SEABED MINING
Fifteen years ago, there was little resource exploitation on the ocean floor. Now 460,000 sq. mi. (1.2 million sq km) of sea bottom is under contract to mining operations.
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Life Expectancy In Syria
Since the start of the Syrian civil war four years ago, the average life expectancy in the country has dropped from 79.5 years to 55.7 years, about the same as in South Sudan and Malawi, according to a new U.N. report
Read moreThe Surest Way To Destruction
“Yes, we did produce a near-perfect republic. But will they keep it? Or will they, in the enjoyment of plenty, lose the memory of freedom? Material abundance without character is the surest way to destruction.” – Thomas Jefferson
Read moreMoney Moved Into Offshore Bank Accounts
Minimum amount that Chinese citizens have moved into offshore bank accounts since 2002: $1,000,000,000,000
Read moreWhy Americans Skip Taking Vacation
Being overworked is the main reason Americans say they skip vacation: 40% – Heavy workload upon return 35% – Nobody else can do the work 33% – Can’t afford to take it 28% – Want to show dedication 22% – Don’t want to be seen as replaceable
Read moreLying Through Their Teeth
“The worlds largest oil rig exploded and sank off Brazil. The company said the environmental impact would be minimal, partly because of the isolated location, and partly because they re lying through their teeth.” – Jon Stewart
Read moreWhy There’s a Skyscraper in the Amazon
The $9 billion, 1,000-ft. (305 m) Amazonian Tall Tower Observatory—now the tallest structure in South America—recently entered the final stages of construction. It will be inaugurated in August and fully operational by 2017. Here’s what Brazil and Germany, which co-funded the project, are hoping it will accomplish: Gather data The tower’s height and state-of-the- art instruments will enable scientists to […]
Read moreCORAL-REEF DECLINE
Heat and acidity are also bad for coral reefs, which have declined by 40% in some areas since the 1970s. Coral organisms reproduce just once a year, making it hard for reefs to bounce back.
Read moreStuck In A Chimney
California firefighters spent two hours extracting a naked woman from a chimney after she tried to sneak into her ex-boyfriend’s home at 5 a.m. The 35-year-old took off her clothes in the hope it would help her fit down the 1-foot-wide chimney. But halfway down, she became wedged and called the ex on her cellphone. “I said, ‘Where are you […]
Read moreU.S. Black Children Living In Poverty
Percentage of black U.S. children under the age of five who live in poverty: 43
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