Kilowatts of Energy Used in Ethiopia and the U.S.
Kilowatt-hours of energy used each year by the average Ethiopian citizen: 52 By the average U.S. refrigerator: 454
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Anger at Pope’s Mention of Armenian Genocide
Turkish leaders reacted with outrage this week after Pope Francis referred to the mass killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks during World War I as “the first genocide of the 20th century.” Turkey recalled its Vatican envoy, and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the pope “not to repeat his mistake,” saying, “It is not possible for the Turkish Republic to […]
Read moreObese Americans
American men are weighing in at an average of 196 pounds—16 pounds more than in 1990, a new Gallup survey has found.The average weight for women jumped 14 pounds—to 156 pounds— over the same period. Gallup estimates 62 percent of Americans are either overweight or obese.
Read moreWomen Prisoners Who Are Mothers
Percentage of U.S. women prisoners who are mothers of young children: 61
Read moreAirlines And The Arctic
Minimum percentage of Arctic warming that has been caused by commercial airline emissions: 10
Read moreThings Are Getting Heavy
Mississippi has overtaken West Virginia as the fattest state in the union, with an obesity rate of 35.4 percent. Montana had the lowest obesity rate—19.6 percent.
Read moreFISH MIGRATION
Fish flee existing habitats in search of better ones. Atlantic sea bass, for example, are migrating north to cooler waters—but the heat will chase them there.
Read moreSomething Fishy Going On
A Chinese fishmonger found a 3-pound live bomb inside a squid he was cutting up. Police took the squid away and blew it up in a controlled explosion.
Read morePRESS FREEDOM
Reporters Without Borders ranked 180 countries on the basis of conditions for press freedom. A sampling:
Read moreFamily in Korea
“Family” is traditionally the most important part of Korean life, but families are now falling apart. The national divorce rate has tripled from 2013 to 2014. South Korea has had the highest suicide rate among developed countries for eight consecutive years. In 2012, 39 people per day killed themselves. Suicide is the leading cause of death for 10- to 30-year-old […]
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