1.Today, there are over 200,000 centennial (aged over 100) persons. 66 are over 110, turning into supercentennial individuals. These have certifying papers, but their number could be up to about 450.
2.A quarter of the deaths around young Americans, aged 15 to 24, are caused by fire guns. In 1990, this translated to 4,200 cases (in homicides, suicides, and accidents). Only car accidents kill more young people.
3.Annually in France 160,000 people attempt suicide and about 12,000 succeed. Most of them do it because of social rather than family reasons. But the real number of persons considering it is much higher, although many tend to hide this because of guilt feelings. 2006 was the ninth consecutive year when the number of suicides in Japan bypassed 30,000.
4.By 2050 there will be more old people than young people on the planet, for the first time. Those aged over 60 will pass from 600 million to 2 billion, more than aged under 15. 80% of the elderly will live in the developed world. This is due to the decrease in the number of births and the increase of lifespan.
5.In 2005, on global level, 28 large scale wars and 11 military conflicts took place. In 1999, there were 35 military conflicts: 14 in Africa, 12 in Asia, 1 in Europe and the others in the Middle East and Latin America. This resulted in the planting of millions of mines. Eliminating them would cost $33 billion and take 100,000 years at the current rhythm. The mines are installed 25 times more rapidly than their elimination and since 1975 they have killed over 1 million people, including 300,000 children. 50% of the adults and over 50% of the children stepping on a mine die before reaching hospital. 15 countries and 30 terrorist and guerrilla formations still use the anti-personnel mines.
6.Men die on average 5 years before women. The reasons? First, they are more prone to drinking and smoking. Eating too much and sedentary life count too: 70% of the middle age men are overweight. Men are also affected more intensively by job and family stress. They are more reluctant to visit the doctor or take a preventive cure. They clearly get sick before women.
7.On the Newfoundland roads, 300 car accidents caused by mooses take place anually! A moose weighing 450 kg (1,000 pounds) can fall like a boulder over a car, killing or mutilating persons inside. High rates of accidents register even where moose population is low.
8.As simple as it seems, walking can prolong life. 3.2 km (2 mi) daily reduce by 50% the risk of dying, and 2.5 times the risk of having cancer.
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