Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
The first United Nations population forecast came in 1958, when the world population sat just under 3 billion. Many were skeptical of the UN experts’ predictions that the population would double to roughly 6 billion by the year 2000, but their forecasts proved remarkably accurate. In this brief video, Professor Hans Rosling of the Karolinska Institute looks back at how UN population outlooks have played out in the past, and charts new predictions for the human population between now and 2100.
Video by Gapminder
video
Politics and government
How it looked to Afghan women to see the Taliban return to power
33 minutes
video
Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
video
The ancient world
The six priestesses who kept the flame of ancient Rome alight at risk of death
5 minutes
video
Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
video
Architecture
West Africa was once an architectural laboratory. Is it time for a revival?
12 minutes
video
Work
A Swedish expat in the Philippines wonders: what’s up with people sleeping at work?
14 minutes
video
Art
‘If you’re creative, why can’t you create a solution?’ One artist’s imaginative activism
17 minutes
video
The ancient world
An ancient Roman’s hilarious (and perhaps relatable) response to a social snub
2 minutes
video
Death
A hunter’s lyrical reflection on the humbling business of being mortal
6 minutes