The brief history of artificial intelligence: the world has changed fast — what might be next?
Little is as important for the world’s future and our own lives as how this history continues.
December 06
Article
Latest
Our latest articles, data updates, and announcements
November 30
Article
There have been five mass extinctions in Earth's history
When did the "Big Five" mass extinctions happen, and what were their causes?
November 30
Article
How many species are there?
How many species do we share our planet with? How many of these species have we found and identified?
November 30
Article
Did humans cause the Quaternary megafauna extinction?
10,000 to 50,000 years ago, hundreds of the largest mammals went extinct. It's likely that humans were the key driver of this.
November 30
Article
Global whaling peaked in the 1960s
Intense whaling drove many of the world’s whale species close to extinction. But a dramatic decline in whale hunting since then has given them hopes of recovery.
November 30
Article
The state of the world's rhino populations
How have rhino populations changed over time? What species are at risk of extinction today?
October 26
Article
From $1.90 to $2.15 a day: the updated International Poverty Line
The World Bank has updated the methods it uses to measure incomes and poverty around the world. What does this mean for our understanding of global poverty?
October 20
Article
How many people die from the flu?
The risk of death from influenza has declined over time, but globally, hundreds of thousands of people still die from the disease each year.
October 18
Article
Introducing our updated work on Poverty: a new design for our content
We’ve just published a major redesign of our topic pages. Explore this redesign with our new work on poverty.
October 14
Article
Which countries have put a price on carbon?
Putting a price on carbon helps us account for the real costs of fossil fuels in the market. Which countries have a carbon tax or trading system?
October 13
Article
FAQs on the Living Planet Index
The Living Planet Index is one of the most common measures used in biodiversity monitoring. But what is it, and where does this data come from?
October 13
Article
How does the Living Planet Index vary by region?
The Living Planet Index shows an average decline of 73% across studied animal populations globally. But how does this vary by region?
October 13
Article
Living Planet Index: what does it really mean?
The Living Planet Index is the biodiversity metric that always claims the headlines. It’s often misinterpreted. How should we understand it?
October 11
Article
Ocean plastics: How much do rich countries contribute by shipping their waste overseas?
Many countries ship plastic waste overseas. How much of the world’s waste is traded, and how big is its role in the pollution of our oceans?
September 27
Article
Wild mammals are making a comeback in Europe thanks to conservation efforts
Hunting and habitat loss drove many large mammals in Europe close to extinction. New data shows us that many of the continent’s mammal populations are flourishing again.
September 06
Article
The world has recently become less democratic
Many more people have democratic rights than in the past. Some of this progress has recently been reversed.
July 20
Article
The world is awful. The world is much better. The world can be much better.
It is wrong to think these three statements contradict each other. We need to see that they are all true to see that a better world is possible.
July 19
Article
People around the world have gained democratic rights, but some have many more rights than others
How democratic have countries been across the world? And how big are the differences between them?
July 11
Article
Five key findings from the 2022 UN Population Prospects
Explore the key highlights from the UN’s latest release of its world population estimates.
July 07
Article
Guinea worm disease is close to being eradicated – how was this progress achieved?
In the late 1980s, there were near a million new cases of guinea worm disease recorded worldwide. In 2021, there were only 15. How was this achieved?
June 16
Article
How does the land use of different electricity sources compare?
All energy production takes up land, but which sources use the most land, and which use it most efficiently?