2025-12-14 02:22:03
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Substance use among young Americans has shifted significantly over the past decade, with cannabis and nicotine vaping emerging as major trends.
This infographic shows what substances young adults (ages 19–30) used in 2024, using the latest data from research by the University of Michigan.
While alcohol use remains prevalent among young adults, substances like nicotine, cannabis, and vaping products have seen sharp increases in recent years.
The table below shows the share of 19- to 30-year-olds who reported using each substance in 2024:
| Substance | Share of young adults reporting use in 2024 |
|---|---|
| Alcohol | 81% |
| Cannabis (any mode) | 41% |
| Vaping Cannabis | 22% |
| Nicotine (any mode) | 37% |
| Vaping nicotine | 26% |
| Nicotine pouches | 10% |
| CBD | 19% |
| Cigarettes | 18% |
| Other drugs* | 18% |
*Other drugs include hallucinogens, amphetamines, cocaine, sedatives, tranquilizers, and narcotics/opioids.
According to the study, nearly 81% of young adults used alcohol in the last 12 months, making it the most widely used substance by far.
Meanwhile, cannabis continues to trend upward, with 41% of young adults reporting use, double the rate from the early 2010s. Vaping is also widespread with 26% of young adults vaping nicotine, and 22% vaping cannabis, up from 14% in 2023.
Furthermore, nearly 37% of young adults used nicotine in some form, making it one of the most widely-used substances. Nicotine pouches saw the biggest year-over-year shift, with their use doubling to around 10% in 2024, reflecting their growing popularity as an alternative to smoking and vaping.
In terms of daily usage, 25% of young adults reported binge drinking, where they consumed five or more drinks in a row in the past two weeks. Among cannabis users, 11% reported daily cannabis use (>20 occasions in the last 30 days).
Several factors influence the shifting substance habits of young Americans:
At the same time, traditional cigarette use continues its decades-long decline, although 18% of young adults still report smoking in the past year.
To learn more about this topic, see this infographic on alcohol use in U.S. teenagers on Voronoi.
2025-12-13 23:41:11
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Language diversity varies around the world, shaped by geography, migration, and centuries of cultural development. Some countries are home to hundreds of distinct languages, often concentrated in small communities with deep historical roots.
This visualization highlights the countries with the most living languages in 2025. The data for this visualization comes from Ethnologue.
Papua New Guinea stands far above all other nations, with 841 living languages documented in 2025. Its rugged geography and isolated communities have allowed distinct languages to flourish over thousands of years. This level of linguistic diversity exceeds that of entire global regions, including Europe as a whole.
The country remains the world’s most concentrated hub of linguistic heritage.
| Rank | Country | Living Languages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
 Papua New Guinea |
841 |
| 2 |
 Indonesia |
721 |
| 3 |
 Nigeria |
538 |
| 4 |
 India |
459 |
| 5 |
 United States |
364 |
| 6 |
 Australia |
320 |
| 7 |
 China |
308 |
| 8 |
 Mexico |
304 |
| 9 |
 Cameroon |
281 |
| 10 |
 Brazil |
240 |
Indonesia ranks second with 721 languages, spread across its vast network of islands. Geographic separation and longstanding local cultures help maintain linguistic variety across the archipelago.
Nigeria follows with 538 languages, reflecting its long-standing regional identities.
India, the United States, and Australia each host hundreds of living languages.
In India, linguistic diversity is tied to deep historical traditions and regional identities.
Despite English being the dominant language in the U.S.—and Spanish serving as a strong second-most spoken language—the country has 364 living languages, including nearly 200 Indigenous ones.
Australia’s linguistic landscape is shaped by its Aboriginal languages and multicultural migration patterns.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: Countries Seeing the Fastest Growth in Migrant Populations on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
2025-12-13 21:05:18
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World history is extremely complicated and nuanced.
And yet, there is a very human desire to put all of it in one neat and tidy package—as if we can momentarily ignore what happens at the edges—disagreements, gray areas, and unresolved debates.
Creating a “single artifact” that sums up all of human history has been tried many times.
Ancient writer Eusebius had a go in the 4th century. Writer H.G. Wells tried it in 1920 with The Outline of History. More recently Yuval Noah Harari saw commercial success with Sapiens, which was framed as distilling human progress into one book.
Created in 1931 by John B. Sparks, Histomap is one of the world’s most famous historical visualizations.
It starts its journey 4,000 years ago in the Bronze Age, with familiar civilizations like the Egyptians, Greeks (Minoans), and Indians (Indus Valley). As you scroll through the visualization, more familiar names appear (Assyrians, Romans, Parthians, Huns, etc.) until you get to the nation states we know today.
As the reader scrolls through, you can see the rise and fall of these civilizations, imagining pivotal moments like the Battle of Thermopylae or the Battle of Waterloo. You can picture the famous figures like Augustus, Alexander, Genghis Khan, George Washington, Ashoka, or Cyrus the Great shaping world affairs.
It’s ambitious. It’s confident. It’s epic.
But is it accurate?
The problem with this extremely confident take is that our understanding of history changes over time.
When Histomap was made, the world felt knowable and progress seemed inevitable. History was often told as a single, linear story driven by empires, leaders, and progress.
Over time, however, that confidence eroded.
New perspectives—from marginalized voices to systems like economics, climate, and technology—revealed history as fragmented, contested, and incomplete. We gained more data than ever before, but lost agreement on what matters most. History didn’t become messier; we simply stopped pretending it was tidy.
Viewed in historical context, there is nothing inherently “wrong” with the Histomap.
Judged by modern standards, however, it has clear limitations.
Despite the aforementioned limitations above, it seems unlikely that humans will be able to resist the urge to neatly package human history in the future.
We want to understand, and seeing history as one singular narrative helps us do that—even if it’s not perfect.
And for that reason, the Histomap, along with similar attempts to codify human history and progress, will continue to endure.
2025-12-13 03:46:25
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Immigrants play a crucial role in the labor markets of developed countries, yet their employment patterns differ significantly from native-born workers. This visualization breaks down where foreign-born workers tend to work across OECD economies.
The data for this visualization comes from the OECD’s International Migration Outlook 2025. It measures the share of foreign-born and native-born workers by industry across several developed countries.
Hospitality and administrative services stand out with the highest immigrant share—over 16% in accommodation and food, and 17% in administrative service activities. These sectors often rely on flexible and seasonal labor, making them entry points for newcomers.
Construction also shows a modest immigrant concentration, reflecting long-term demand for skilled and semi-skilled labor. Together, these industries highlight where migration most visibly supports economic activity.
| Industry | Foreign-born (%) | Native-born (%) | Difference (percentage points) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food | 16.5 | 5.2 | 11.3 |
| Administrative Service Activities | 17.2 | 6.5 | 10.7 |
| Agriculture | 4.6 | 2.9 | 1.7 |
| Construction | 8.6 | 7.6 | 1.1 |
| Other Service Activities | 2.9 | 2.7 | 0.2 |
| Arts, Entertainment and Recreation | 1.6 | 1.4 | 0.1 |
| Real Estate Activities | 0.8 | 0.9 | -0.2 |
| Mining and Quarrying | 0.3 | 0.5 | -0.2 |
| Information and Communication | 2.8 | 3 | -0.2 |
| Water Supply | 0.2 | 0.5 | -0.3 |
| Electricity, Gas and Steam | 0.1 | 0.5 | -0.4 |
| Professional Activities | 4.9 | 5.6 | -0.7 |
| Transportation and Storage | 4.3 | 5.3 | -1 |
| Education | 4.2 | 5.3 | -1.2 |
| Financial and Insurance Activities | 1.1 | 3.2 | -2.2 |
| Wholesale and Retail Trade | 11.5 | 15 | -3.5 |
| Health | 6.3 | 10 | -3.7 |
| Public Administration and Defense | 3.6 | 9.3 | -5.7 |
| Manufacturing | 8.6 | 14.4 | -5.8 |
Public administration, health, and manufacturing show the widest gaps in favor of native-born workers. These fields typically require domestic credentials, security clearances, or lengthy training pipelines.
Manufacturing also faces long-standing workforce shortages, yet remains far less accessible to immigrant workers at entry. The result is a structural divide that limits immigrant participation in some of the largest employment sectors.
A handful of industries like real estate, arts and entertainment, and other service activities show almost no difference between foreign- and native-born representation. These sectors may offer more flexible entry paths or a mix of small-business and freelance roles.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Ranked: U.S. Job Cuts by Industry in 2025 on Voronoi, the app from Visual Capitalist.
2025-12-13 00:41:52
The infographic above, created by Iswardi Ishak, uses data from Stanford University’s Global AI Vibrancy Tool, which aggregates dozens of indicators of national AI performance, from research output and investment to talent attraction and governance frameworks.
Here’s how the world’s most AI‑competitive countries rank:
| Rank | Country | AI Vibrancy Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
United States |
78.6 |
| 2 |
China |
36.95 |
| 3 |
India |
21.59 |
| 4 |
 South Korea |
17.24 |
| 5 |
 United Kingdom |
16.64 |
| 6 |
 Singapore |
16.43 |
| 7 |
 Spain |
16.37 |
| 8 |
 UAE |
16.06 |
| 9 |
 Japan |
16.04 |
| 10 |
 Canada |
15.56 |
| 11 |
 Switzerland |
14.86 |
| 12 |
 Luxembourg |
14.73 |
| 13 |
 France |
14.63 |
| 14 |
 Israel |
14.26 |
| 15 |
 Germany |
13.15 |
| 16 |
Brazil |
12.74 |
| 17 |
 Ireland |
12.49 |
| 18 |
 Finland |
12.27 |
| 19 |
 Saudi Arabia |
12.1 |
| 20 |
 Portugal |
12.07 |
| 21 |
 Denmark |
11.97 |
| 22 |
 Netherlands |
11.58 |
| 23 |
 Belgium |
11.36 |
| 24 |
Australia |
11.21 |
| 25 |
 Sweden |
11.11 |
| 26 |
 Malaysia |
11.05 |
| 27 |
 Italy |
10.68 |
| 28 |
 Russia |
10.67 |
| 29 |
 Austria |
10.62 |
| 30 |
 Norway |
10.19 |
At the top of the list is the United States, ahead by a significant margin. China comes in second with strong research and patent activity, while India’s rapidly growing tech ecosystem and large talent pools land it firmly in third place.
Economies like South Korea, the U.K., Singapore, and Spain also score highly, highlighting how a variety of national strategies—such as Singapore’s regulatory sandbox approach or Spain’s public-sector AI adoption—can accelerate AI progress even in smaller economies.
Stanford University’s Global AI Vibrancy Tool is a comprehensive dashboard designed to measure and compare how “vibrant” a country’s AI ecosystem is. Rather than focusing on a single metric, the tool uses 42 indicators across 8 pillars including research, economic competitiveness, infrastructure, policy & governance, and public opinion.
This composite score helps show where innovation and talent are concentrated, and where gaps are emerging. The approach is intentionally multidimensional, blending traditional measures such as R&D output with policy engagement and responsible AI adoption.
The United States tops the ranking thanks to its dominance in private investment, academic research, and AI startup activity. Its homegrown tech giants and prolific research institutions drive a significant share of global AI innovation.
China follows, buoyed by rapid growth in AI publications, patent filings, and large‑scale deployment of AI technologies across industries. Despite trailing the U.S. in some areas, China continues to close the gap in model development and research output.
India’s placement reflects its expanding AI talent base and robust digital ecosystem, although it still faces challenges scaling research infrastructure to match global leaders. External analyses similarly show rising engagement from Indian AI researchers and policymakers.
Beyond the top three, many smaller but wealthy countries perform well relative to their size. Nations like Singapore and the U.K. benefit from supportive policy frameworks, strong human capital, and vibrant tech sectors. These factors help them punch above their weight in a landscape increasingly shaped by global competition.
2025-12-12 22:34:48
See visuals like this from many other data creators on our Voronoi app. Download it for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
As AI and other technologies accelerate, data centers have become increasingly important to today’s digital economy.
In the U.S., the distribution of these facilities is far from even, with a few key states emerging as global powerhouses of digital infrastructure.
This map highlights where these clusters have formed and why certain states—especially Virginia and Texas—have become magnets for hyperscale growth. The data for this visualization comes from Datacentermap.com.
With 665 data centers, Virginia hosts the largest concentration of digital infrastructure on the planet.
Northern Virginia hosts massive deployments from all major hyperscalers, including AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, Meta, Oracle Cloud. Today, dense fiber networks, reliable power, and fast permitting make Virginia nearly impossible to replicate as a data center region.
| Rank | State | Data Centers |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Virginia | 665 |
| 2 | Texas | 413 |
| 3 | California | 321 |
| 4 | Illinois | 244 |
| 5 | Ohio | 203 |
| 6 | Arizona | 164 |
| 7 | Georgia | 163 |
| 8 | New York | 142 |
| 9 | Oregon | 137 |
| 10 | Washington | 134 |
| 11 | Florida | 126 |
| 12 | North Carolina | 110 |
| 13 | Iowa | 105 |
| 14 | Pennsylvania | 101 |
| 15 | New Jersey | 82 |
| 16 | Minnesota | 81 |
| 17 | Indiana | 79 |
| 18 | Nevada | 62 |
| 19 | Connecticut | 61 |
| 20 | Colorado | 60 |
| 20 | Tennessee | 60 |
| 22 | Michigan | 58 |
| 23 | Missouri | 55 |
| 24 | Massachusetts | 49 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | 47 |
| 26 | Maryland | 44 |
| 26 | Utah | 44 |
| 28 | Nebraska | 39 |
| 29 | Kentucky | 37 |
| 29 | Oklahoma | 37 |
| 31 | South Carolina | 30 |
| 32 | Montana | 27 |
| 33 | Alabama | 26 |
| 34 | Louisiana | 23 |
| 35 | New Mexico | 22 |
| 35 | North Dakota | 22 |
| 37 | Delaware | 19 |
| 37 | Kansas | 19 |
| 39 | Wyoming | 15 |
| 40 | Idaho | 10 |
| 40 | Mississippi | 10 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | 10 |
| 43 | Hawaii | 9 |
| 44 | Maine | 8 |
| 45 | District of Columbia | 7 |
| 45 | Rhode Island | 7 |
| 45 | West Virginia | 7 |
| 48 | Arkansas | 6 |
| 49 | South Dakota | 5 |
| 50 | Alaska | 4 |
| 51 | Vermont | 3 |
Texas ranks second with 413 data centers, driven by abundant land, competitive electricity costs, and major cloud deployments in Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio. Its flexible grid and fast construction timelines continue to attract hyperscale expansions.
California follows with 321 facilities, supported by long-standing tech ecosystems in Silicon Valley and strong enterprise demand. While power constraints limit new mega-projects, the state remains a key node for mission-critical data infrastructure.
States like Illinois, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington have become important secondary hubs.
Illinois benefits from Chicago’s role as a central U.S. interconnection point, while Ohio has emerged as a major cloud region thanks to available land and stable power. Oregon and Washington contribute strong renewable energy potential and cooler climates that help reduce cooling costs.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out The Soaring Revenues of AI Companies (2023–2025) on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
