Data Vis Dispatch, October 14: Addiction, animals, and canopies

Welcome back to the 214th edition of Data Vis Dispatch! Every week, we’ll be publishing a collection of the best small and large data visualizations we find, especially from news organizations — to celebrate data journalism, data visualization, simple charts, elaborate maps, and their creators.

Recurring topics this week include addictive behaviors, animals, and the canopies of trees.

We're diving into this edition with a look into healthcare: from the global decline of out-of-pocket health spending to the probability of a cesarean rate per hospital in Spain.

ONE Data: <a href="https://data.one.org/analysis/out-of-pocket-health-burden"><strong>Out-of-pocket health burden remains high</strong></a>, October 9 — ONE Data: **Out-of-pocket health burden remains high**, October 9

The New York Times: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/11/us/politics/obamacare-aca-enrollment-state-map.html"><strong>Most Americans Who Rely on Obamacare Live in Republican Areas</strong></a>, October 11 — The New York Times: **Most Americans Who Rely on Obamacare Live in Republican Areas**, October 11

elDiario.es: <a href="https://www.eldiario.es/sociedad/dar-luz-hospital-privado-aumenta-52-probabilidad-cesarea_1_12609634.html"><strong>Dar a luz en un hospital privado aumenta un 52% la probabilidad de tener una cesárea</strong></a> [<em>Chart title: The cesarean rate in each hospital in Spain</em>], October 13 — elDiario.es: **Dar a luz en un hospital privado aumenta un 52% la probabilidad de tener una cesárea** [*Chart title: The cesarean rate in each hospital in Spain*], October 13

Addiction is prevalent in many areas. Some people can't stop scrolling, some can't stop gambling, and some have serious drug problems.

The Washington Post: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/wellness/interactive/2025/tiktok-addiction-algorithm-scrolling-mental-health/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzU5ODA5NjAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzYxMTkxOTk5LCJpYXQiOjE3NTk4MDk2MDAsImp0aSI6ImYzYWIwNTJlLWIxMWUtNDdjNy05ODUzLWQyNmZhZGFkOWNlNyIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS93ZWxsbmVzcy9pbnRlcmFjdGl2ZS8yMDI1L3Rpa3Rvay1hZGRpY3Rpb24tYWxnb3JpdGhtLXNjcm9sbGluZy1tZW50YWwtaGVhbHRoLyJ9.ii8aMefINk_IQieTszOUQF5WhPbReI1Y_PDdQX0zUHw&itid=gfta"><strong>How TikTok keeps its users scrolling for hours a day</strong></a>, October 7 <span class="badge">Interesting storytelling</span> — The Washington Post: **How TikTok keeps its users scrolling for hours a day**, October 7 Interesting storytelling

The Washington Post: Americans can’t stop betting parlays. Sportsbooks are cashing in, October 9

The New York Times: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2025/10/09/world/americas/drug-trafficking-venezuela.html"><strong>Why Blowing Up Venezuelan Boats Won’t Stop the Flow of Drugs</strong></a>, October 9 — The New York Times: **Why Blowing Up Venezuelan Boats Won’t Stop the Flow of Drugs**, October 9

Once again, the enormous destruction that has occurred in the Gaza Strip over the past two years was mapped.

Bloomberg: With a Ceasefire Struck, Gazans Ask ‘Who Will Be in Charge’, October 10

El País: <a href="https://elpais.com/internacional/2025-10-12/miles-de-bombas-y-destruccion-visible-por-satelite-mapas-y-graficos-de-dos-anos-de-invasion-de-gaza.html"><strong>Miles de bombas y destrucción visible por satélite: mapas y gráficos de dos años de invasión de Gaza</strong></a><strong> </strong>[<em>Thousands of bombs and destruction visible by satellite: maps and charts of two years of Gaza invasion</em>], October 11 — El País: **Miles de bombas y destrucción visible por satélite: mapas y gráficos de dos años de invasión de Gaza** [*Thousands of bombs and destruction visible by satellite: maps and charts of two years of Gaza invasion*], October 11

elDiario.es: <a href="https://www.eldiario.es/internacional/mapa-israel-arrasado-gaza-carreteras-cosechas-ciudades-enteras-poblacion-destruida_1_12661826.html"><strong>El mapa de cómo Israel ha arrasado Gaza: carreteras, cosechas, ciudades enteras y una población destruida</strong></a> [<em>Chart title: The destruction in Gaza after two years of war from the sky</em>], October 7 — elDiario.es: **El mapa de cómo Israel ha arrasado Gaza: carreteras, cosechas, ciudades enteras y una población destruida** [*Chart title: The destruction in Gaza after two years of war from the sky*], October 7

China is a vast nation dealing with major demographic challenges, infrastructure projects, as well as the impacts of it own threats toward Taiwan.

The Washington Post: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2025/china-population-decline-worker-crisis/"><strong>China’s demographic crisis means it’s going to run out of workers</strong></a>, October 11 — The Washington Post: **China’s demographic crisis means it’s going to run out of workers**, October 11

The New York Times: <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/11/business/china-electric-grid.html"><strong>How China Powers Its Electric Cars and High-Speed Trains</strong></a><strong>,</strong> October 11 — The New York Times: **How China Powers Its Electric Cars and High-Speed Trains**, October 11

The Wall Street Journal: <a href="https://www.wsj.com/world/asia/chinese-blockade-taiwan-d5b241c7"><strong>How China Threatens to Force Taiwan Into a Total Blackout</strong></a>, October 7 — The Wall Street Journal: **How China Threatens to Force Taiwan Into a Total Blackout**, October 7

Accidents and railroad ownership drove the conversation about traffic this week.

Die Zeit: <a href="https://www.zeit.de/mobilitaet/2025-10/toedliche-fahrradunfaelle-2024-radfahrer-unfallbilanz-verkehrssicherheit"><strong>Ein lebloser Körper. Die Jacke seiner Frau erkennt er sofort</strong></a><strong> </strong>[<em>Chart title: Traffic fatalities by means of transport</em>], October 10 — Die Zeit: **Ein lebloser Körper. Die Jacke seiner Frau erkennt er sofort** [*Chart title: Traffic fatalities by means of transport*], October 10

The Guardian: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/ng-interactive/2025/oct/13/most-of-great-britains-major-rail-operators-are-back-in-public-hands-is-it-working"><strong>Most of Great Britain’s major rail operators are back in public hands – is it working?</strong></a>, October 13 — The Guardian: **Most of Great Britain’s major rail operators are back in public hands – is it working?**, October 13

What animals did we encounter this week? Some deer and birds in Spain, and rats in New York.

El Diario Vasco: <a href="https://www.diariovasco.com/gipuzkoa/ritual-sonoro-otono-20251012001629-nt.html?ref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.diariovasco.com%2Fgipuzkoa%2Fritual-sonoro-otono-20251012001629-nt.html"><strong>El ritual sonoro del otoño</strong></a><strong> </strong>[<em>Chart title: Where are deer found in the Basque Country?</em>], October 11 <span class="badge">audiovisual project</span> — El Diario Vasco: **El ritual sonoro del otoño** [*Chart title: Where are deer found in the Basque Country?*], October 11 audiovisual project

El Diario Sur: <a href="https://www.diariosur.es/malaga/mapa-sonoro-pajaros-malaga-provincia-20251009191628-nt.html"><strong>Así canta Málaga: el mapa sonoro de sus pájaros</strong></a> [<em>This is how Málaga sings: the sound map of its birds</em>], October 11 — El Diario Sur: **Así canta Málaga: el mapa sonoro de sus pájaros** [*This is how Málaga sings: the sound map of its birds*], October 11

The Economist: <a href="https://www.economist.com/united-states/2025/10/09/a-data-rich-look-at-new-yorks-battle-against-rats"><strong>A data-rich look at New York’s battle against rats</strong></a>, October 9 — The Economist: **A data-rich look at New York’s battle against rats**, October 9

Autumn has returned to the Northern hemisphere,bringing tree canopies back to the forefront of our attention (and visualization).

theeuropeancorrespondent: "Summer is over and autumn is upon us! While Europe may not feature the spectacular autumn landscapes of North America, it offers a smaller but more varied seasonal display. The timing of autumn senescence – the changing colour and fall of leaves – varies widely across the continent [...]," October 9 (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DPi7jmlkXNs/"><strong>Instagram post</strong></a>) — theeuropeancorrespondent: "Summer is over and autumn is upon us! While Europe may not feature the spectacular autumn landscapes of North America, it offers a smaller but more varied seasonal display. The timing of autumn senescence – the changing colour and fall of leaves – varies widely across the continent [...]," October 9 (**Instagram post**)

maps.com: <a href="https://www.maps.com/the-soaked-canopies-near-the-salish-sea/"><strong>The Soaked Canopies Near the Salish Sea</strong></a>, October 13 — maps.com: **The Soaked Canopies Near the Salish Sea**, October 13

Other interesting projects present thedevelopment of the price of gold, and a new urban taxonomy.

Tages-Anzeiger: Goldvreneli kostet über 600 Franken – so kam es zum neuen Goldrausch [Chart-title: Development of the gold price], October 12

Martin Fleischmann: "We have released a first version of the new classification we call Urban Taxonomy. Urban Taxonomy is a classification of built-up fabric. It divides cities into regions of consistent patterns of urban form (think about buildings and street layouts, compositions, and configurations) and connects them via a taxonomic tree. That, in turn, encodes how similar different regions are [...]", October 9 (<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/fleischmannmartin/recent-activity/all/"><strong>LinkedIn post</strong></a>, <a href="https://urbantaxonomy.org/"><strong>Urban Taxonomy website</strong></a>) — Martin Fleischmann: "We have released a first version of the new classification we call Urban Taxonomy. Urban Taxonomy is a classification of built-up fabric. It divides cities into regions of consistent patterns of urban form (think about buildings and street layouts, compositions, and configurations) and connects them via a taxonomic tree. That, in turn, encodes how similar different regions are [...]", October 9 (**LinkedIn post**, **Urban Taxonomy website**)

What else we found interesting

Ana Lucía González: "This dataviz love letter by Giorgia Lupi and @pentagramdesign.bsky.social using open data from NY transport and 'assigning behaviors, movements, and idiosyncrasies to each MTA train' has just brightened my day," October 10 (Bluesky post, Pentagram website) beautiful data project

The Washington Post: <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/interactive/2025/teen-slang-quiz-delulu/"><strong>Gen Z slang is everywhere. Do you understand it?</strong></a>, October 14 — The Washington Post: **Gen Z slang is everywhere. Do you understand it?**, October 14

Applications are open for…

A professor for product and spatial practices at University of Applied Sciences Potsdam

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Data Vis Dispatch, October 14: Addiction, animals, and canopies

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