apocalypse or earthquake because they're very very unlikely, but prepared for power outage, wind damage and fire and even some other emergency situations. It's not about fear, it's about the time, energy and money you use to be ready for something unlikely, that you could spend on normal life.

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#39

I think in general people struggle with the reality that a low probability event can have a high probability of occuring if you roll the dice often enough. Or more accurately we have a hard time keeping track of how often we are practically rolling the dice and taking that into account when we access risk. .

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#40

The loss of government protections for it's citizens.

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#41

I assume that the chances of walking over a dead body you have no idea is buried right under your feet is probably pretty high. Not saying it's a murder, could just be a skeleton from days of yore in a long-forgotten burial ground/cemetery. But I always think that I've probably been within 6 feet of more human remains than I'll ever realize.

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Terran
Terran
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, especially in Europe you can assume that you walk over multiple old cemeteries per day. It's always fun to look at the children play at a playground in a park near my home, knowing that there are about 400 dead bodies beneath them.

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#42

You can be in love with someone for years and one day end up not knowing them at all.

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Michael Largey
Michael Largey
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You can believe someone is in love with you for years and one day end up finding out that they don't know you at all.

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#43

Seattle and the Olympic Peninsula will eventually be hit by a devastating [tsunami](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/earthquake-tsunami-seattle-fault-study/).

Oops, link goes to an article about the wrong fault. I meant to link to an article about the [Cascadia Subduction Zone](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cascadia_subduction_zone).

It's a matter of when, not if.

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Kangaroo
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I live on Vancouver Island and we’re going to be pretty wrecked by it too. In my town the harbour is surrounded by pretty blue lights at night. If the lights ever turn red, we’re supposed to run lol

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#44

Losing your 10mm socket.

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#45

Diarrhea.

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joann fielding
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most people don't realize that diarrhea is hereditary..... it runs in your jeans! Haha j/k

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#46

40% of people will get cancer.

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#47

Dying from shoveling snow.

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keyboardtek
keyboardtek
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4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Or other snow related injuries. My dad slipped and fell while shoveling snow and detached a retina.

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#48

The #3 cause of death in the United States is *accidents*.

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