Anomaly and Norm

The Adaptability of Life Between Anatomy and Biology

Galton Board: the Probability Curve

Inventor: Francis Galton (1822-1911)

Description: This innovative device illustrates the normal distribution of probability through a vertical board with staggered pins. When the balls are dropped from above, they bounce randomly and accumulate in containers at the base.

Functioning: Although the path of each ball is unpredictable, most of them cluster at the center, forming the famousbell-shaped Gaussian curve. However, it is inevitable that some balls will end up in the external areas, representing less common events: the “tails” of the distribution.

Meaning: The Galton Board demonstrates that the statistical “norm” includes the frequent and rare outcomes. Rare events, although they may seem anomalous, are an integral part of the system, highlighting that the norm emerges from the set of possible variations.