Miracle Calculator
Calculate how often you can expect miraculous events based on Littlewood's Law of Miracles
Littlewood's Law of Miracles Calculator
Choose what you want to calculate
Enter the time period in days (1 to 36,500 days / 100 years)
Advanced Settings
Default: 8 hours (Littlewood's assumption)
Default: 1 event per second
Default: 1,000,000 (Littlewood's definition of a miracle)
Please provide valid inputs
Example Calculations
Example 1: Miracles in One Month
Time Period: 30 days
Calculation:
Events per day: 8 × 3600 × 1 = 28,800
Total events: 30 × 28,800 = 864,000
Expected miracles: 864,000 ÷ 1,000,000 = 0.86
Result: About 0.86 miracles expected in 30 days
Example 2: Time for One Miracle
Number of Miracles: 1
Calculation:
Required events: 1 × 1,000,000 = 1,000,000
Events per day: 28,800
Required days: 1,000,000 ÷ 28,800 = 34.7
Result: About 35 days to experience one miracle
Example 3: Miracles in One Year
Time Period: 365 days
Total Events: 365 × 28,800 = 10,512,000
Expected Miracles: 10,512,000 ÷ 1,000,000 = 10.5
Result: About 11 miracles expected in one year!
Littlewood's Law
The Principle
A person experiences ~1 miracle per month
Based on 1-in-a-million probability
Active Hours
8 hours awake and active per day
Excludes sleep and passive time
Event Rate
1 event per second while active
28,800 events per day
Key Assumptions
Miracle = 1-in-a-million chance event
Person is awake 8 hours per day
One new event perceived every second
Events are independent occurrences
Statistical Insights
Law of Large Numbers
With enough events, even rare occurrences become probable
Perception Bias
We notice and remember unlikely events more than ordinary ones
Mathematical Reality
"Miracles" are actually expected outcomes given enough opportunities
Understanding Littlewood's Law of Miracles
The Mathematical Foundation
In 1986, Cambridge mathematician Professor John Littlewood proposed that a person could expect to experience supernatural events at the rate of about one per month. His "law of miracles" is based on specific mathematical assumptions about how we experience daily life and what constitutes a miraculous event.
The Basic Formula
Events per Day = Hours Awake × 3600 × Events per Second
Expected Miracles = Total Events ÷ Miracle Probability
Default: 8 hours × 3600 × 1 = 28,800 events/day
Scientific Purpose
Littlewood's law isn't meant to prove that supernatural events exist. Instead, it demonstrates how seemingly improbable events become probable when viewed through the lens of large numbers. This principle is used to challenge pseudoscientific claims and explain coincidences.
Real-World Applications
- •Psychology: Understanding coincidence perception
- •Statistics: Teaching probability concepts
- •Skepticism: Evaluating paranormal claims
Variations and Custom Scenarios
Customizing Event Rates
High Activity: 2 events/second → 17.3 days per miracle
Standard Rate: 1 event/second → 34.7 days per miracle
Quiet Life: 0.5 events/second → 69.4 days per miracle
Digital Age: 5 events/second → 6.9 days per miracle
Redefining Miracles
Common "Lucky": 1 in 1,000 → 0.03 days
Remarkable: 1 in 10,000 → 0.3 days
Extraordinary: 1 in 100,000 → 3.5 days
True Miracle: 1 in 1,000,000 → 34.7 days
Impossible: 1 in 10,000,000 → 347 days