A coincidence is an occurrence of two or more similar things happening at the same time, especially in a way that is unlikely and surprising. It is an event that happens by chance and without any planning. Coincidences can be a series of strange occurrences that seem to have some connection, but causal connection requires something more than mere coincidence as to time and place. Examples of coincidences include meeting someone unexpectedly in a foreign country, choosing the same wallpaper as someone else, or sitting down right opposite someones mother in a train. Coincidences can be remarkable in how they straddle the worlds of science and belief. People have surprising, connective experiences, and they either create meaning out of them or they dont. Coincidences are part of a general cognitive architecture that is designed to make sense of the world.