Thought for Food

Testing the theory of six degrees of separation (BBC via Bittman).

Recreating a famous experiment done in the 1960s, 40 parcels were given to people randomly picked around the world, as part of a BBC programme testing the “six degrees” theory.

They then had to try and get the parcel to a scientist called Marc Vidal based in Boston, via someone they knew on a first-name basis.

Three of the parcels made it to Mr Vidal, and on average took six steps to get there.

Organisers of the experiment believe the other 37 chains broke because of the apathy of individuals who failed to send the parcel on.

One that made it started off in the remote village of Nyamware in Kenya, where Nyaloka Auma gave it to her aunt in Nairobi.

Margaret Owino then sent it to a friend in New York state who used to live in Nairobi, who in turn sent it to another friend in Boston. Eventually it arrived in the hands of the right person, through seven people in total.