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According to this map by the Department of Cartography and Geography of the East University in Oklahoma, people have different names for soft drinks in different areas of the United States. Soda is the name used in California, Nevada, Arizona, and parts the North East region. Pop is the name referred to in the Northern half of the U.S. and Coke is the popular name used in the Southern states. This map was based upon 120,464 respondents.
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Migrant remittances to developing countries are expected to reach $406 billion in 2012, a 6.5 percent increase over the previous year, and $534 billion in 2015. These officially recorded remittances have kept increasing despite high remittance costs and the financial crisis. This source of income for developing economies constitutes more than three times the size of Official Development Assistance (ODA).
The highest recipients of migrant remittances among developing economies for 2012 are India, China, the Philippines and Mexico. As a percentage of GDP, the highest recipients in 2011 were Tajikistan, Liberia, the Kyrgyz Republic and Lesotho.
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The amount of plastic pollution in the North Pacific Subtropical Gyre (NPSG), more often referred to as the North Pacific Garbage Patch, has increased dramatically in the last forty years, according to this map by The Economist. The plastic pieces 5mm in diameter or less, known as ‘microplastic’, are known to have an impact on the ocean’s ecosystem, mainly through ingestion of these particles by fish and invertebrates. The species that seems to be benefiting from the presence of the microplastic debris is the insect known as Halobates sericeus, that has way more surface where to lay its eggs. For detailed information see the complete research paper: Increased Oceanic Microplastic Debris Enhances Oviposition in an Endemic Pelagic Insect by Miriam C. Goldstein,
Marci Rosenberg, and Lanna Cheng.
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Temperatures on the Earth’s surface and moisture levels in the atmosphere have been on the rise. These two factors might be at the root of the drastic change in weather patterns causing severe droughts, heat waves, heavy rains and other extreme weather phenomena.
In its September 2012 edition, the National Geographic magazine featured an extensive article on extreme weather affecting the U.S.
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A color-coded map featured in an article by the Washington Post, shows annual per capita smoking rates by country. Serbia, Russia, and other countries in Eastern Europe, are the heaviest smokers, with an average consumption of 2,000 cigarettes per person per year. These countries are followed by Japan and South Korea, with China catching up. The U.S. and Canada are in the middle with an average consumption of 750 to 1,249 cigarettes per person per year. The healthiest countries tend to be poor countries located in Sub-Saharan Africa and in Southeast Asia, with an average consumption of up to 250 cigarettes per person per year.
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Back in 1950, New York and Tokyo were the only two megacities, with populations larger than 10 million inhabitants. By 2010 the number of megacities had increased to 23, including cities like Mexico City, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aries, Paris, Moscow, Cairo, Istanbul, Delhi, Karachi, Mumbai, Dhaka, Beijing, Shanghai, Manila, besides New York and Tokyo, the largest megacity with a population of 36.9 million. For 2025, it is estimated that there will be 29 megacities around the globe. Click here for the interactive map.
This interesting animation shows air traffic over the United States on a given day. It was created using real air traffic data from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The animation covers the period 8PM to 8PM EST of the following day. In the middle of the night, the number of aircraft on the air is about nine hundred. In the middle of the day, the number of aircraft on the air is around five thousand. Most air traffic is concentrated in the Northeastern part of the country and the main traffic hubs can be distinguished by the number of aircraft concentrated around them.
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According to an article published by Scientific American, based on data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), tobacco use decreased in the U.S. in 2010, comparing to 1995. There are still some states where the use of tobacco constitutes a severe problem. Such is the case of West Virginia and Oklahoma. The best state in terms of tobacco use is Utah, with the lowest levels nationwide.
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According to an article published by Scientific American, based on data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heavy drinking has increased in several states. The heaviest drinking states are located in the Northeast, the worst of all Vermont, based on data for 2010. Heavy drinking is defined as two or more drinks per day for men, and one or more drinks per day for women.
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Malaria, a mosquito-borne infectious disease, affects 100 countries worldwide. It is mostly present in semi-tropical and tropical poor areas of Africa, South and Central America, and Asia. Of the 100 affected countries, 35 are located in Africa. Africa is the region most affected because its hot and humid weather makes transmission possible all year round. Lack of resources makes prevention and control of the disease very difficult. 89% of the malaria deaths worldwide occur in Africa.
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