There is a saying that it is “a small world.” However, we all know that this is not so true. Technically speaking, the world we live in is large. While we may know that the world has 8.1 billion people and that the population of India and China combined is about 2.8 billion, which is more than 30% of the total world population, there is more to global population statistics. In fact, some of these other statistics about the world’s population we may find very unusual. Here are ten of them.

Related: Top 10 Places That Were Once Their Own Countries

10 How Many People Can Fit in Loch Ness?

Loch Ness is 22 miles (35.4 kilometers) long, 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) wide at the widest point, and over 850 feet (260 meters) deep. With its enormous size, the loch is capable of holding the entire population of the world with plenty of space to spare if the water is drained from it. This means that in the space taken up by Loch Ness, you could fit every single person in the world multiplied by ten or more.

Loch Ness holds an estimated 263 billion cubic feet (7.5 billion cubic meters) of water. There is more water in Loch Ness than in all the lakes, rivers, and reservoirs in the whole of Scotland, England, and Wales combined. At some points, Loch Ness is twice as deep as the deepest part of the North Sea.^[1]

9 Switzerland’s Abundant Nuclear Shelters

Nuclear war is a possibility, although the United Nations is trying its best to make it as impossible as possible. However, several governments of the world have taken the time to build nuclear shelters for their citizens just in case all hell breaks loose someday. Switzerland occupies a frontline position in its efforts to contain a nuclear war. By Swiss law, building owners are required to have a fallout shelter available to house all its residents. This includes homes, schools, and hospitals. The Swiss firmly believe that even if they remain neutral in the event of a nuclear war, neutrality will not protect the nation from radioactivity.

The most remarkable thing about these nuclear shelters is that they are not just ordinary bunkers. They are like underground condos, complete with an air filtration system, emergency power supplies, and water tanks, among other facilities. These nuclear shelters are capable of sustaining life for months and years if properly maintained. These shelters do not just sit there and gather dust. They are restocked regularly and ready for use if things go south.^[2]

8 Finland’s Uncompromising Love of Saunas

Sauna culture is an integral part of the lives of the majority of the Finnish population. The population of Finland is about 5.5 million, and there are three million saunas to go around. In Finland and places with similar weather conditions, saunas resulted from the need for heating and cleansing. Finland’s sauna tradition goes back to the first settlements after the ice age when it is believed that people dug holes in the ground and covered them with animal skins.

Not surprisingly, then, saunas contribute to the happiness levels in Finland. There are public saunas in Finland that do not charge fees and are open all through the year—night and day. Interestingly, the Finns have found innovative ways to enjoy their sauna. One of them is by leaving a hot sauna and running out into the snow on a wintry day. Some even leave a sauna, plunge into ice water, and repeat the process again and again.^[3]

7 If Manhattan’s Population Density Equaled Alaska’s

Manhattan in New York State has a very high population density of around 72,918 people per square mile (28,154 per square kilometer)—essentially, 1.69 million people live in its 22.83 square miles (59.13 square kilometers). In fact, Manhattan is the most densely populated but geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also considered one of the world’s foremost commercial, financial, and cultural centers.

It’s renowned for its many points of interest, including Broadway—one of the world’s best-known streets—the financial district of Wall Street, skyscrapers such as the Empire State Building, Greenwich Village, Harlem, and Central Park. On the other hand, Alaska has a population density of 1.3 people per square mile. The implication of this scenario is that if Manhattan had the same population density as Alaska, only about 32 people would live there.^[4]

6 China Has 65 Million Empty Houses

China has ghost cities—whole cities that were built but never inhabited.

Aside from the need to provide adequate housing for China’s ever-growing population, China also sees real estate as an investment strategy. The government makes population projections and tries to be as prepared as possible. One of the aims of this is to sustain the current high economic growth being experienced by the country. While the robust housing policy has led to several “wins” for China, it also has some downsides.

An example of the downside is the city of “Ordos New Town” also known as Kangbashi, in the region of Inner Mongolia. Ordos is the largest ghost town in China. If you are looking for the perfect example of a housing bubble that burst, Ordos is the place to go. Just like other ghost cities in China, the story of Ordos began with an economic opportunity that the government believed would lead to a population boom, but the people never arrived.

The great Mongolian coal rush of the 2000s brought several private mining companies to the area. Local farmers cashed in on the rush and sold their lands at ten times the original value to the miners. There were different job opportunities as ceaseless coal truck convoys took up all the roads. The money flowed into the municipality, which got into the head of the city officials.

As a result, they started building—flats, shops, office blocks, among others. Chinese officials built a futuristic and ultra-modern city that could accommodate one million residents. In the end, the coal trade did not continue to grow at the projected rate, probably due to the emergence of more sustainable energy alternatives. The city is now almost deserted.^[5]

5 A Huge Island with Little Population

Greenland is officially the world’s largest island. Its early beginnings were as the home of Paleo-Inuits, who trekked from North America across the frozen Thule Strait to Greenland. Isolated there for thousands of years until nearly AD 1000. When the Vikings landed there. However, the Vikings left Greenland about 500 years later. Most of Greenland’s current residents descend from the last of six of these Inuit migrations over the millenia.

Greenland was a Danish colony until 1953, when it was redefined as a district of Denmark. Despite its remarkable size, Greenland has one of the lowest population densities, with around 0.36 people per square mile (0.14 per square kilometer). What we find bizarre about this number is that when you compare Hong Kong to Greenland, you get a shocking result. The population density in Hong Kong is 17,485 people per square mile (6,751 per square kilometer), yet Hong Kong is about 1,955 times smaller than Greenland.^[6]

4 A Japanese Town Has More Scarecrows Than Humans

Nagoro village in Japan is a rural community where elderly residents spend their time blissfully tending to their gardens and fishing. The town is located in Tokushima Prefecture on Japan’s smallest Island, Shikoku. In this village, there are more than 350 scarecrows placed in various locations. However, there is something unique about these scarecrows—they are all created single-handedly by longtime resident Ayano Tsukimi.

For Ayano, the continued decline in the population of the village became depressing. This is why he decided to create a new community of friendly faces with old clothes and newspapers. The scarecrows in Nagoro are not the typical scarecrows. They are dressed in nice clothes. In all, there are ten scarecrows for every single person in Nagoro village.^[7]

3 Where Men Really Outnumber the Woman

We already mentioned the world population is over eight billion. Surprisingly, the gender of these billions of people lies pretty much at the 50/50 point. Specifically, the average is 1.02 males per female, with that number falling from 1.07 males/female at birth to 0.78 males/female over age 65. Except in Qatar!

Qatar is a country in West Asia that occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East. It’s rich in energy resources; in fact, the country has the third-largest energy reserves in the world. Qatar’s sound economy and robust immigration policy resulted in many men emigrating from neighboring countries in large numbers. Qatar needs this influx of labor; hence, those who scrutinize immigration applications do not care about gender balance. The end result of this is that men outnumber women in a ratio of 2.87 to 1. Maybe Qatar could mingle with the North Mariana Islands with its 0.77 males for every female to help even things out.^[8]

2 Monaco’s Millionaires

Ordinarily, we would consider ourselves lucky if we are able to meet one millionaire a day, but if you reside in Monaco, it’s a different scenario.

The principality of Monaco is a sovereign city-state. It is home to 38,682 residents and is widely recognized as one of the most expensive and wealthiest cities in the world. One in three residents is a millionaire. We have no doubt in our minds that Monaco has to be one of the most unique places in the world in terms of the economic status of its residents. In this city, we would not be surprised if you find a janitor or a handyman who is a millionaire.^[9]

1 Everyone Living in One Space

Whittier is a city at the head of the Passage Canal in the U.S. state of Alaska. It is located about 58 miles (93.3 kilometers) southeast of Anchorage. Even though Alaska covers 663,268 square miles (1,717,856 square kilometers), it is sparsely populated—1.3 people per square mile (0.5 people per square kilometer). A far cry from some of the more dense places listed above. But back to Whittier…

The tiny town of Whittier has only one access road, which is often inaccessible in winter no little thanks to 22 feet (6.7 meters) of annual snow and its unique tunnel. The Anton Anderson Memorial Tunnel or Whittier Tunnel is 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) long and serves as a dual vehicle-train tunnel. Oh, it’s also the only way into town and closes around 10:30pm.

But the most unique thing about Whittier is that the townspeople all live in the same building. The 14-story Begich Towers has the distinction of housing and accommodating the entire population of the town, which is about 272 people. Whittier has gained the nickname “town under one roof” over the years.^[10]

It’s human nature to want to be the best. To have the most, to achieve more, and to rack up some numbers that make you a standout. It doesn’t even matter what it’s in reference to, we just really like numbers. Sometimes it’s a good thing, sometimes not. But it becomes much more interesting when we go to a larger scale and look at whole populations who do the most, have the most, and so on. The per capita stats can say a lot about a place, even if it’s not always complimentary. 

10. Vatican City Has the Highest Per Capita Wine Consumption

Lots of people around the world enjoy a cold beer or a snifter of port when the mood strikes. That said, when it comes to wine, it’s not the French who take the cake for enjoying the most electric grape juice, it’s the good people of Vatican City.

According to research from the California Wine Institute, the average Vatican City resident enjoyed 74 liters of wine per year in 2012. Italy as a whole only clocks in with half that number, as does France. In America, it’s a paltry 3.18 gallons or just over 12 liters per capita. 

Based on the size of an average wine bottle, we’re looking at nearly 100 bottles a year for the people of Vatican City. Keep in mind, however, that Vatican City has a preposterously small population of around 800 residents and, aside from a few Swiss guards and others, almost no one has children. Those details will skew the stats considerably to make residents seem a little bit more saucy than the average European or North American.

9. Estonia Has the Most Models Per Capita

Have you ever wondered what the prettiest country in the world is? Not in terms of scenery, but people. Where do the beautiful people live? Well, that’s a very shallow question, and shame on you for thinking it. But if we were trying to objectify and quantify beauty we might start by considering a profession known for beauty, such as modeling. And who has the most models? Turns out it’s Estonia. 

Statistically speaking, Estonia produces more models than any other country with 74 models per million citizens. They even use it to try to bolster tourism while also mentioning their the 3rd tallest nation in Europe as well. 

Of course, Estonia is still a small country and they don’t have more models overall than most nations. The United States still produces more models than any other nation, just not per capita. 

8. Uruguay Has the Most Cows Per Capita

Do you like beef and/or milk? Well then, there’s a good chance you like cows. There’s obviously a big dairy industry in America with around 92 million cows roaming the countryside somewhere. But the industry does get bigger in other places and, on a per capita basis, the United States actually ranks down at number eight.

The biggest cattle producer per capita is Uruguay. There are nearly 12 million cows in Uruguay but only 3.45 million citizens. That means there are almost three and a half cows for everyone in the country. Americans only get 0.28 cows each. 

Since 2006, beef has been the biggest export in Uruguay, raking in over a billion dollars for their economy as a result. 

7. Canadians Produce the Most Trash Per Capita

Canadians have long been praised for their politeness. On the world stage that seems to be what they’re most well known for along with things like Mounties, maple syrup, and beavers. But there is at least one other thing they can claim as their own – Canadians are the filthiest people on the planet. Canada produces more trash per capita than any other nation. 

Every year, Canada produces 36.1 metric tons of waste per capita. That’s ahead of the United States which clocks in at 25.9 tons placing them in third and second place trash mongers Bulgaria with 26.7 tons.

This doesn’t mean every individual Canadian is a Godzillian trash monster unto themselves. The average Canadian household could never put out 36 tons of trash in a year at all, or at least you should hope they don’t have that many Tim Hortons cups to toss out. Nearly all of that waste is industrial. So this means Canadian business is run just remarkably poorly and inefficiently. Efforts to divert more waste from landfills are increasing, but not as well as other countries have managed it.

6. New Hampshire Holds The Title of State With Most Beer Consumption

New Hampshire residents love to drink, at least compared to every other state. The per capita consumption of alcohol has New Hampsherites drinking 4.43 gallons per capita or close to 17 liters. Year to year the stats change a little bit, of course, but New Hampshire invariably stays at the top of the pack.

In 2017 that number broke down to 1.96 gallons of spirits, 1.88 gallons of beer, and 0.88 gallons of wine. Again, in each individual category, New Hampshire was still at the top of the list. 

Data that was collected to reflect people only over the age of 21 changes the look of things slightly. What seemed like maybe a fairly tame amount of alcohol increases significantly if you disregard everyone underage. Now the residents of New Hampshire consume 41.5 gallons or 157 liters of beer per person. 

If you feel bad about this, don’t worry, it’s nowhere near the total for worldwide consumption of alcohol by any means. That honor goes to Eastern Europe and places like Czechia where, in 2019, residents drank 14.26 liters of pure alcohol in a year per capita. That number sounds suspiciously low but only because it’s “pure alcohol.” So a 12-ounce beer only has 0.6 ounces of pure alcohol. 

If there are 33.8 ounces in a liter, then the people of Czechia had about 482 ounces of pure alcohol per capita. If a beer is 0.6 ounces, then they’re drinking over 800 beers a year. 

5. The Netherlands Eat Far More Mushrooms Than Anyone Else

Do you like mushrooms? If you’re not a huge fan, you probably don’t want to head to the Netherlands any time soon because man, do the Dutch love mushrooms. The Dutch eat 11.62 kilograms of mushrooms per year, which is just shy of 26 pounds. Ireland comes in second with just over half that amount. Americans eat about 3.65 pounds per capita. 

Globally, China is the biggest producer and consumer of mushrooms but on a per capita basis they rank very low with a mere 1.16 kilograms. The Netherlands, on the other hand, has been steadily and intentionally growing its mushroom industry since the 1950s. Today there are over 120 companies growing mushrooms in the Netherlands and it’s fast becoming one of the biggest exporters in the world. 

4. Finland Produces the Most Heavy Metal Bands

Is artistry linked to culture? Are some people more inclined to be artistic than others? It’s an interesting proposition but certainly one that would be hard to either prove or disprove without a lot of historical and sociological data. But one thing you can look at, devoid of any context, is straight numbers. For instance, per capita, Finland produces more heavy metal bands than anywhere else in the world.

Scandinavia, in general, has an affinity for loud, heavy music. But Finland produces 53.2 heavy metal bands per 100,000 residents. That’s ahead of second place Sweden which only clocks in at 37.14 bands. 

So what is going on in Finland that makes them love those hardcore guitar licks so much? Speculation can run rampant but there are some other interesting things to take into account. For instance, Finland also ranks as the happiest country in the world. Maybe heavy metal allows the Finnish people to work out their negative feelings in a country notoriously conservative about speaking on such things. Or, as others have suggested, maybe it speaks to that violent and intense Viking heritage in a more modern and manageable way. 

3. Argentina Has the Most Pets Per Capita

Americans love their house pets. About 66% of all American households own pets, with dogs the hands-down favorite pet followed by cats and then fish in a distant third. But as much as Americans love their pets they are still not even in the same ballpark as the people of Argentina. Argentinians really love their animals.

Argentina has the most pets per capita of any nation in the world. That’s not to say other countries don’t have more pets by sheer numbers – there are more dogs in America than there are people in Argentina. In one study, 66% of Argentinians claimed to be dog owners while 32% had cats. 

2. Samoa Produces More NFL Players Than Anywhere Else

Many young men aspire to be professional athletes one day and, to that end, spend years playing sports at school. Those who excel in high school can get college scholarships and then you’re closing in on the big bucks with a contract in the big leagues. Maybe. 

Talent can come from all over and scouts are always hunting for the next big thing but NFL scouts probably endure a little less stress when they go looking in Samoa because, for whatever reason, Samoa produces more NFL players per capita than anywhere else. 

In 2019, three percent of the league were Samoan players which means Samoans are 40 times more likely to be in the NFL than others from the rest of the population at large. A Samoan male is 56 times more likely to be an NFL player than a non-Samoan.

Why are Samoans so big in the NFL? The culture takes football seriously. It’s hugely popular and nearly everyone plays. Because they have a history of excelling, the new generations push that much harder. Football is a window to success, not just in the NFL but to get a scholarship and an education, opportunities that may not be available otherwise. 

1. Iceland has More Writers Per Capita Than Anywhere in the World

It’s hard to say what makes a person want to create things. Can it be cultivated and, if so, how? What about different kinds of artists? We saw that Finland seems adept at making heavy metal bands and how that might be linked to their history and culture around expressing feelings, but what about painters? Sculptors? Writers?

If you want to master the written word, you may want to head to Iceland. For whatever reason, Iceland has a leg up on writing. Though their population is very small at just around 300,000, they’ve managed to produce more published writers per capita than anywhere else in the world. About 10% of Iceland’s population will end up publishing a book at some point in their lives.  

Iceland really seems to respect the written word and writers can even get state support for their craft, drawing a salary to do so. When you head out you can scan codes on benches to download audiobooks so you have something to listen to while you sit. The whole culture just really enjoys reading and writing.

Death is not something we generally take lightly or find a lot of joy in. Statistics about death are therefore not likely to be fun or joyful, either. But what you may not be aware of is just how dark and unbelievable some of the statistics about death truly are. Lucky for you, we’ve pulled together some right here.

10. Soldiers Are Four Times as Likely to Die By Suicide Than in Combat

Soldiers have one of the most dangerous jobs in existence by definition. You may be called upon to go to war, to take up arms against an enemy and find yourself in a situation where you have to kill or be killed. It’s a harrowing notion at best. You can assume no one takes the job wanting to die, but that they are willing to do so if it comes to that. 

While death is a potential outcome, obviously it’s not a confirmed or desired one. And when you look at the statistics regarding the death of soldiers, you find something incredibly unexpected. Since 9/11, a soldier in the US is four times as likely to die by suicide than to be killed in combat.

The study came out in 2021 and it found that, since 9/11 — which was 20 years prior — a staggering 30,177 active duty personnel and veterans, all of whom had served on active duty since that date, died by suicide. That was in contrast to the 7.057 who died in combat over the same period.

These numbers put suicide rates of soldiers and veterans above those of the general population, something which had not previously been the case.

9. Americans Are Three Times as Likely To Die in Car Crashes Than the French

Sometimes numbers exist in a vacuum and are hard to understand. If 100 Americans per year die from rabbit attacks, it’s hard to say if that stat is meant to show how safe rabbits are or how dangerous. Comparing rates to other countries can help bring context and give you a fuller understanding of what a statistic means.

Car crash fatalities are one of those things that can exist in a vacuum. In 2021, 42,915 people in America died in traffic accidents. This was reportedly a 16 year high for traffic deaths. But there was some question whether this was uniquely American or did Covid have something to do with it resulting in more accidents all around the world?

In the 1970s, France and the US had very similar traffic death statistics. At that time, around 225 citizens per million died in such accidents. Through the 1990s the rates of fatalities declined by about 31% in both countries as safety measures to prevent deaths were employed in both countries. 

After the ’90s, deaths in France continued to decline while those in America took a 180 and started going up again. The US is the only country in the G7 nations where this happened, all others continued a downward trend. By 2021, Americans were three times as likely to die in a traffic accident as the French. The French are 40% less likely to die per mile driven than Americans.

8. People Who Attempt Suicide Are Seven Times More Likely to Die of a Heart Condition Before 40

Any time someone feels they need to attempt suicide it’s a serious issue that can hopefully be addressed before the worst happens. Depression and mental health issues are finally becoming understood and not as stigmatized as they once were which means, in the future, we can save more lives. But the side effects of this are still to be discovered and fully explored and the picture we’re getting is surprising and grim.

There has been a long-standing link between depression and chronic heart disease. However, more research into how they work together, especially in younger patients, shows a concerning correlation. Research has shown that people who attempt suicide are at seven times higher risk for ischemic heart disease while people suffering from depression were at 4 times greater risk before age 40.

7. Funny People Seem to Die Younger

Bad news if you’re the class clown. Statistically speaking, funny people seem to die younger than their more serious counterparts. And even if you are funny, the funnier you are, the more likely you are to die. That’s a hell of a punchline.

Research has shown that comedians tend to die younger than dramatic actors. The funnier a comedian is perceived to be, the sooner they seem to die. In comedy duos with a funny guy and a straight man, the funny guy is routinely the one who dies first. The funniest comedians died at an average age of 63.3 while the others made it almost another decade. 

While no solid conclusions are drawn, authors of the study did point out that many comedians report issues with depression and/or mania.

6. Economic Depressions are Better for Mortality

No one gets excited when they hear they are headed for a recession or a depression. But research does indicate there are some small reasons to be excited. It turns out that mortality is one of the few things to get a boost during a depression as fewer people die during economic downturns.

The reasons for this are complex and not exactly known, but there is some reasonable guessing behind it all. During an economic collapse you have fewer people driving and that lowers the mortality rate for accidents. This in turn improves air quality by lowering pollution. That lowers respiratory disease and pulmonary condition deaths. 

If fewer people go to work, there are fewer workplace injuries. If people are making less money, they also have less to spend on vices like drinking, fast food and smoking. People cook healthier meals and get more exercise with increased time on their hands. 

Obviously it’s not all rainbows and the toll on mental health, depression, binge drinking for a small population are still destructive, but the overall numbers seem to favor a depression as a thing that saves lives rather than costing them. 

5. You Are 6% More Likely to Die in the Hospital on Black Wednesday

Black Wednesday is the name used in the UK to describe the first Wednesday in August when new doctors are finally allowed to work on their own in hospitals. It’s long been a rumor that this is the deadliest day to be a patient, presumably because of all the mistakes new and untested doctors will make. 

The theory was put to the test by analyzing patient mortality statistics and it turned out to be true. A patient was 6% more likely to die on that day. There is debate about whether this proves anything as not all hospitals can replicate this data and there could be other factors at play, like more doctors going on vacation over the summer so there’s less access to care. 

The percentage difference works out to about 13 more deaths, so while it’s not favorable it’s not extreme, either. There are certainly many factors at play and not every hospital follows this pattern but, if you’re worried, try making sure you avoid hospitals in the summer.

4. You May Be 14% More Likely to Die on Your Birthday 

You would think that, with 365 days in a year, your odds of dying on any given day are one in 365. The days are essentially arbitrary, after all, why would anything be more likely to happen today than tomorrow? Well, that’s not how things work.

Swiss researchers determined the average person is 14% more likely to die on their birthday than any other day of the year. And this was not another case of a small sample size skewing results in a strange way. They studied a total of 2.5 million deaths from 1969 through 2008.

So what makes someone that much more likely to die on their birthday than any other day? A couple of hypotheses were dismissed out of hand, like the idea that people manage to hold on when they’re dying until they reach a birthday, as well as the idea that you might engage in riskier behavior on your birthday. If people “held on” there’d be a dip in numbers before, which there is not. If people were engaging in riskier behavior, then the evidence of accidents would increase, which it doesn’t.

One guess as to why it happens deflates the entire premise. A statistician in the UK suggested the true answer may just be sloppy record keeping. For instance, someone may have filled out a death certificate incorrectly and put the date of birth in the date of death by accident. Or, if they didn’t know the date of birth, they may have filled that in with the date of death as well. 

It’s only speculation, but it only takes a clerical error in 0.04% of the death records to make it true. But until that’s confirmed, the data still suggests a person’s birthday may be an ominous day indeed.

3. Neurosurgeons May Be More Than Twice as Likely to Die of Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease was the cause of 121,499 deaths in 2019. More than six million Americans over age 65 have been diagnosed. It’s been studied for years and a lot of time, effort and money has gone into combating the disease but we still don’t even know what causes it.

One theory that does not get a lot of attention is the germ theory of Alzheimer’s, that perhaps some bacteria or parasite or protein causes the illness. This has been supported by research which suggests neurosurgeons who work on Alzheimer’s patients are two and a half times more likely to contract the illness than the average person. An earlier report suggested the rate was six times as high. 

The notion of an Alzheimer’s germ has come up a few times in the past but not in a way that garnered much attention and so little research has been done.

2. Pro wrestlers Have a Higher Mortality Than Any Other Athletes

If you’re a fan of pro wrestling, then this will not be a surprise to you at all. Pro wrestlers are statistically far more likely to die prematurely from several causes compared to the population at large and even other pro athletes. 

Across the board, mortality rates for wrestlers are pretty astonishing. Compared to the average male, a wrestler is 15 times more likely to die of a cardio-vascular condition, 6.4 times more likely to die of cancer and a staggering 122.7 times more likely to die of a drug overdose.

Even compared to other athletes, especially football players, wrestlers have much higher mortality rates. Data from 2014 showed that about 16% of wrestlers died by ages 40 to 45 and that climbed to 20% just before age 50. NFL players reached their peak at 55 to 60 years of age when just over 6% died by that age.

1. That’s an Increased Risk of Dying If You Get Surgery on Your Surgeon’s Birthday

Of all the things you might want to take into consideration before having surgery, one you probably never thought of was your surgeon’s birthday. But if you’re an elderly patient, you may want to ask. There is a statistical increase in the odds of you dying if your surgeon is working on his birthday. 

When looking at 30-day mortality rates after surgery, elderly patients were 23% more likely to die if surgery took place on the surgeon’s birthday than if it happened on any other day.  They gleaned the data from nearly one million surgeries, so this is no fluke, this is a real, statistical danger. It’s also comparable to mortality rates on major holidays or any other day that might be distracting to a surgeon.

They say that there are only two things guaranteed in life: death and taxes. And you can at least commit tax fraud for a while if you try. But that death thing has so far managed to catch up with literally everyone. If it were only as simple as one day being alive and another day being dead maybe it’d be less stressful and less anxiety inducing, but no such luck. When you start to look into it, there are so many ways to die, so many contributing factors and so many unexpected and unpleasant statistics about mortality that it might make you want to just hide indoors for the rest of your life. 

10. Brazilian Butt Lifts Are the Deadliest Cosmetic Surgery Procedure

We accept that some things in life are deadlier than others. Trying to pet a tiger is going to be more dangerous than trying to pet a house cat. You’re at greater risk from open heart surgery than you are from having a bunion removed. But there are some truly staggering statistics when it comes to one unlikely procedure that you may not be aware of. A Brazilian butt life is the deadliest plastic surgery procedure going. 

The procedure, meant to make your butt look rounder, perkier and fuller by injecting fat from places in your body where it isn’t wanted into your butt, has the highest mortality rate of any cosmetic procedure that is around one in 3,000. 

The procedure can cost as much as $15,000 to get done. In 2020 alone, over 40,000 butt procedures were done despite the risks. In the UK, surgeons have been advised to not perform the procedure at all, though it’s not banned. 

In a survey, three percent of doctors responded that they’d had a patient die from the procedure. Most deaths can be attributed to pulmonary fat emboli which is when fat ends up in your pulmonary system. Some occur and are not fatal, but others are not so lucky. 

9. Munchausen by Proxy Mortality Rates are About 9% to 10%

Factitious disorder imposed on another is the current name for the condition better known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy. It’s a mental disorder in which a caregiver makes as though the person they are caring for is sick with something they do not actually have. The condition often seems to be a way for the caregiver to get attention and sympathy, perhaps to be seen as brave or strong for trying to help someone else overcome their illness, when in fact they are the cause of that illness. This may be as simple as gaslighting the alleged patient, especially if they are a child, by convincing them they are sick, but often may also go as far as the caregiver harming the victim in some way by medicating or even poisoning them to make them fit the symptoms. 

Because the entire syndrome is based around a fake illness, it seems like the victim may not be in all that much danger, but the opposite is true. The would-be caregivers often go to great lengths to make the victim fit their false narrative to the extent that the mortality rate for the condition is around 9%.

8. Catch and Release Fishing Mortality is About 18% But Up to 40%

It’s not just human mortality rates that can be depressing. Our unfortunate fish friends in rivers, lakes and streams around the country that we thought were benefiting from catch and release practices are not doing nearly as well as you’d think. 

The idea behind catch and release fishing seems noble enough. You catch a fish, take it off the hook and let it go again so you get the enjoyment of fishing and the fish gets to live another day. Unfortunately, the mortality rate for the fish is between 18% and 40% according to various studies.

A number of factors contribute to what may cause the fish to die even after it’s released, with the location of the hook when the fish is caught being the greatest contributing factor,  but it’s safe to say that they’re not all going to swim off and tell the story to a friend. 

7. Pro Wrestler Mortality is Far Higher Than The Wider Population

If you’re a lifelong fan of professional wrestling, then you no doubt have had to watch a number of your favorites from the past die young. It’s no secret in the industry that wrestlers die young. Many succumb to addiction or health issues related to past drug use. But there are also a number of accidents or other violent deaths that occur as well. In the end, it’s very rare for a pro wrestler to live to a ripe, old age.

For wrestlers between 45 and 54, their mortality rate is nearly three times greater than that of the wider population. When it comes to deaths related to cardiovascular conditions, wrestler deaths occur at a rate 15.1 times greater than the population at large. Cancer deaths among wrestlers are 6.4 times higher. And drug overdose deaths are astronomically higher at 122.7 times more than the wider population. 

As has been noted, some of this can perhaps be attributed to the lifestyle of pro wrestlers, especially in the past. In the 80s, many wrestlers were widely known to and have admitted to using cocaine, steroids and other drugs. And because, unlike most sports, wrestling has no off season, these athletes were pushing their bodies non-stop for years. 

6. People Who Read Have a 20% Lower Mortality Rate

Good news for those of you who like to curl up with a good book, you’re statistically more likely to have extra time to read those books than someone who doesn’t. People who read have a 20% lower mortality rate than those who don’t. 

Specifically, you need to read books to achieve the statistically significant benefits of reading, and magazines or newspapers won’t cut it. The speculated reason is that a book engages your mind in a way magazines and newspapers can’t, which translates into greater mental engagement and a tangible benefit to your overall lifespan.

5. Ford Fiestas Have the Highest Mortality Rate of Any Car

Have you ever heard that you have to pay higher insurance on red cars because they get stolen more often? It’s true that certain types of cars present unique risks for car owners but if you want to really get into which car is best or worst to be driving, you may want to think seriously about certain vehicles like the Ford Fiesta. 

In 2017, data showed the Fiesta as the deadliest car on the road with a death rate of 141 per 1 million registered cars. Compare that to something like a Chevy Corvette at 54 or a Porsche Cayenne with 0. 

Luxury SUVs actually have the lowest death rates overall while small cars have proven to be the least safe.

4. Human Mortality Goes Up in Areas Where Trees Die

Some things in life are inexorably linked together. If there are no bees, for instance, then flowers would suffer from a lack of pollinators. So what happens when trees start to die? People die, too. 

Research has shown that, as the emerald ash borer devastated tree populations, there was a marked increase in diseases in human populations. Cases of heart disease and pneumonia began to rise. Over a 10 year period, 100 million trees died as a result. In the states where the trees died, 15,000 more people died from cardiovascular disease and 6,000 more succumbed to respiratory disease when compared to areas without the tree infections.

The data spanned 1,296 different counties and tried to factor in other variables as well. In the end it became clear that fewer trees equals higher mortality.

3. Too Much (or Too Intense) Exercise May Increase Mortality Rates 

Surely if you want to live longer, then part of the key is to maintain a healthy lifestyle which includes plenty of exercise. Well, yes and no on that one. There’s plenty of evidence that living an active lifestyle is good for you but there’s also that “everything in moderation” saying.

The World Health Organization suggests that, every week, you get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous intensity. And no, most people don’t get that much at all. But there is some limited data now that too much exercise at too great an intensity can start having the opposite effect of that desired. This stems from a study of joggers in which a couple of participants who went extremely vigorous in their exercise routine died. 

Other studies have also shown that you may be at risk of cardiovascular problems if you frequently engage in serious endurance exercise like running marathons. These results are all still being debated, but there is also limited evidence that you get any benefit from pushing your workout to extremes, so the safest bet is probably to stay in the middle somewhere. 

2. Taller People Have a Higher Mortality Rate 

Some traits are seen as more desirable in modern, Western society than others. A lot of these traits are physical and we only have so much control over them on an individual basis. There’s little you can do, for instance, if you want to be tall but you aren’t. And yet it’s hard to deny that many people see being tall as desirable and attractive. So good news for the vertically challenged, there’s some evidence that being tall isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Taller people, in general, have a higher mortality rate. 

In one study, every four inches of height increased the risk of all types of cancer in postmenopausal women by 13%. Each additional inch in height for men turns into a 2.2% increased chance of death from literally any cause compared to shorter people.

1. Robert Liston Performed a Surgery with a 300% Mortality Rate

We touched on some of the dangers of surgery either but even among the deadliest of surgeries the mortality rate is often a number that makes sense, at least mathematically. But there is at least one case when that didn’t happen and a single surgery managed to end with a 300% mortality rate. If you’re doing the math yourself, that means one person got surgery and three people died as a result.

You have to take some gentle liberties with this tale but it’s been documented well enough to hold some water. To start, the procedure was performed by doctor Robert Liston, a surgeon in the early 1800s before the invention of anesthesia.

Liston was apparently known to be fairly competent but, most importantly for the time, fast. If surgery had to be done with no anesthesia, then you can imagine why speed would be of the essence. And for this surgery Liston Was to be performing an amputation. He accomplished his intended goal as well, removing a patient’s leg in just two and a half minutes. We know the time because Liston, apparently somewhat arrogant in regards to his skill, asked to be timed. 

In two and a half minutes, Liston had condemned three people to death. His first victim was an observing doctor who was there to watch the procedure. As Liston was sawing the patient’s leg off at the hip, he switched from one cutting implement to another. In his haste, he slashed through the coat of the observing doctor and though he never cut the man, apparently the fellow was overwhelmed by the fact he saw spurting blood and felt the pull on his coat as Liston tore through it. He died of a heart attack.

Meanwhile, Liston needed the patient to be restrained for obvious reasons, so an assistant had to hold the poor man down. Liston cut the assistant’s fingers off as he removed the patient’s legs.

Both surgical assistant and patient went on to develop gangrenous infections and die a short time later, this cementing Liston as the only doctor ever to kill three people in a single surgery.