Simon Kuestenmacher

I’m also sharing the same content I’m sharing here on X on Facebook where I operate as “Simon shows you maps”: facebook.com/share/1AXePrrr…

The US Congress gets older and older. Column of mine on the rise of young politicians: thenewdaily.com.au/opinion/2026/0… Graph source: reddit.com/r/dataisbeauti…

Chinese green-tech businesses love Trump's Iran War as it turned slowing demand for their products into record demand. Looks like Trump is an accidental greenie. Source: as.ft.com/r/f15c2c58-d49…

In this week’s episode of Demographics Decoded @michaelyardney and I unpack the outsized role Baby Boomers have played in shaping modern Australia and why their influence will continue. Born into post-war optimism, Boomers built suburbia, dominated the workforce, and accumulated unprecedented wealth (particularly through property). Now, as they transition into retirement, they are redefining what that phase of life looks like while sitting at the centre of a massive intergenerational wealth transfer worth trillions. We explore how this generation’s success is still shaping today’s housing market, from downsizing bottlenecks to the growing importance of the “bank of mum and dad,” and what that means for younger Australians looking for housing. At the same time, an ageing population is putting pressure on healthcare and aged care, the workforce, and government budgets. There is no shortage of both risks and opportunities. This episode is ultimately about legacy. What Boomers built continues to define Australia’s economy, culture, and inequality. Understanding their journey is essential if you want to make sense of where the country is heading next. Listen here: lnkd.in/geJwWhUy

This map shows the population by continent between 1500 and 1600. What happened in the Americas between 1500 and 1600 is wild! There was no shortage of epidemic diseases the Europeans introduced to a helpless indigenous population: smallpox, measles, influenza, typhus, bubonic plague, and diphtheria. Source: brilliantmaps.com/pop-change-150…

Only a small range of countries ever won the FIFA World Cup. One of the most decorated countries isn’t even competing this year.

The press is still pretty free in most of Europe. Europe’s press remains a quiet strength: diverse, independent, and largely free to challenge power. In a world where media freedom is under pressure, that’s not something to take for granted.

From the outside, there are indeed funny aspects to Brexit. The fact that migration went heaps up is certainly the funniest bit.

Fatal workplace accidents per 100,000 workers. Working in Germany is outrageously safe. Work in Türkiye isn't.

If you like horses, Mongolia remains the place to be!

Different times. In the US, women 40+ now have a higher birth rate than teenaged women. Source:

@RetreatF0rward They were mighty close three times (1974, 1978, and 2010) when they lost the World Cup finals...

@simongerman600 Wild that the Netherlands has never won because they're quite good at football.

Does anyone in the dark blue nations think they don't below to the "Western Sphere". The term is meant culturally not geographically obviously... HT @worldinmaps

In the US neither of these three sports are front of center. Still a funny visual.

A century ago, Nobel Peace Laureates were the oldest winners of the famous prize. Now, they're the youngest Nobel Laureates. Here is the full dataset of Nobel Prize Laureates (1901–2025): tablepage.ai data.tablepage.ai/d/nobel-prize-…

Niche joke only for Seinfeld fans: Which US states allow ASSMAN as a license plate? Source: reddit.com/r/seinfeld/com…

Sometimes a well-meaning tax code turns out to be utterly idiotic. The UK is a nice example where parents in need of childcare are actively encouraged to not earn more money / remain below their economic potential. Urgent need for tax reform. Source: telegraph.co.uk/money/tax/inco…