GOOD FIGURES

Where statistics and optimism meet

70

years old – the age of the world’s oldest known wild bird. But age is just a number to Wisdom, a Laysan albatross who’s outlived several mating partners and the biologist who first banded her in 1956 – and who, this year, hatched another chick.

1.2k

new German words have been coined in the last year, 1,000 more than usual. Many are lockdown-inspired, including over zoomed, imp fneid (envy of those who’ve been vaccinated), and kuschel-kontakt – a person you meet for cuddles.

195k

people contributed to research that found eye colour isn’t based on one or two genes, but 50! It’s the largest genetic survey of its kind and will help to improve understanding of eye diseases like pigmentary glaucoma and ocular albinism.

THIS SUMMER, STARTING IN TURKEY, A 3.5M TALL ‘LIVING ARTWORK’ of a girl named Amal will walk the 8000km journey to the UK. An immersive theatre production created by the makers of War Horse and The Jungle, the walk is crowdfunding for – and raising awareness of – the plight of unaccompanied refugee children.