Get some perspective

Which are the leading causes of death and how do they differ according to age, sex, geography and income? I still can’t believe that almost a third of all deaths in South Africa are due to HIV or that about 1 in 10 deaths in Greenland is a suicide.

Is our way of living sustainable by Earth’s resources? Think of this question this way. If I invite my friends over for a party, will my house return to its normal state next day? Next week? What if the party itself lasts a week? How much partying can my house take before it becomes inhabitable?

We humans have had this peculiar conception that we are the masters of the Earth. And as a result we are doing our best to change everything around us to fit our needs. Even a lot of environmentalism is actually around making Earth more habitable for humans. But how much of life do humans make up on Earth. And how much do we impact other life?

Migration has been a part of human life for millennia, even if we sometimes act like it’ something new. But how many people are choosing – or are forced – to migrate today? Where are they going, and where are they coming from? It was very interesting to note how common it is for a country to have both immigrants and emigrants - in the most part in similar percentages of their population.

Remember when pandemics were just in history books and dystopian movies? Welcome to Earth 2020.

The pinnacle of human civilisation – Netflix and chill – relies on energy every step of the way. The online services facilitating the occasion, the one-person two-way transportation, the perfect home temperature, and the availability of key items for the night (furniture, devices, clothing, food if you are truly civilised), all require significant amounts of energy to run smoothly. Where does all this energy come from and how do we use it?