Tracking global data on electric vehicles
Explore data on electric car sales and stocks worldwide.
February 26, 2024
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Our latest articles, data updates, and announcements
February 19, 2024
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The global fight against polio — how far have we come?
A generation ago, polio paralyzed hundreds of thousands of children every year. Many countries have eliminated the disease, and our generation has the chance to eradicate it.
December 7, 2023
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What were the death tolls from pandemics in history?
Pandemics have killed millions of people throughout history. How many deaths were caused by different pandemics, and how have researchers estimated their death tolls?
November 27, 2023
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Period versus cohort measures: what’s the difference?
What do the terms “period” and “cohort” mean in statistics? How do they differ, and why does it matter?
November 27, 2023
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Why do women live longer than men?
Women tend to live longer than men in all countries — but the sex gap in life expectancy is not a constant.
November 1, 2023
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The Human Development Index and related indices: what they are and what we can learn from them
Researchers have developed several indices that aim to capture human development. How do they work?
October 20, 2023
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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 18, 2023
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, 2023
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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, 2023
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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 2, 2023
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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, 2023
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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, 2023
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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, 2023
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How many animals get slaughtered every day?
Hundreds of millions of animals get killed for meat every day.
August 30, 2023
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Which form of transport has the smallest carbon footprint?
How can individuals reduce their emissions from transport?
August 16, 2023
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 9, 2023
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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 9, 2023
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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 9, 2023
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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 9, 2023
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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, 2023
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.