Data & Eggs
Volume 209
In this week's edition: America’s eating habits over the years, Trump’s social media ban, and India’s vaccine struggles.
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Seeing How Much We Ate Over the Years
Over the years, the average American’s diet has changed pretty drastically. Back in 1970, for instance, data from the US Department of Agriculture suggests that chicken was the fourth-most popular protein on a per capita basis; by 2004, chicken had surpassed beef, pork, and eggs to become America’s most popular protein. See what other fruits, vegetables, and dairy products have grown in popularity in this piece from FlowingData’s Nathan Yau.
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What Happened When Trump Was Banned on Social Media
Since Donald Trump was banned from major social media platforms back in January, he’s seen his online audience shrink dramatically. An analysis by The New York Times shows that, before the ban, Trump’s posts saw a median engagement of 272,000 likes and shares; now he’s at just 36,000. But a few of his recent statements have still gained traction, mainly through social media accounts run by his most ardent supporters.
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The Green Revolution Is Being Built on a Very Dirty Industry
As the United States and other countries vow to combat climate change, it’s become clear that wind turbines, solar panels, and electricity pylons will be key to displacing fossil fuels. Yet those things are themselves reliant on steel, which is produced by burning huge amounts of coal. Modeling by BloombergNEF shows that to build enough wind turbines to reach net zero emissions by 2050, we’ll need roughly 1.7 billion tons of steel.
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Young, Indian, Unvaccinated
In India, the government’s vaccination rollout has been marred by issues. After first offering the vaccine to older Indians and those with preexisting conditions, Prime Minister Narendra Modi elected to open up the vaccine to those between 18 and 45 years old on May 1. But appointments have been scarce, as demand surged without a corresponding increase in vaccine supplies. Only about 3% of the population is now fully vaccinated.