White or Black Advantage

Perhaps someone can help me...

I seem to remember reading many years ago either in a book or magazine article about a mathematical study to determine whether white really has an advantage over black because she/he moves first.  The conclusion - if memory serves me - was that the percentage was something like .0000001%, which is statistically even.

Does anyone know who did this study, or when (or where)?

If you want to use this forum to debate your own ideas on this, feel free!

I have not looked at this for a while but it used to be White's score (on a rating adjusted basis ) was around 53%.

White has a considerable advantage from that first move for one very simple reason; all else being equal, White will always either be one move ahead, or even with Black. Of course, all else is never equal, but it is still an advantage.