6 Strange Systems Countries Created to Solve Everyday Problems
Around the world, ordinary problems have produced surprisingly unusual solutions. 1. Japan — Lost Property Japan has an unusually organized lost-and-found system. Lost wallets, phones, …
6 Ways the World Is Becoming Harder to Build
Building the things modern life depends on is becoming more complicated, expensive, and dependent on scarce resources. 1. Power Grids Countries need enormous amounts of …
6 Everyday Things That Could Become Radically Different in the Next 10 Years
Some technologies already moving out of the lab could change ordinary life faster than expected. 1. How Homes Stay Cool New materials may help buildings …
6 Countries That Built Their Economies Around Something Unexpected
A country’s biggest advantage isn’t always oil, gold, or a giant population. Sometimes an unusual resource, location, or natural condition becomes the foundation of an …
6 Places That Quietly Control the Price of Everyday Things
A disruption in one little-known place can eventually show up in the prices of fuel, food, electronics, and other everyday products. 1. The Strait of …
6 Things People Around the World Are Doing to Escape Their Screens
Digital life is getting harder to escape, but people are increasingly creating deliberate reasons to put their phones away. 1. Going to Phone-Free Events Phone-free …
6 Ways the World Is Quietly Preparing for Longer Lives
People are living longer, and countries are starting to redesign everyday life around a much older population. 1. Cities Are Being Redesigned Governments are paying …
6 Everyday Systems That Would Cause Chaos If GPS Stopped Working
GPS is more than navigation. Its location and timing signals quietly support systems people rarely realize depend on them. 1. Air Travel Aircraft use satellite-based …
6 Things the World Is Running Out of That Aren’t Oil or Water
Some shortages are less obvious than oil or water, but they can still affect technology, food, and the global economy. 1. Copper Copper is essential …
6 Countries Where Everyday Life Runs on an App
In some countries, a phone app is becoming the front door to everyday services. 1. China — WeChat WeChat combines messaging with payments, shopping, transportation, …