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You've downloaded more or less a lone statistical

loop, a drift on a sea of nonsense.

In this week's episode, we're talking blockbuster movies and killer birthdays.

For the next ten minutes, you're with more or less the numbers programme.

Well, I say numbers programme, but we're so much more than that.

In fact, this is how the head of the BBCWorldService

described our creation.

There was an idea to bring together a group of remarkable people.

So when we needed them, they could fight the battles that we never could.

Movie fans might notice that this also happens to be

how Samuel L. Jackson's character in the blockbuster movie The Avengers

described the creation of Shield, a shadowy crime-fighting agency

that makes use of superheroes like Iron Man and the Hulk.

This programme is not all that different.

I'm Angela Saini, or if you prefer, stat woman.

And if you recognise that clip from The Avengers,

you're certainly not alone.

When it came out earlier this year, it set a new record in America

for box office takings over an opening weekend.

...