May 21, 2025
Famines are still a major global problem. From 2020 to 2023 alone, they caused over a million deaths.
Yet the long-term trend shows significant progress. In the late 1800s and the first half of the 1900s, it was common for famines to kill over 10 million people per decade. This was true as recently as the 1960s, when China’s Great Leap Forward became the deadliest famine in history.
But as you can see in the chart, that number has dropped sharply, to about one to two million per decade.
This improvement is even more striking given that the world’s population has grown substantially. Despite many more people living on Earth, far fewer die from famines than before.
This progress has resulted from various factors, including increased food production, poverty reduction, fewer conflicts, and more accountable governments.
June 06
Losing a child is one of the worst things that can happen to a parent.
Imagine living in a world where there was a one-in-three chance your child would die. This wasn't just the reality for your children; it could just as well happen to your siblings, friends, or neighbors.
Such a world seems unimaginable today, but it wasn’t too far from reality two centuries ago, even in some economically advanced countries.
The chart shows the share of newborns who died before age five in the Netherlands since 1840. These historical estimates are more uncertain than recent data, but it's likely that before the 1870s, about one-in-three newborns died. Each birth carried odds no parent today could contemplate facing.
But a huge amount of progress has been made since then. Today, one in 250 Dutch children dies. This progress was driven by many factors, including improvements in nutrition, access to clean water, sanitation, vaccines, and reductions in poverty.
To learn more, read my colleague Hannah’s recent article: “Children in rich countries are much less likely to die than a few decades ago, but we rarely hear about this progress” →
June 04
You might be surprised to learn that a common stomach infection can lead to cancer. That infection is caused by Helicobacter pylori — H. pylori for short — a bacterium that can live in the stomach lining for decades.
The infection often begins in childhood and may not cause symptoms right away. But over time, it can damage the stomach’s protective lining, causing inflammation and ulcers. In some people, it eventually leads to cancer.
The map shows that in parts of Asia and South America, H. pylori is responsible for about 10% of all new cancer cases. The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimates that it causes around 800,000 cancer cases globally each year, making it one of the top infectious causes of cancer.
The good news is that the infection can be detected with a simple test and eliminated with antibiotics. If caught early, the risk of stomach cancer can be dramatically reduced. Since the bacterium is often transmitted through contaminated food and water, better sanitation and food safety also make a difference.
Read more about infections that cause cancers, and how they can be prevented or treated →
June 02
To tackle climate change, the world must transition away from fossil fuels and towards low-carbon power sources.
Greece is almost there when it comes to coal. Coal became the dominant source of electricity in the second half of the 20th century, but it has fallen out of favor in the 21st.
The chart shows that just over a decade ago, almost half of the country’s power came from coal. This has now fallen to 6%.
Solar and wind have replaced it; their share has tripled in the last decade; when combined, they’ve become the largest source.
As a result, the country’s CO2 emissions from coal have fallen by nearly 90% from their peak, and national emissions as a whole have halved.
Solar and wind are growing rapidly in many countries; explore this data in our energy data explorer →
May 30
Young Americans spend much more time alone than they did in the past. According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ American Time Use Survey, people aged 15–29 spent about 45% more time alone in 2023 than in 2010.
The survey classifies all time spent without anybody physically present as “time spent alone”. This can include time spent talking on the phone or video calls.
Time spent alone among young people increased slowly in the second half of the 2010s and then rose sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic. It hasn’t fallen back to earlier levels since then.
In absolute terms, young people spent around four hours alone per day in 2010. By 2023, that number had grown to six hours per day.
Although all Americans spend more time alone, the increase is much smaller for older age groups. Those aged 30 to 44 spend about 20% more time alone now than in 2010, while for people 45 and older, the increase is about 10%.
While time alone can help with rest and personal reflection, it can also lead to loneliness and declining well-being. As time spent alone has increased, young people’s time with family, and even more so with friends, has decreased.
Explore more research and data on how people spend their time →
May 28
In May 2004, ten countries joined the European Union in its largest expansion. These new members entered the EU’s internal market, allowing the free movement of goods, services, capital, and people.
Poland was one of these countries. At the time, its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita stood at $21,200 per year, around half the EU average.
Since then, this gap has narrowed. As the chart shows, Poland’s GDP per capita has more than doubled.
While many factors contributed to this growth, integration into the EU played a role. Since 2004, Poland’s inflation-adjusted exports have more than tripled, with around three-quarters going to other EU countries. This boost to growth is sometimes described as an “EU accession bonus”.
Poland has also been a major beneficiary of EU funding, receiving over €163 billion (net of its own contributions). Most of this money has supported areas such as transport infrastructure, research and development, and energy.
Compare levels of GDP per capita across other countries →
May 26
More than half a million children die from diarrheal diseases each year. This is tragic because many of these deaths could be prevented with the tools we already have.
Just ten pathogens are responsible for three-quarters of all diarrheal deaths in children; these are shown in the chart in red, blue, and gold. The leading cause is rotavirus, which kills over 200,000 children each year. Rotavirus vaccines already exist and are very effective in reducing death rates, but vaccination rates are still lagging in many poorer countries.
Other major killers include Shigella, Cryptosporidium, and E. coli, which can be tackled through better hygiene, clean water, improved sanitation, and new treatments.
These pathogens typically spread through contaminated food and water, respiratory droplets, and close contact with others. Basic tools like clean water and sanitation, access to vaccines, and oral rehydration treatment could go a long way in preventing early death, and give every child the chance to have a healthy, long life.
Explore more writing and data on diarrheal diseases on our dedicated page →
May 23
Globally, more than 700,000 people die from suicide every year.
Understanding the factors that increase the risk of suicide can help us provide the most effective interventions and support systems.
One thing we do know is that more men die from suicide than women. In the chart, you can see male suicide rates (on the vertical axis) plotted against female rates. One dot is one country. Since all of the dots lie above the line, male suicide rates were higher in all countries included in this dataset.
The size of this gender gap varies by country. In the United States, rates among men are four times higher than amongst women. In South Korea and Japan, they’re around double. Some countries lie closer to the line, meaning the gap is smaller.
The exact reasons for this gender gap are still debated. Factors could include the lethality of different methods, stigma around seeking help, different social pressures, and alcohol and drug abuse.
Every suicide is a tragedy. However, suicide death rates have declined in many countries, and we know that they can be reduced further with greater understanding and support. If you are dealing with suicidal thoughts, you can receive immediate help by visiting resources such as findahelpline.com.
Read my colleague Saloni Dattani’s article on how suicide statistics can vary across sources →
