Facts & Trends

Mississippi has overtaken West Virginia as the fattest state in the union, with an obesity rate of 35.4 percent.  Montana had the lowest obesity rate—19.6 percent ...

Fish flee existing habitats in search of better ones.  Atlantic sea bass, for example, are migrating north to cooler waters—but the heat will chase them there ...

A Chinese fishmonger found a 3-pound live bomb inside a squid he was cutting up.  Police took the squid away and blew it up in a controlled explosion ...

Reporters Without Borders ranked 180 countries on the basis of conditions for press freedom. A sampling: ...

“Family” is traditionally the most important part of Korean life, but families are now falling apart. The national divorce rate has tripled from 2013 to 2014. South Korea has had the highest suicide rate among developed countries for eight consecutive ...

The world's most pierced man has been refused entry to Dubai over fears that he might be an evil sorcerer. Rolf Buchholz, who has 453 piercings on his face and body as well as fake horns implanted in his forehead, ...

A growing numbers of drought-afflicted California farmers began hiring dowsers to locate underground water.  “Scientists don’t believe in it,” said vintner Marc Mondavi, “but I do and most of the farmers in the [Napa] Valley do.” ...

A Pew survey found that one in five Americans is not affiliated with any religion. “Nones” are growing faster than any religious group in America ...

Twin sisters Erica and Tashina Ackley, 22, who found out they were pregnant on the same day, gave birth just hours apart in the same Maine hospital. “We thought it would be cool if we had our babies on the ...

A Connecticut high school class who had their prom cancelled by World War II in 1943, are finally dusting off their dancing shoes and holding the event  - 70 years on. James Hillhouse High School's class of 1943 never got ...