Success Stories of "Statistics"? When it comes to Machine Learning, the successful application seem to be very well known. For example, Neural Networks have been successfully used to create Self Driving Cars and Game Playing Algorithms (e.g. Go, Chess).
When we think of classical statistical models such as regression model, it seems more difficult to think of equally well known and successful applications of such models.
I understand that this might be in part because Machine Learning might get more news/media attention and the problems in which Machine Learning tends to be applied in are in some ways easier to quantify success - e.g. does this neural network beat the world champion?. I also understand that Machine Learning itself is heavily rooted in statistics, e.g. PAC learnability.
But in terms of the classical statistical models such as regression, have their been any successful applications of these models on a similar scale to the successful applications of machine learning?
Thanks!

To add some medical examples to the excellent cases already cited by others:
Richard Doll established the link between smoking and lung cancer.  Although a medical doctor, the link was established using epidemiological techniques.
Florence Nightingale, the Lady of the Lamp.  The common perception is that she spent nights in hospitals during the Crimean War tending to wounded soldiers.  In fact, she spent her time compiling statistics that demonstrated that vastly more of deaths were caused by injury and disease rather than direct enemy action on the battle field.  One of the drawings she used to illustrate her point still bears her name: the Nightingale plot.  She was the first female member of the Royal Statistical Society.
John Snow identified the source of the Broad Street cholera outbreak in 1854.
The first generally recognised modern clincal trial was conducted by James Lind, a Royal Navy surgeon, who in 1747 established that lack of vitamin C was the cause of scurvy.  As a result of his work, the Royal Navy began to issue a daily ration of lemons to its sailors, thereby giving rise to the use of the (not very flattering in some quarters) soubriquet of "Limey" for Britons.
