September 04, 2024
The chart shows that the average worker in wealthy countries now works only about half as many hours per year as in the late 19th century.
Based on data from economic historians Michael Huberman and Chris Minns, the average worker used to work between 2,700 and 3,500 hours per year, which is about 50 to 70 hours each week.
Recently, using data from the Penn World Table, workers worked about half that amount, between 1,300 and 1,800 hours a year, or about 25 to 35 hours a week.
This decrease has come from working fewer hours each day, fewer days each week, and fewer weeks each year.
Read more in our article on whether we are working more than ever →
Today
The share of births that are twins has changed over time.
The chart shows data for France, Canada, the United States, and England & Wales in the Human Multiple Births Database.
As you can see, twin births have risen dramatically since the 1980s.
One reason is the use of reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), which have made it possible for many more couples to conceive. During procedures like IVF, multiple eggs can be used at the same time to maximize the chances of a successful pregnancy, which can lead to twin births.
Another reason for the rise in twin births is that the average age of women at childbirth has risen. Older women are more likely to have twin births, even without using reproductive technologies.
Twin births are a chance event, but data shows they can also be influenced by societal changes and reproductive technologies.
Explore trends in twin births for other countries →
February 07
To mitigate the negative impacts of climate change, the world needs to quickly transition from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy sources such as solar power.
The chart shows how much this transition has accelerated in the last two decades.
In 2004, it took the world about a year to add one gigawatt of solar power capacity. By 2023, the same amount was added, on average, every single day.
For reference, a gigawatt of solar is enough to power approximately 200,000 homes in the US.
Much of this growth has been driven by China, which by 2023 accounted for about 43% of the cumulative installed capacity worldwide.
A big reason for this acceleration has been a large decrease in the price of solar panels. Since 2001, the price has dropped by about 95%, from $6.21 to $0.31 per watt.
Learn more about why renewables like solar became so cheap so fast →
February 06
Religion means less to people in some English-speaking countries than it did 30 years ago.
The chart shows a clear downward trend in the share of people who see religion as important in their lives. This is based on surveys across the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, from 1993 to 2022.
The United States stands out as the country with the highest percentage of people who consider religion important, though this has declined from 79% to 61%. The shift was even sharper in Canada, falling from 61% to 35%.
Religion was already less important to people in Australia, the UK, and New Zealand but in all three countries, this share dropped by more than a quarter.
Explore this data on the importance of religion for many more countries →
February 05
The “golden age of antibiotics” lasted from the early 1940s to the late 1960s. It was a period of rapid innovation that transformed medicine. As highlighted in this chart, nearly two-thirds of all antibiotic drug classes were introduced during this period.
Scientists explored natural sources — such as fungi and bacteria — and synthetic sources.
This led to breakthroughs in antibiotics derived from soil-dwelling bacteria, such as streptomycin, tetracyclines, and macrolides, and the mass production of penicillin, which Alexander Fleming discovered in 1928.
However, progress slowed after the 1970s as pharmaceutical companies shifted their focus to chronic diseases. Today, there is a renewed need for innovation to tackle antibiotic resistance.
Read my article on the golden age of antibiotics and how we can spark a new one →
February 04
We can expect to live more than twice as long as our ancestors in 1900.
As the chart shows, global average life expectancy was just 32 years at the beginning of the 20th century.
This was a short life by today’s standards: in 2023, the average life expectancy had increased to 73 years. That’s 41 years longer.
This remarkable increase is due to improved living standards, like better nutrition and sanitation, and advances in healthcare, such as antibiotics and vaccines.
While large declines in child mortality have been crucial, they have not been the only reason for the increase in life expectancy; it has increased across all ages.
Read more in our article “Twice as long – life expectancy around the world” →
February 03
Lithium is a critical component in many industries, including pharmaceuticals, optics, ceramics, and glass. But it’s best known for its use in batteries. Most rechargeable batteries in mobile phones, laptops, and consumer electronics are made from lithium-ion chemistries.
It’s also receiving increasing attention as a critical mineral in batteries for electric cars and storage for renewable energy.
Just a handful of countries supply the world’s lithium. In the chart, you can see each country’s share of global mined production in 2023. Australia produced almost half. Combined with China, Chile, and Argentina, these four countries produced over 90% of the total.
Chile, Argentina, and Bolivia form the so-called “lithium triangle”, which are large lithium deposits that span across these three countries. While Bolivia has huge lithium resources, it has produced very little so far.
This data comes from the United States Geological Survey.
Explore which countries produce other critical minerals in our data explorer →
January 31
Internet access has grown rapidly over the last few decades. It lets us connect with people across countries and continents, helps students learn and apply for jobs, and is even the primary mode of banking in some parts of the world.
But having access to fast internet also matters. This is also changing quickly.
In 2015, less than half — 44% — of the world population was in the range of a 4G network. That figure is now 90%. In the chart, you can see that this has increased quickly across many regions. This data comes from the International Telecommunication Union.
Note that being in the range of a 4G network doesn’t mean that someone is using it. If people don’t have a mobile, computer, or service to connect, they might be in the range of a network but not online.
Explore more charts on technological change across the world →
