HumanProgress.org

New Capabilities

Summarized the ITU's 2026 findings for a general audience

In 2005, about one billion people used the internet, roughly 15% of the world. The International Telecommunication Union estimates 6.3 billion people, or 76%, were online in 2026.

Updated 6 days ago

Rule Changes

As of September 2026: Reported on the female enrolment trend

India's higher education system added 289 universities in a decade. The bigger change is who is filling them: female enrolment grew 42.2 percent since 2014-15, from 15.7 million to 22.4 million students.

Updated Sep 11

Money Moves

As of September 2026: Republished the income data

Mauritius, Egypt, Ghana, and six other African countries have more than doubled their average incomes since 1990. The group also includes Cabo Verde, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Uganda, Burkina Faso, and Mozambique.

Updated Sep 11

Built World

As of May 2026: Published the analysis triggering this story update

For most of human history, nightfall meant the end of productive labor. The industrial revolution and the electric lightbulb reversed that arrangement, turning overnight factory shifts into a pillar of modern manufacturing. But a quieter reversal has been underway for decades. Labor regulations, mounting health evidence, and machines that can run in the dark without human hands are steadily reducing the share of workers toiling at night.

Updated May 30

Money Moves

As of May 2026: Primary publisher of time-price analyses

For decades, economists have argued over whether life is getting more affordable. A new analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data from 2000 to 2025 shows that while the Consumer Price Index rose 92.6%, average hourly wages climbed 131.1%.

Updated May 23