Rules of engagement
Scientists find surprising regularities in war and terrorism
ON JULY 19th, IraqBodyCount, a group of academics who are attempting to monitor the casualties of the conflict in that country, published a report suggesting that almost 25,000 civilians have been killed in it so far. In other words, 34 a day. But that is an average. On some days the total is lower, and on some higher—occasionally much higher.
This article appeared in the Science & technology section of the print edition under the headline “Rules of engagement”
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