Risk: The science and politics of fear

This book explores how humans perceive risk and the psychology behind their fears. It explains that the brain uses two systems to analyze risk: an intuitive, primitive one and a rational, considered one. Gardner highlights the paranoia surrounding high-profile threats like terrorism, contamination, and shark attacks, while showing that more mundane risks, such as road accidents or poorly wired Christmas lights, often pose a greater statistical danger to our lives. The book argues that these flawed perceptions of risk can have unforeseen consequences.