One of the great achievements of 20th century mathematics is a way of making sense of randomness. A handful of universal laws have been discovered (and proved!) that allow us to predict patterns in the middle of a mess. These laws allow us to avoid frustrations (why does the other lane always move faster than the one I chose?), make predictions (how high should I make the floodgates to keep things safe) and simply come to some useful terms when facing chance. In addition to reviewing, this talk will explain the new laws discovered by Borodin, Corwin and Ferrari. The 21st century should become the time of harnessing chance. This talk, aimed at a general audience, will try to point the way. No specialist knowledge is required.
