Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Short Reads

Short-form data and analysis from Pew Research Center writers and social scientists. To view all our reports and publications, visit our main Publications page.

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  • short reads

    Chilling Numbers

    The percentage of Americans who believe there is solid evidence supporting global warming has fallen from 71% in April 2008 to 57% today.

  • short reads

    Twitter Update

    About one-in-five internet users now say they use Twitter or another similar service, up from 11% in April.

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    Karzai’s Rank as a Foreign Newsmaker

    Afghanistan President Harmid Karzai has been much in the news lately, but he still trails far behind the top newsmaker among overseas leaders this year, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

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    Swine Flu: Worth a Shot?

    Fewer than half of the public would get a swine flu vaccine if it were available to them.

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    Global Muslim Population

    Muslims account for roughly a quarter of the estimated 2009 world population.

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    Support for Gay Marriage

    Four-in-ten Americans support allowing gays and lesbians to marry legally.

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    Back to the Kitchen, Ladies

    Only a small minority of Americans now think women should return to their traditional roles in society.