In this issue: BIG PROBLEM REALLY BIG PROBLEM NOT AS BAD AS WE THOUGHT And much, much more... --------------------------------- BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL BRAINMAIL *Feeding hungry minds since 2004 --------------------------------- Issue 80 --------------------------------- Brainmail is a free monthly (usually) newsletter dedicated to current and future trends, statistics and other nuggets of information. To subscribe, or unsubscribe, to the world's best cerebral snackfood visit http://brainmail.nowandnext.com/ Tell the whole world about brainmail - forward this to zillions of friends. --------------------------------- : NEW TRENDS, NEW TECHNOLOGY & NEW THINKING > Sharing not owning Car-sharing membership in the US has grown by 51% since 2009. Inspired by this, no doubt, Peugeot Europe has launched Mu, which is effectively a credit account allowing users to hire a variety of Peugeot vehicles ranging from cars and scooters to bicycles. Ref: CNN.com > Things we don't know about climate change 1. How serious a threat is global warming to life? 2. How fast will sea levels rise? 3. How will climate alter in specific regions? 4. How great are cooling effects? 5. How much hotter will things get? 6. How far will greenhouse gas levels increase? Ref: New Scientist (UK) > Be active A study conducted on behalf of Macmillan Cancer Support says that being active during cancer treatment boosts energy levels and can lessen the impacts of weight gain, anxiety and depression. For example, women diagnosed with breast cancer that take 150 minutes of exercise per week during treatment reduce their likelihood of dying by 40%. Ref: The Week (UK) > Big problem Over the last 15 years obesity rates have doubled in 17 US states. In 1990 only two states had obesity levels above 15%. Now all do. Ref: Chicago Tribune (US) > Really big problem According to the World Heath Organization, China and India could have $900 billion wiped off economic production between 2005 and 2015 due to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Ref: Prospect (UK) > Communal meeting spaces A recent trend in the UK is that local authorities have cut back on the provision of local community spaces or have raised the cost of such spaces. One innovative solution to this is provided by retail chains. For example, John Lewis, a chain of department stores, is providing free spaces to community groups in its stores in Glasgow, Newcastle, Watford and Cardiff. Each community room is fitted out with full conference and AV facilities. Ref: Daily Telegraph (UK) > The next pandemic According to the International Diabetes Federation there were 285 million adults with diabetes in 2010 and by 2030 this figure is expected to reach 438 million. Total spend on diabetes worldwide is already $418 billion, 57% of which is spent in the USA. Ref: Prospect (UK) > Mobile madness Research by the University of Granada has found that 40% of people aged 18-25 exhibit "addictive" tendencies towards their mobile devices. Meanwhile, John Freeman, author of a book called The Tyranny of Email, says that 40% of people become "agitated" when digital services are temporarily unavailable, with 10% liable to physically assault machinery. Ref: Daily Telegraph (UK) > Real wage A survey by Newsweek in the US has found that some unemployed people in America are willing to work for as little as 25 cents an hour. The minimum that people will accept in the Philippines is $2.25 while in Romania it's $1.00. Ref: Newsweek (US) > Investment emigration A survey of Chinese residents by China Merchants Bank and Bain & Company has found that, among Chinese citizens worth more than 10 million yuan (around $1.5m US), almost 60% have considered emigration via overseas investments or have already done so. Ref: Economic Observer (CN) > Apps for kids A US study says that among 2,200 iPad owning households, parents have downloaded an average of 27.2 apps for their kids, spending roughly $100 in total. Ref: Financial Times (UK) > Not as bad as we thought The UK publishing industry managed to sell 4% more books in 2011 than it did back in 2008 and had revenues 6.1% greater in 2011 than 2008. Ref: Observer (UK)/Bookstats --------------------------------- : THE NUMBERS African farmers grow around 40% of the world's cashew crop, but only around 10% of the crop is processed locally. Ref: Economist (UK) In Mozambique, treatment for diabetes costs 75% of the average wage. Ref: Prospect (UK) 70% of the Earth's fresh water is held in the polar ice caps. Ref: Sunday Times (UK) There are 18.7 million vacant homes in the US. Ref: Financial Times (UK) Around 50% of the world's population lives in nations with a fertility rate of 2.1 or less (i.e. less than the replacement level). Ref: Prospect (UK) Around 5% of the US population consumes almost 50% of US healthcare spending. Ref: National Journal (US) By 2025, China will contain 96 million men in their 20s, but only 80 million women. Ref: The Economist (UK) In 1980, an average acre of US farmland produced 91 bushels of corn. Today the figure is 152. Ref: Time (US) Ferrari sales in China increased by 50% during 2011, while sales of Mercedes went up 112%. Ref: Guardian Weekly (UK) --------------------------------- : BOOK OF THE MONTH "Your Flying Car Awaits: Robot Butlers, Lunar Vacations and other Dead-Wrong Predictions of the Twentieth Century" by Paul Milo --------------------------------- : WEB SIGHT OF THE MONTH Materials with novel properties and uses: http://www.inventables.com/ --------------------------------- : QUOTE OF THE MONTH "Great politicians focus on only one or two goals. The rest is just detail... goals are fixed, but tactics are flexible." - Simon Kuper --------------------------------- : PREDICTION OF THE MONTH It is forecast that one million jobs will disappear from the European creative industries by 2015 due to digital piracy. Ref: Financial Times (UK) --------------------------------- : STILL HUNGRY? Not a lot of people know this, but brainmail is put together using some of the leftover bits from the What's Next trends report. So if this snack-sized newsletter is leaving you a bit hungry, go to nowandnext.com for something more substantial (and that's free too). --------------------------------- : BRAINMAIL LIVE If you are considering a future focused speaker for your next conference, workshop, or other event ask your speaker agency about Richard Watson or contact him direct via nowandnext.com. Richard is the creator of brainmail (along with Matt and Phil). --------------------------------- : SMALL PRINT The material appearing in brainmail is sourced from a variety of usually reliable publications worldwide. However, we cannot guarantee the truthfulness of stories and a degree of commonsense should be applied before quoting or using any material in a commercial context. If something appears to be too good to be true it probably is.