01 / Researchslope
Research investment is rising
Global R&D spending as a share of GDP
1.7120151.922023
% of GDP
A share of output, not an absolute spending total.
Evidence / Civilizational changeDASHBOARDS.
DASHBOARDS.
The work behind progress.
Thirty ways to look at research, invention, health, infrastructure and the gaps that remain.
Explore 30 charts ↓Read the numbers carefully
Progress is collective.
Scientific work matters, but a graph of an outcome cannot assign credit to a single person. Discoveries meet technicians, nurses, engineers, teachers, institutions, public funding and policy before they reach everyday life.
Every chart gives its unit, time frame and source. Some figures are estimates or rounded values; the captions identify derived and illustrative numbers.
The evidence room / 30 views
Look closer.
Showing all 30 charts
02 / Researchbars
More researchers, worldwide
Full-time-equivalent researchers per million residents
20151141
20231486
researchers / million
Reported figures from the linked primary source.
03 / Researchbars
The R&D divide
R&D share of GDP by region, 2023
Europe & N. America2.55
E. & SE Asia2.42
Sub-Saharan Africa0.38
% of GDP
Regional averages hide large differences within regions.
04 / Researchdots
Researcher density differs
Full-time-equivalent researchers per million residents, 2021
World1352
Europe & N. America4050
Australia & N. Zealand4696
researchers / million
Reported figures from the linked primary source.
05 / Researchslope
Women in research
Global proportion of researchers who are women
29.5201331.42023
% of researchers
A small increase; representation remains unequal.
06 / Inventionbars
Ideas enter patent systems
Patent applications filed worldwide
20233.55
20243.7
millions of applications
Filing is not the same as an invention being valuable.
07 / Inventionslope
Asia’s share of filings
Share of global patent applications
60201470.12024
% of filings
Region of the receiving patent office, not inventors’ birthplace.
08 / Inventiondonut
Filing is concentrated
Five largest patent offices vs all others, 2024
Five offices: 85.5%All others: 14.5%
% of applications
Share of filings at offices, not a distribution of scientific talent.
09 / Inventiondonut
Computing in published patents
Computer technology vs other fields, 2023
Computer technology: 13.2%Other fields: 86.8%
% of published patents
Technology classification of published applications.
10 / Inventionbars
Largest patent offices
Applications received by three offices, 2024
China1800
United States603.194
Japan306.855
thousands of applications
China figure rounded to 1.8 million by WIPO; these are receiving offices, not applicants’ origins.
11 / Everyday lifebars
The connected world grows
People using the internet worldwide
20245.8
20256
billions of people
Rounded estimates.
12 / Everyday lifedonut
Connection is still unequal
Worldwide internet use, 2025
Online: 74%Offline: 26%
% of people
Rounded percentages; offline share derived as 100 − 74.
13 / Everyday lifeslope
Billions remain offline
People not using the internet worldwide
2.320242.22025
billions of people
Rounded estimates.
14 / Everyday lifedots
The income gap online
Internet use, 2025
World74
Low-income countries23
% of population
National income groups; internet access and use are distinct.
15 / Healthbars
Polio’s remaining foothold
Countries with endemic wild poliovirus
1988125
20252
countries
1988 is over 125; plotted at 125 as a conservative floor.
16 / Healthslope
Polio fell by over 99%
Wild poliovirus cases relative to the 1988 baseline
10019880.99Today
1988 index = 100
Illustrative upper bound: WHO states a decline of over 99%; .99 is below 1, not an exact present count.
17 / Healthbars
A growing nursing workforce
Nurses worldwide
201827.9
202329.8
millions of nurses
Reported figures from the linked primary source.
18 / Healthslope
A shortage remains
Estimated global nursing shortage
6.220205.82023
millions of nurses
Shortage estimates, not a count of vacant job postings.
19 / Healthdots
Unequal nurse distribution
Countries containing 78% of nurses, 2023
Nurses78
Population49
% of world total
The same set of countries contains 49% of the world population.
20 / Healthslope
Maternal survival improves
Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births
32820001972023
deaths / 100,000 births
Global estimates; many causes and policies contribute.
21 / Healthdots
A setback in longevity
Global life expectancy at birth
200066.8
201973.1
202171.4
years
2021 estimate from WHO’s 2024 release; COVID-19 reversed progress.
22 / Healthslope
Fewer children die before five
Under-five mortality, approximate indexed change
1001990402024
1990 index = 100
2024 index is an approximation derived from UNICEF’s statement that the rate fell about 60%.
23 / Healthdots
Vaccination still misses children
Global DTP vaccine coverage, 2024
First dose89
Third dose85
% of infants
DTP = diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.
24 / Infrastructurebars
Water systems still have gaps
People lacking safely managed services, 2024
Drinking water2.1
Sanitation3.4
Basic hygiene1.7
billions of people
Different indicators; people may appear in more than one group.
25 / Healthdots
A second dose matters
Global measles vaccine coverage, 2024
First dose84
Second dose77
% of children
Global estimates; these percentages describe vaccine coverage, not efficacy.
26 / Infrastructuredonut
Sanitation is not universal
Safely managed sanitation, worldwide, 2022
Safely managed: 57%Other service: 43%
% of people
43% is the complement; it includes several service levels.
27 / Energy & climatebars
Renewables added faster
Global renewable power capacity added
2023473
2024585
gigawatts added
2023 figure also documented by IRENA’s 2024 release.
28 / Energy & climatedonut
Most new capacity is renewable
Share of new global power capacity that was renewable, 2024
Renewable: 90%Other: 10%
% of additions
IRENA reports over 90%; 90/10 is a conservative illustrative boundary.
29 / Energy & climateslope
A planetary cost to monitor
Atmospheric CO₂ concentration
280Preindustrial422.82024
parts per million
Approximate preindustrial baseline. This depicts a harmful trend, not a benefit of innovation.
30 / Methodsflow
Progress takes a chain
A qualitative map of collective contribution
sequence
Conceptual diagram, not numerical evidence or a claim that one person caused an outcome.
Numbers need context.
These graphs track outcomes and access. They cannot show every contributor or settle what a life is worth.
Read the stories behind the systems ↗