In its April 2020 issue, Significance celebrates the bicentenary of the birth of Florence Nightingale with a special collection of articles about the renowned nurse, statistician, and reformer.

Lynn McDonald, editor of Nightingale’s collected works, sorts fact from fiction with an article that explains what Nightingale did and did not do as a statistician.

Digital Victorianist and print media scholar Alison Hedley akes a close look at Nightingale’s famous polar area diagram, helping readers understand not only why the graphic is still striking, but also why it was so striking at the time it was created.

Altea Lorenzo-Arribas and Pilar Cacheiro display and discuss the map they created of Nightingale’s social network, which was put together using the vast archive of papers and correspondence she left behind.

The magazine also features interviews with what it calls “Modern Nightingales”: five statisticians keeping the spirit of Florence Nightingale alive. Plus, this issue includes a specially designed cover by artist and data storyteller RJ Andrews, paying tribute to Nightingale’s mission and vision.

Access the digital version of Significance through the ASA or RSS member portals, or download and read the magazine on the go with our iOS and Android apps.