-----Original Message-----
From: Des Clark-Walker [
Sent: Thursday, 17 January 2013 3:51 PM
To: Canberrabirds List
Subject: [canberrabirds] black-swan events
In recent reading of Nature I came across use of the term "black-swan event'. Curious to know the meaning of this term and being a Western Australian I interrogated Google. There is a voluminous literature on black-swan theory and events, going back to the time when all swans were supposed to be white. In essence, a black-swan event is a surprise, the event has a major effect and in hindsight it could have been predicted. Attack on The World Trade Center is an example.
I hope Geoffrey Dabb can dream up a suitable illustration?
Des Clark-Walker
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