Fungal diseases cost the US around $19B annually

Foodborne illnesses cost our country an estimated $74.7 billion in 2023

A US government estimate puts the cost of all foodborne illness in 2023 at almost $75 billion dollars. In a report published by the US Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service, government analysts detailed how the burden of foodborne illness includes medical costs, but also more hidden costs like lost wages. The analysis also breaks down estimated costs by pathogen.

Lyme disease may cost about $1B annually in the US

The economic burden of the disease in this estimate includes direct medical costs and societal costs, including productivity losses. It does not include suspected, undiagnosed, or nonacute cases, which would push that figure upward.

Mental illness in the US costs roughly $282B annually nationwide

That figure, estimated as part of a 2024 Yale analysis that aimed to better understand the macroeconomic implications of mental illness, included the costs of mental health treatment, income loss, and overarching economic setbacks associated with mental illness.

19 fungal pathogens are of key concern to world health officials

In 2022, this global health body issued its first-ever list of top fungal threats to human health. It said fungal threats are spreading and occurring more frequently. The WHO’s list included 19 fungal pathogens to watch, and said that the most dangerous ones to public health are Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, and Candida auris. There are only a handful of classes of medication currently available to combat fungal pathogens, with few others in the pipeline even though antimicrobial resistance is growing.

Mapping the spread of a dangerous fungus growing in US healthcare facilities

Explore the data showing how the fungus C. auris has spread in the US, with more than 10,000 reported cases since 2016. Recommended steps to prevent infections and limit their spread have been successful in some areas, but infection control remains complicated because the fungus is often now multidrug-resistant.

Fungi make people sick when they invade and survive in otherwise healthy human tissue

We breathe in airborne spores frequently, but they often don't make us sick. This video details how certain concerning fungal changes can occur and discusses the role of mycologists—scientists who study fungi—in helping to improve human health.

From 1970 to 2017, invasive species have caused $1.28T in damage globally

The costliest species were the Asian tiger and yellow fever mosquitoes ($149B), which arrived in the US from Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, respectively. The bulk of their damage came from their transmission of diseases such as Zika, chikungunya, and dengue. (Some readers may experience a paywall.)

Antimicrobial resistance is responsible for 1.3 million deaths each year

Antimicrobial resistance is a global health threat, driven by the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials in humans, animals, and more. Estimates suggest superbugs could lead to $1T in healthcare costs by 2050, and the world faces a shortage of new drug development to meet the challenge.

Influenza infects up to a billion people worldwide each year

The World Health Organization estimates that seasonal influenza causes about 1B cases annually, including 3 to 5M severe illnesses and between 290,000 to 650,000 deaths.

The ‘humongous fungus’ may be the largest organism on Earth at more than 2,300 acres

Discovered in 1988, when it was only covering 400 acres, this massive colony of Armillaria ostoyae, based in Oregon, has taken hold among the tree roots of the Malheur National Forest. It consists of a vast network of unique long black filaments of fungal tissue called rhizomorphs that grow under the soil and infect tree roots, nourishing the fungus but killing the trees. Researchers believe this fungal growth dates back more than 8,000 years and currently weighs approximately 35,000 tons.

Why bananas are in trouble

The average American eats over 25 pounds of bananas every year, but we won't for long if a deadly soil fungus continues to spread. Learn what scientists are doing to save the popular fruit.

Fiji's 'quiet' diabetes crisis

Across the Pacific archipelago of Fiji, diabetes often avoids diagnosis until amputation or death is imminent. Fiji's government has said nearly 30% of its population has diabetes, and, in 2019, related amputations accounted for 40% of the country's hospital operations. This "sugar disease" may have such a stronghold on the archipelago, which has a physically active culture that prizes locally sourced foods, due to cost, with processed foods being much cheaper than alternatives.

Roughly 1 in every 4,300 individuals in the US has mitochondrial disease

Roughly 1,000 to 4,000 kids are born with these conditions each year in the US though many of the diseases are fatal. Mitochondrial disorders often affect the organs that require the most energy, including the heart, brain, and muscles.

Discover the economic value of coral reefs, which benefit one billion people worldwide

The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration estimates that US commercial and recreational fisheries valued at $200M depend on coral reefs, which provide up to $1.8B in flood protection by absorbing 97% of wave energy. Combined with the benefits from tourism, US coral reefs provide $3.4B in value annually.

Neglected tropical diseases affect more people than the population of Europe

This group of conditions, which includes hookworm, sickens roughly one in seven people on the planet—a tally which dwarfs Europe's population of roughly 450 million. International cooperation and donations are helping to control some of these illnesses, which can be caused by parasites, viruses, and bacteria. They're all treatable or preventable, but primarily occur among poor, isolated communities that may not receive adequate care.

Breast, prostate, and lung cancer are the most common forms of the disease

Close to 1.8 million cases of cancer are diagnosed each year in the US, with more than 600,000 deaths (about 0.2% of the total population). This visualization tool offers a searchable database of aggregate statistics on common cancers by gender, race, state, and other demographic information.

Sepsis is the leading cause of death in hospitals

Sepsis is the result of an overly aggressive immune system trying to combat infection, triggering inflammation throughout the body. After it begins, each passing hour increases the risk of death by 4% to 9%, and an estimated 350,000 people die from the condition in the US each year.

Arthritis affects almost 60 million Americans

Arthritis refers to a range of conditions resulting in joint pain that currently affects nearly 60 million people in the United States alone. This resource from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explores the basics of arthritis and provides resources for understanding its near-universal impact on our population.

81% of Florida's leprosy cases occur in central Florida, raising concerns

Researchers noted in 2023 that about one-fifth of new US leprosy cases were reported in the central part of the Sunshine State. What's more, about a third of the new US cases overall appear to have been acquired locally, raising questions about whether the disease is now naturally occurring in parts of the southeastern US.

World health experts expect more than 240 million global cases of AMD in 2030

The World Health Organization estimated in 2019 that by 2020 there would be roughly 195.6 million cases of age-related macular degeneration and projected that the number would continue to grow. (Some users may experience a paywall.)

Hurricanes may kill 300 times more people than officially reported

A recent study suggests that, since 1930, more than 3.5 million people have died due to hurricanes. This incorporates the long-term effects of storms on people's health and economic well-being, contributing to thousands of premature deaths each year.

11 people died from firework injuries in the US in 2024.

College football generates over $11B annually—but many programs run at a loss

Despite total revenues surpassing $11.5B in 2024, college football’s high operating costs—$14.5B in the same year—mean only a handful of top programs turn large profits, while most run at a loss.

Oktoberfest generates over $1B every year

As one of the largest festivals in the world, Oktoberfest is an economic mainstay for Munich. Analysts estimate the annual beer fest contributes at least $1.4B in revenue to the city alone, accounting for roughly 2% of the city's gross domestic product.

There were roughly 17 Black Friday-related deaths and 125 injuries between 2006 and 2021

A website called Black Friday Death Count or “BFDC” scrapes news headlines for Black Friday-related deaths and injuries reported around the world. It includes the overall count of Black-Friday related deaths, as well as the context for each of them.

About 2,000 US babies are born annually without some portion of their limbs, potentially leading to a lifetime of pricey prosthetics.

Organ transplants can come with a price tag of more than $2M without insurance

According to 2025 report data that was graphically represented by Statista, average costs for organ transplants can be as steep as $2.3M for a double lung transplant and $1.9M for a heart. These figures are based on what was actually charged to insurance companies—not what individual patients paid. Following the actual transplant there are also additional costs associated with the procedure, including lifelong immunosuppressant drugs.

Between 10 million and 50 million people in the US develop rashes from poison ivy, poison sumac, and poison oak each year.

The use of fungi to detoxify land and water—a process known as mycoremediation—has been used to clean up natural resources affected by the 2025 California wildfires.

US consumers collectively owe more than $1T to credit card companies—almost as much as they owe in auto loans.

Calculate how much of your tax dollars go to each federal program based on your income, filing status, and number of children

Fear or disgust related to clusters of holes and cracks, called trypophobia, may stem from evolutionary processes to help us avoid pathogens.

Human-to-human transmission of hantavirus remains extremely rare, so the 2026 hantavirus cruise ship outbreak doesn't mean we're facing a COVID-style pandemic risk.

Volcanic activity may have triggered the Black Death by spewing gases that led to crop failures in Europe, thus forcing the import of grain ships with plague-infested fleas.

Watch what the Ebola virus does inside our cells and organs in order to spread and survive.

Hookworm infection, though risky, may help fight certain autoimmune conditions by tamping down the immune system's inflammatory response.

In 2019, a laptop loaded with six of the worst malware in history and described as 'an exhibit of historical weaponry' sold for $1.3M.

Discover the catastrophic consequences of a failure of the US electrical grid—something that is more likely than many Americans think.

Louisiana's 'Cancer Alley' is infamous for having some of the highest industrial pollution, toxic air emissions, and cancer risks in the US.

Alzheimer's can lead to brain shrinkage, with an average of around 2% of volume reduction per year

Before the current East Wing ballroom project, only two White House renovations in the past 100 years cost more than $10M.

In 2026, Finland was named the world's happiest country for the ninth consecutive year based on its wealth, social safety network, and high life expectancy, among other factors.

Bone marrow (soft tissue found inside certain bones) generates roughly 500 billion new blood cells each day

At the beginning of the 20th century, a group of young men ate standard American food—replete with food additives like borax and formaldehyde—as part of government research to better understand food safety.

Hedge funds, the private investment firms that trade a wide swath of financial assets, make money by imposing steep fees on investors and from the fund's investment performance.

Coral reefs get their colors from zooxanthellae—microorganisms that line corals' digestive tracts and provide them with sugars in exchange for a home within this protective tissue.

US intelligence allegedly pursued more than 600 schemes to assassinate Cuban revolutionary Fidel Castro.

Explore fun facts from the USPS, including unique post office buildings, a stamp that traveled past Pluto, and more.

Take a 3D tour of the Hajj, Islam's annual pilgrimage to Mecca, undertaken by more than 1.5 million Muslims each year.

Studies suggest when you sleep is as important as how much you get, and syncing with your circadian rhythms may lead to less fatigue and improved long-term health outcomes