Latest news with #Worldometer
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Beloved fruit faces devastating collapse as threat worsens for farms: 'What has been happening is death'
A new report suggests the future viability of the world's most popular fruit could be in serious jeopardy, according to The Guardian. The report, appropriately titled Going Bananas, was commissioned by Christian Aid and found that by 2080, there could be a 60% reduction in the area suitable for bananas grown for exports. There are many banana varieties, but almost all bananas sold to developed nations are Cavendish. These are chosen for their high yields, long shelf life, distinctive coloring, and taste. Because the global market is so heavily dependent on a single variant, Cavendish bananas are particularly vulnerable to warming temperatures, extreme weather, and disease. The authors of the report spoke to several banana farmers, including Aurelia, 53, from Guatemala, who said: "What is happening is that my plantation has been dying. So, what has been happening is death. Death to my crops." The Cavendish can be grown between 15 and 35 degrees Celsius and is sensitive to water shortages and flooding. Rising temperatures caused by pollution from dirty energy sources result in more frequent and severe extreme weather events that can destroy crop yields. Warmer temperatures also make fungal infections more widespread. Bananas as a crop were nearly wiped out in the 1950s by Panama disease, per Time, and the Cavendish became successful because it was a variety of banana more resistant to it, but it's hardly inconceivable that a new variant of Panama disease could emerge. Bananas are a key cash crop and food source for millions across the Caribbean and Latin America. Eighty percent of banana exports come from this area. Additionally, 400 million people rely on bananas for a substantial portion of their daily calories. What makes the problem so tragic is that the people on the sharp edge of the crisis had so little to do with creating it. For example, Guatemala is the eighth-largest producer of bananas worldwide, per World Population Review, but is responsible for just 0.052% of the world's harmful pollution, according to Worldometer. As Osai Ojigho, Christian Aid's director of policy and campaigns, told The Guardian, "The lives and livelihoods of people who have done nothing to cause the climate crisis are already under threat." The study calls for a multifaceted approach to mitigating the future crisis. The first is reducing global pollution. The second is providing targeted support for farmers and transitioning to more just and sustainable food systems. Would you buy juice or yogurt made with bruised or misshapen fruit? If I couldn't tell the difference If it were cheaper If it were healthier I'd never buy it Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Individuals can also help by shopping smarter, being aware of climate issues, and supporting local initiatives. Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Mint
20-05-2025
- Business
- Mint
Mint Primer: A robot for every 3 humans: What happens to us?
The number of humanoid robots in use could reach three billion by 2060. With the global population projected at 10.07 billion that year (source: Worldometer), that's one robot for every three of us. What might this shift mean for human employment, identity and purpose? What do the stars foretell about robots? Humanoid robot ownership could touch 3 billion units by 2060, says a new Bank of America (BofA) report. Midjourney founder David Holz predicts 1 billion humanoids on Earth by the 2040s and 100 billion in the solar system by the 2060s—an idea endorsed by Elon Musk. Sun Microsystems co-founder Vinod Khosla sees 1 billion bipedal robots by 2040. Also read | Elon Musk unveils plans to launch Tesla robotaxis and humanoid robots in Saudi Arabia Morgan Stanley forecasts sales of 900,000 units by 2030. Macquarie expects 6.3 million robots and a $139 billion market by 2035. Citigroup projects a $7 trillion market by 2050, while Goldman Sachs sees a $38 billion market by 2035 as robot density surges. Why are they all so bullish? As human labour costs rise, humanoid robots are becoming cheaper—and global investments are surging, from $308 million in 2020 to $1.1 billion in 2024, according to Bain & Co. These robots can now walk, jump and are getting smarter with advances in artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI. BofA predicts they'll take 20% of industrial and 50% of service jobs by 2060, and even outnumber cars. SNS Insider values the market at $2.21 billion in 2023, projected to reach $76.97 billion by 2032, with Japan, China and the US leading adoption in elder care, defence, retail, manufacturing and logistics. Also read | Musk's humanoid robots are here but they won't help around the house How much do humanoid robots cost? BofA says humanoid robot hardware will cost $35,000 per unit by end-2025, dropping to $13,000-17,000 by 2030-2035 due to scale and improved components. Meanwhile, the robots-as-a-service (RaaS) model that offers access via cloud-based subscriptions is making robots more affordable for smaller firms that can't bear high upfront costs. How will this impact the workforce? Bain & Co. expects robots to handle a wide range of physical tasks at costs equal to or lower than human labour within five years. Raising a child costs $100,000-300,000 and takes 20 years in the US (RethinkX), while a humanoid robot could be deployed in a year for the price of a budget car. By 2035, a million robots could enter the workforce for just $10 billion. Macquarie predicts robots may become as essential to families as cars, with widespread home use expected from the late 2030s to 2050s. Also read | Meta reportedly begins investment in humanoid robots, setting up a showdown with Elon Musk's Tesla A C-3PO in every home sounds pretty good... Something like the Star Wars droid could be yours for a price. As the young prioritize work-life balance, firms may get humanoid robots to fill labour and skill gaps. But AI-powered humanoids such as Tesla's Optimus, Boston Dynamics' Atlas, Xiaomi's CyberOne and India's Vyommitra raise questions on accountability, legal status (Hanson Robotics' Sophia is a Saudi citizen), rights and the potential for bias. Futurist Ray Kurzweil believes humans could achieve a million-fold intelligence by 2045 with chips embedded in our brains.
Business Insider
18-05-2025
- General
- Business Insider
Top 10 countries with the largest slum populations in the world as of early 2025
Despite global efforts to improve housing and reduce urban poverty, slums remain a defining feature of many fast-growing cities in the developing world. Slums persist as a major issue in many fast-growing cities within developing nations. Over 800 million people globally reside in slum conditions, primarily in low- and middle-income countries. India leads with approximately 262 million slum inhabitants, followed by other nations such as Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. These slums, characterized by overcrowding, substandard housing, and inadequate access to basic services, are expanding rapidly in regions where urban growth is not matched by infrastructure or affordable housing development. According to the latest available data from UN-Habitat, World Bank reports, and early 2025 population estimates from Worldometer, over 800 million people globally are still living in slum conditions. The majority of these individuals reside in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in parts of South Asia, Sub-Saharan Africa, and Southeast Asia. This ranking is based on absolute slum population figures rather than percentage share, offering a clearer view of where the largest numbers of people are affected. Countries with the largest urban populations and the biggest gaps in public housing provision dominate the list. Global slum population Many of these countries have experienced prolonged rural-to-urban migration, strained housing systems, and limited policy implementation on slum upgrading. Rank Country 2025 Population Estimate Slum Population Estimate 1 India 1.46 billion 262 million 2 Nigeria 237.5 million 64 million 3 Bangladesh 175.7 million 41 million 4 Pakistan 255.2 million 40 million 5 Indonesia 285.7 million 33 million 6 Brazil 212.8 million 32 million 7 DR Congo 112.8 million 31 million 8 Ethiopia 135.5 million 22 million 9 Philippines 115.0 million 21 million 10 Kenya 57.5 million 10 million Together, these ten countries account for over 550 million slum dwellers, more than two-thirds of the global total. India alone is home to around 262 million, underscoring the scale of its urban housing challenge. Nigeria follows distantly with an estimated 64 million slum residents, driven by rapid urbanization in cities like Lagos, where housing demand far exceeds supply. South Asian countries dominate the upper ranks, with Bangladesh and Pakistan each recording slum populations above 40 million. Despite various upgrading programs, cities such as Dhaka and Karachi continue to struggle with managing unplanned settlements. In Southeast Asia and Latin America, Indonesia and Brazil still report slum populations above 30 million, even as they pursue redevelopment schemes. Meanwhile, DR Congo's slum numbers have grown significantly, reflecting poor infrastructure planning amid one of the world's fastest urbanization rates. Ethiopia, the Philippines, and Kenya complete the list with slum populations between 10 and 22 million. In all three cases, rapid population growth has not been matched by corresponding improvements in affordable housing or basic services. The data shows a clear trend: the countries with the largest slum populations are not always the poorest, but rather those where urban expansion has outpaced government capacity to provide structured housing, water, sanitation, and legal land tenure. Without sustained investment and reform, these slum populations are expected to continue growing in the years ahead.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
COVID-19's fifth anniversary: 5 areas where life changed in U.S.
The U.S. COVID-19 pandemic began five years ago Tuesday, arriving in a country that already had a partisan divide that would continue to shape the reaction to restrictions. Pew Research Center recently reported that was one of three major social trends happening at the time: Distrust in many institutions was growing and there was 'massive splintering' of the information environment. America had stepped into a pick-your-own-truth period that the viral illness just complicated. In the Pew survey, 72% of U.S. adults said that the pandemic 'did more to drive the country apart than to bring it together.' The U.S. deaths have been easier to count than some of the disease's impact. Worldometer, which stopped updating last April as case counts slowed way down — but didn't stop, as COVID-19 still kills more than influenza — notes that the U.S. had 111,820,082 COVID-19 cases and 1,219,487 deaths. Utah was No. 28 in terms of deaths, at 5,719. California had the most, at just over 112,000, while Vermont had the least, at just over 1,100. Millions of Americans still struggle with the lingering effects of long COVID. Clearly, then the long-lasting and perhaps most profound impact varied from family to family, but there were societal changes, as well. Of note in the Pew survey, 'About half of U.S. adults or fewer now say their state elected officials (49%), Joe Biden (40%) and Donald Trump (38%) did an excellent or good job responding to the pandemic. A slim majority (56%) give positive ratings to public health officials, like those at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).' The report adds that 'only local hospitals get a full-throated approval from Americans: Looking back, 78% say medical centers in their area responded well to the pandemic.' And most of those surveyed say they are no longer afraid of the illness. Slightly over half say the news media 'exaggerated the risks of COVID-19 at least slightly,' including 80% of Republicans and 30% of Democrats. The World Health Organization officially declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. Lots of things changed after the virus arrived. Here are five areas where the impact is still felt. More young adults lived with their parents during the early pandemic days than at any point since the Great Depression, per a different Pew report. And as Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported, 'Social isolation during the pandemic has had a lasting impact on mental health, particularly among children and adolescents.' School closures have had a lasting impact on the students who experienced them, from diminished social engagement to challenges with actual classes. Online learning was a beast for many students, according to the Education Recovery Scorecard, a joint project of Harvard, Stanford and Dartmouth universities. The scorecard shows that as of last spring, the average U.S. student 'remained nearly half a grade level behind pre-pandemic achievement in math and reading.' It notes that socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in math achievement have grown since the start of the pandemic. Absenteeism is beginning to recover, per the report. But it's not there yet. About 6 in 10 U.S. jobs had to be done in person. But nearly everyone else went home during the pandemic and remote work is still a staple for many people. One-third of those who were remote during the pandemic told Pew they still work remotely all the time. Forty-three percent say they are remote some or most of the time. Sixty percent of those with teleworkable jobs say it has helped them improve their work-life balance, while still letting them do their jobs and meet deadlines. About half of those working remotely said they'd likely look for another job if the boss said they have to physically return to work. But the pandemic caused unemployment to spike. Before COVID-19, it was 3.8%. Pew said by April 2020, the rate had risen to 14.4%, though by the end of 2021, it had dropped almost to pre-COVID levels. More women left the workforce than men, Pew reported. And some who left have never returned. Meanwhile, a number of businesses simply could not hold on and closed during the pandemic. Many church services went online during the heart of the pandemic and 36% of Americans said they watched religious services online or on TV in the last month. 'But the pandemic did not shake American religion: The share participating in services in some way has been steady and the share who say COVID-19 had a big impact on their spiritual life is small,' per the Pew report. The Pew study found that people were very frustrated during COVID-19 by changing advice. Early on, masking was actively discouraged as not very effective, for instance. Then it was mandated. Today, just 1 in 5 Americans say they still mask in stores and businesses; for 80%, the answer is rarely or never. As distrust of authority and so-called expertise grew, people started tuning out some resources and finding their own. As the Journal Sentinel reported, quoting Sedona Chinn, an assistant professor and researcher in the Department of Life Sciences Communication at University of Wisconsin-Madison, folks who were frustrated started doing their own research, but it also 'led to more misinformation and more anti-expert bias, making it all the much harder for solid science to break through.' Some people did good research, getting information from many sources. Others went to sources that confirmed what they were already thinking, even if it was wrong. Early mistakes as public health was learning about the novel coronavirus didn't help that. Scientific American points out that U.S. officials 'botched' initial testing and results were often inconclusive or slow. The whole issue of whether to mask or not and the changing advice amplified distrust. Per the article, we are now more ready — and less ready — for another pandemic. We know we can make vaccines fast and develop tests, for instance. That's helpful for the next event. But, per the article, 'Current threats to the institution of science itself are exacerbating the problem.' It points out that 'some overtly anti-science and anti-vaccine people — most notably Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.,' have been assigned to lead federal health agencies. 'He has made sweeping cuts to the CDC, the NIH and other science agencies," among other moves that may change how things would play out in a future pandemic. Masks are now readily available in health care facilities and use is encouraged for those who might have a contagious illness and those looking to avoid it. Seeing someone on a plane wearing a mask is not an uncommon sight. Post-COVID, telemedicine is here to stay, experts say, potentially greatly improving access. As the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported, 'Patients getting behavioral health services across the (local health) network are just as likely to do so virtually as they are to visit a doctor or therapist in person. Online access has also made therapy more efficient to deliver across a large health system, eliminating the need for patients and therapists to physically be in the same place, said Anil Singh, executive medical director for population health at Highmark Health.' Telemedicine is growing in many areas of medicine, where it was once almost unheard of. Now people with mobility, transportation and timing issues can access care of many different types, including in the neurosciences. That's just one of the changes that hospitalist Dr. Russell Vinik, chief medical operations officer at University of Utah Healthcare and associate professor of medicine at the University of Utah, told Deseret News last year that he believes will last. Vaccine skepticism has grown since COVID-19. Routine screenings, which basically stopped during COVID-19, have not fully recovered. As Vinik noted, 'One of the tragedies still impacting health is delayed screening. At the height of the pandemic, mammography dropped by over 50%, while colonoscopies fell as much as 80%. The cancers themselves weren't suspended, just the search for them. So cancers were detected at later stages,' Vinik said. 'Patients suffered because of that.'
