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It is numbers that have allowed us to unlock so much of the world around us. \u201cOnce we invent numbers, they allow us access to these patterns in nature that we wouldn\u2019t have otherwise,\u201d said anthropologist Caleb Everett. From Einstein’s famous <\/span>E=mc2 <\/sup>\u00a0equation to the circumference of a circle, there is so much about the world around us we\u2019ve discovered through the use of numbers.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Among the sequence of numbers, the invention of zero\u2014as a numerical symbol and the absence of amount\u2014is considered one of the greatest inventions in history. According to <\/span>Peter Gobets<\/span><\/a>, secretary of the ZerOrigIndia Foundation, or the Zero Project, zero is \u201cthe cornerstone of modern mathematics and physics, plus the spin-off technology.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Everett explains the significance of numbers to the <\/span>Smithsonian Magazine<\/span><\/a>: \u201cNumbers seem to be a gateway that are crucial and necessary for these other kinds of lifestyles and material cultures that we all share now but that at some point humans didn\u2019t have.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n We have whole professions focused on numbers like accounting, economics, and physics. <\/span>Mathematical Platonism<\/span><\/a>, Mathematics, and <\/span>Number Theory<\/span><\/a> are studies devoted to the philosophy and study of numbers. Whole languages are based on numbers. Our computers speak the language of numbers. They run on code, a language made up of the most basic binary components\u2014ones and zeros. Those county symbols help us with everything from telling time, noting the date, discussing the weather, describing characteristics like size, worth, age, and so much more.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Numbers so permeate our lives now that some people fear <\/span>living with<\/span><\/a> or without them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Right now, the world is in chaos with the onslaught of the coronavirus, a global pandemic unlike anything we\u2019ve seen in recent generations. One of the few ways that we can get a tiny measure of control is by watching the news on the virus. It feels helpful to know where the virus is centralized, how quickly the infection rate is multiplying, what population is being most affected.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n But with every update, the news and numbers being reported fluctuate. There are simply so many numbers out there, with new ones coming out within minutes of each other. How can you tell which to trust? Top-down\u2014from heads of government to social media platforms to local news\u2014everyone is struggling to provide accurate statistics and facts.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n During a crisis like the global pandemic we are experiencing with COVID-19, knowing the numbers becomes more important than ever. Looking up how close the virus is to your location, the current number of cases, how long it will take to flatten the curve, the economic effect the virus is having, and more are all numbers we\u2019ve come to rely upon each day for a sense of security.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n When the numbers are wrong or contradict each other, our inability to discern the truth can be frightening. Does the virus live on surfaces for six hours, nine hours, or 36 hours? Each news source seems to report a different absolute truth<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n From the <\/span>Center for an Informed Public<\/span><\/a> in Seattle, WA, <\/span>sociologist Emma Spiro, and crisis informatics researcher Kate Starbird<\/span><\/a> comment on the spiraling situation of misinformation. \u201cHistorically, a lot of misinformation is a byproduct of the natural response that people have to a disaster event. There\u2019s a lot of uncertainty about the impacts of the event and what actions we can take to respond to it.\u201d Sharing information is an outlet for many people\u2019s anxiety\u2014an action that we hope will help our loved ones. But when there is a crisis, our desires to help can cause an influx of panic sharing information not rooted in fact.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Measures to stop these misleading facts are being taken across the board. <\/span>NPR<\/span><\/a> reports that Facebook–who, along with Twitter have seen a surge of false and harmful statistics–is relying heavily on a network of 55 fact-checking partners to constantly monitor misinformation. Other organizations like the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and the UK\u2019s National Health Service (NHS) have created task forces to <\/span>challenge bad information<\/span><\/a>. For the swirling cauldron of numbers you wade into every time you browse today\u2019s news, here are a few additional resources you can visit to fact-check the truth.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n At Sogolytics we understand how valuable the right statistics are and how badly the wrong numbers can skew understanding. Sometimes to find the truth you need to look for the results yourself. That\u2019s why Sogolytics is partnering with healthcare organizations to aid them in finding the right numbers and answers to address all of the questions presented by the coronavirus. To take advantage of free timely templates available for your use, or to apply for a free account upgrade, <\/span>connect with us<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"numbers](\"https:\/\/www.sogolytics.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/GettyImages-171721316-1024x683.jpg\")
<\/p>\nWhen the numbers don’t add up<\/b><\/h2>\n
Behind the numbers<\/b><\/h2>\n
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