Our World in Data

Features: Our World in Data provides a vast, open-access repository of interactive data visualizations and in-depth research articles. The platform features dynamic, browser-based charts that allow users to toggle variables, adjust timeframes, and compare global metrics across hundreds of countries. Its core strength lies in its ability to synthesize complex, long-term trends—ranging from poverty, health, and education to climate change and AI development—into clear, evidence-based narratives backed by rigorous methodology and source transparency.

History: Founded by economist Max Roser at the University of Oxford, the project originated from the goal of making empirical research on global development accessible to a wider public audience. It grew from a personal initiative into a collaborative research center within the Oxford Martin School. Today, it serves as a globally recognized, non-profit resource that curates and contextualizes data from international agencies, academic researchers, and scientific organizations to document how living conditions have changed over time.

Use cases: Educators use the platform to create evidence-based lesson plans on global issues, while journalists and policymakers rely on it to verify facts and visualize socio-economic progress. Researchers utilize the underlying datasets for cross-national comparative analysis, and curious individuals turn to the site to explore how humanity is addressing specific challenges, such as tracking the trajectory of AI capabilities, understanding the evolution of global energy consumption, or analyzing progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals.