How different measures capture how common and deadly conflicts are, and when to use which one
There are several ways to capture how common and deadly armed conflicts are. What are they? And when is which measure best?
October 20
Article
Latest
Our latest articles, data updates, and announcements
October 18
Article
Redesigning our interactive data visualizations
We have redesigned our interactive visualizations to improve their layout and functionality. Three product and engineering team members discuss the changes and our plans to improve things further.
October 13
Article
How major sources collect data on conflicts and conflict deaths, and when to use which one
There are many ways to measure armed conflicts and conflict deaths. What approaches do different researchers take? And when is which approach best?
October 13
Article
How does the risk of death change as we age – and how has this changed over time?
Death rates decline rapidly after birth but rise again in adolescence. From adulthood onwards, they rise exponentially.
October 02
Article
Welcoming Rachel Glennerster and Andrew Dilnot
We are very excited to share that Rachel Glennerster and Andrew Dilnot have joined our Board of Trustees.
September 29
Article
How much CO2 can the world emit while keeping warming below 1.5°C and 2°C?
The budget to keep temperatures below 1.5°C is less than a decade of current emissions. For 2°C, it’s less than three decades.
September 27
Article
Per capita, national, historical: how do countries compare on CO2 metrics?
There are many ways to measure countries’ contributions to climate change. What do they tell us?
September 26
Article
How many animals get slaughtered every day?
Hundreds of millions of animals get killed for meat every day.
August 30
Article
Which form of transport has the smallest carbon footprint?
How can individuals reduce their emissions from transport?
August 16
Article
The Global Terrorism Database: how do researchers measure terrorism?
There are different approaches to measuring terrorism. Here is the approach of the Global Terrorism Database, a leading source of terrorism data.
August 09
Article
How do researchers estimate the death toll caused by each risk factor, whether it’s smoking, obesity, or air pollution?
Risk factors are important to understand because they can help us identify how to save lives. How do researchers estimate their impact?
August 09
Article
How are causes of death registered around the world?
In many countries, when people die, the cause of their death is officially registered in their country’s national system. How is this determined?
August 09
Article
Risk ratios, odds ratios, risk differences: How do researchers calculate the risk from a risk factor?
The effects of risk factors can be calculated in different ways. How are they calculated and interpreted?
August 09
Article
Why isn’t it possible to sum up the death toll from different risk factors?
Deaths caused by each risk factor can’t be added up. By understanding why, we will have a better understanding of how many lives can be saved with each intervention.
July 27
Article
The limits of our personal experience and the value of statistics
The world is huge; to get a clear idea of what our world is like, we have to rely on carefully collected, well-documented statistics.
July 18
Article
SDG Tracker: Measuring progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals
Our World in Data’s Sustainable Development Goals Tracker
July 11
Article
How are incomes adjusted for inflation?
Adjusting incomes for inflation is crucial if we want to learn how standards of living are changing. How is this adjustment done?
July 06
Article
How has income inequality within countries evolved over the past century?
While the steep rise of inequality in the United States is well-known, long-run data on the incomes of the richest shows countries have followed a variety of trajectories.
July 06
Article
OWID Data Collection: Inequality and Poverty
Explore a wide range of indicators on inequality and poverty and compare sources.
July 03
Article
Income inequality before and after taxes: how much do countries redistribute income?
The redistribution of income achieved by governments through taxes and benefits varies hugely.
June 30
Article
Measuring inequality: what is the Gini coefficient?
The Gini coefficient is the most common way of measuring inequality. But what does it actually measure? And how does it differ from other measures of inequality?