Risks, explained
A practical guide to understanding and comparing life, health, medical, travel, financial, and global risks.
Use the menu to explore domains; start with “Risk basics” if you are new.
What this site is
Risk is the chance that something unwanted happens. Sometimes the chance is small but the harm is huge (rare disasters). Other times the chance is common but the harm is small (minor injuries). This site explains how to think clearly about both.
Key idea
Risk = chance × impact. Two choices can have the same risk for different reasons (high chance + low impact vs low chance + high impact).
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Explore by domain
Life risks
Everyday risks: home, work, relationships, and how to prioritize.
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Health and disease
Lifestyle, infections, chronic disease, prevention, and screening.
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Medical, surgery, anaesthesia, obstetrics
How clinicians quantify complications and uncertainty.
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Transport and travel
Driving, riding, walking, flights, trains—what changes your risk.
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Finance
Volatility, leverage, fraud, inflation, and how to match risk to goals.
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Climate, politics, nuclear
System risks: slow-moving hazards and tail events.
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A simple way to compare choices
Ask: (1) What can go wrong? (2) How likely? (3) How bad? (4) What can I do about it?
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Why people misjudge risk
Brains are great at stories and patterns—but not probabilities. Learn the common traps.
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Make it personal
Age, health, location, and systems matter. Use the tools and checklists.
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