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But did you know there’s even more visuals and insight you can unlock, all while helping support what we do? New to VC+ in January 2022 VC+ is a premium subscription with exclusive access to data that matters, monthly deep dives and behind-the-scenes content for our curious community. This month, in addition to our regularly scheduled programming, members will also be sent our 2022 Global Forecast series. In a series of special features, along with an exclusive webinar, the 2022 Global Forecast provides an in-depth look at the key trends that experts predict for the year ahead....

Out of the thousands of public 2021 predictions and forecasts available, there are plenty of one-off guesses. However, things really get interesting when a desperate majority of experts begin to agree on what might happen. In some ways, these predictions from influential experts and firms have a way of becoming self-fulfilling prophesies, so it’s worth paying attention even if we’re skeptical about the assertions being made. This year, we more than doubled the number of sources analyzed for our 2021 Predictions Consensus graphic, including outlooks from financial institutions, thought leaders, media outlets, consultancies, and more....

The motivations of Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, are now the biggest unanswered question of this geopolitical event. One prominent line of thinking is that Putin is looking to reclaim the territory lost after the dissolution of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR), and the Russian leader’s own words appear to support this claim: For anyone born after the 1970s, memories of that era range from hazy to non-existent, so it’s worth answering the question: What was the USSR anyway?...

After all, aside from a few smaller, intermittent spikes over the course of the current bull market, volatility has largely been in a long-term downtrend since the aftermath of the 2008 Financial Crisis. Whether there is more volatility lurking ahead this year or whether the markets continue to calm, it’s worth looking at the last century of market history to put these recent bouts of volatility into context. Learning From the History of Markets Today’s infographic comes to us from New York Life Investments and it goes back in time to show us that the volatility experienced in 2018 was neither exceptional or unusual....

A Cost Comparison: Lithium Brine vs. Hard Rock Exploration Lithium brine exploration infographic presented by: Dajin Resources Capital is limited in the current mining exploration environment, so investors are increasingly looking for companies that have lower costs of doing business. Over the last four years, we’ve seen large-scale, low-grade projects go out of favour and investor preferences resting with low-CAPEX, high-return projects. However, it is not only the construction costs and scale of a mine with which companies can save money....

From burning natural gas to heat our homes to the petroleum-based materials found in everyday products like pharmaceuticals and plastics, we all consume fossil fuels in one form or another. In 2021, the world consumed nearly 490 exajoules of fossil fuels, an unfathomable figure of epic proportions. To put fossil fuel consumption into perspective on a more individual basis, this graphic visualizes the average person’s fossil fuel use over a lifetime of 80 years using data from the National Mining Association and BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy....

While the largest categories of spending, such as entitlement programs or debt interest, do not offer lawmakers a lot of flexibility, the government does get to decide how discretionary spending – about $1.3 trillion in FY2019 – gets put to use. Discretionary Spending Over Time Today’s animation from data scientist Will Geary shows the evolution of U.S. discretionary spending from 1963 until today: The U.S. budget is generally divided into three main categories: Discretionary Spending: This category, depicted in the animation, is the optional part of the budgetary equation – it’s the aspect that most people talk about, as the allocation of funding towards different things like defense, education, and transportation can be changed by lawmakers....

Since the collapse of the Berlin Wall in 1989, the world has had one undisputed economic superpower: the United States. But while the U.S. has enjoyed its moment in the sun, the balance of power has been slowly shifting towards the inevitable rise of China. It’s been a long time coming, but China now has the manpower, influence, and economic might to compete at a similar level – and if you ask people around the world, they’ve certainly taken notice....

Founders are at the very ground level, and their pursuits have a ripple effect on the entire startup ecosystem. As a result, how entrepreneurs think about different subsectors within tech is of utmost importance. Not only do their perceptions influence what projects they themselves choose to build, but how founders allocate their time and energy may also be a useful gauge of where future economic potential lies. Today’s chart focuses on what entrepreneurs think of specific technologies, using data from a survey of 869 entrepreneurs that was done by First Round Capital....

What is a Porphyry? Porphyry deposits are very large, polymetallic systems that typically contain copper along with other important metals. Much of today’s mineral production depends on porphyries: 60% of copper, 95% of molbdenum, and 20% of gold comes from this deposit type. Where and How are Porphyries Formed? Porphyries are most commonly found along the west coast of North and South America, as well as in the Southwest Pacific. Porphyries are formed in tectonic plate convergent zones where oceanic crust has subducted beneath the continental crust, and in some cases the oceanic crust....

At first, the system crashed, only managing to send the letters “i” and “o”. But an hour or so later, the full message was successfully sent and history was made: Today, the internet permeates every facet of modern life. Billions of people around the world communicate through messaging apps, email, and social media platforms. By 2020, an estimated 20.8 billion “things” will be connected to the internet (including 13 billion household items like TVs, smoke detectors, and appliances)....

For some, it’s his humble Omaha origins or his long-lasting obsession with Coca-Cola. For other people, it’s Buffett’s impeccable investing track record and extraordinary wealth that make a lasting impression. While these are all legitimate connections to make with the Buffett name, perhaps he is most synonymous with the discipline of value investing – the style and mindset Buffett has made famous over the decades. The Warren Buffett Series Part 2: Inside Buffett’s Brain Today’s infographic provides a deep dive into Warren Buffett’s brain, and it explains everything about his investing philosophy, along with the framework he uses to evaluate potential opportunities....

The Lithium Revolution How the shift to clean energy has opened a window of opportunity for energy metals. “The Lithium Revolution” infographic presented by: Dajin Resources Commodity investors know that it in recent years, the sector has had a rough ride. Recently, factors such as China’s slowdown have weighed on short-term prices of industrial commodities like fuels and base metals. However, not all of the energy sector has struggled. The rise of clean energy has continued to gain momentum, which could be a boon for energy metals producers and explorers....

Everyone knows about the big ones, like the internet, the airplane, or the credit card, but there are literally thousands of other interesting inventions that fly under the radar. These advancements in technology have come from every corner of the country, and it’s worth knowing some of the more important ones. Inventions State-by-State Today’s infographic comes from MNU and it breaks down the most impactful inventions from each state, along with the year and inventor associated with each advancement....

Mining has traditionally been depicted with pack mules, pickaxes, and rugged prospectors. However, it may surprise you to learn that today’s mining industry is precisely the opposite in almost every respect. It’s high-tech, efficient, and safe. This is partially because modern mining companies are deploying the latest in sensor and cloud technology. These connected mines are improving the extraction process and workers’ safety while also boosting productivity. Today’s infographic comes to us from Natural Resources Canada and discusses how this sensor and cloud technology can be integrated into the extractive process....

To see how the minimum wage differs around the world, we’ve visualized data from Picodi, which includes values for 67 countries as of January 2023. Monthly Minimum Wage, by Country The following table includes all of the data used in this infographic. Each value represents the monthly minimum wage a full-time worker would receive in each country. Picodi states that these figures are net of taxes and have been converted to USD....

Among many other compelling facts and stories, the letter pointed out one surprise that we thought was of particular interest: the median age of the African continent is just 18 years old. Median Ages, by Continent Today’s chart was inspired by the Gates’ letter, and it showcases the median age of each continent along with other pertinent data points. What’s interesting here is not only Africa’s median age, but also that the median age for each other continent is at least 13 years older....

Wind power is the most productive renewable energy source in the U.S., generating nearly half of America’s renewable energy. But wind doesn’t blow fairly across the nation, so which states are contributing the most to U.S. wind energy generation? This map uses data from the EIA to show how much wind electricity different U.S. states generate, and breaks down wind’s share of total electricity generation in top wind power producing states....

The two terms seem mostly interchangeable, but each individual’s interpretation is actually highly subjective. That means that when stakes are high, such as for the intelligence community or for high-ranking government officials, a slight misinterpretation in the meaning of these phrases could be a matter of life and death. Sherman Kent and the CIA Sherman Kent, often described as the “father of intelligence analysis”, was a CIA analyst that recognized the problem of using imprecise statements of uncertainty....

Middle East: The Capital of Concentrated Wealth For much of history, the Middle East has been the capital of concentrated wealth. Whether it is oil, gold, or empires, the cradle of civilization has always been a place of opulence. It all started early, with the Persian empire under Cyrus the Great. In the armory and treasury at Persepolis was a hefty 120,000 talents of bullion. That made the stash a sizable 115 million oz in total....