Almost one in three Americans has been arrested for a crime other than a traffic violation by the age of 23, according to a new study of 7,335 young people. The 30 percent arrest rate, sociologists said, reflects a more aggressive societal attitude toward such crimes as vandalism, underage drinking, drunken driving, shoplifting, and drug possession.
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In 2012, some 2.9 million adults and teens tried an illicit drug for the first time. More than 80% of them used pot. Among all pot users, 40% take the drug 20 or more days a month. Two states have legalized it for recreational use.
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A New York City woman set off 21 bug bombs inside her apartment, causing an explosion that collapsed her five-story building, injuring 14 people.
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The sicker the oceans get, the more of their habitable regions vanish. Loss of aquatic habitats is mirroring the earlier pattern on land, which began with the Industrial Revolution and continues today.
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Number of golf courses worldwide operated by the U.S. military: 151
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The five most popular names for baby girls in 2014 were (in order) Emma, Olivia, Sophia, Isabella, and Ava, according to the U.S. Social Security Administration. For boys, the most popular were Noah, Liam, Mason, Jacob, and William.
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The oldest person in the world, JeraleanTalley of Michigan, turned 116 last week. The two oldest persons ever known to science, Sarah Knauss of Pennsylvania and Jeanne Calment of France, reached 119 and 122, respectively.
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FIGHT BACK! But forget that old saw about punching them in the nose. The International Shark Attack File recommends that you borrow a page from a pro-wrestling villain and gouge its eyes or claw at its gills, which are more sensitive than its nose. Or you could just befriend some dolphins. On at least two occasions in 2004 and 2007, […]
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Percentage change since 2008 in the number of earthquakes in Oklahoma registering magnitude three or higher: +5,400
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A volcano in the Galapagos Islands erupted for the first time in 33 years, threatening the unique ecosystem that inspired Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. The island is home to the world’s only colony of pink iguanas; officials said they were not in immediate danger.
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