Traumatic brain injury is a leading cause of brain death—and TBIs are trending up

America's top causes of death are heart disease, cancer, accidents, and stroke

Heart disease killed more than 680,000 people in 2023 and cancer killed around 613,000 people that year. Both causes of death are far above the next leading cause of death—accidents, which numbered around 223,000. Provisional data for 2024 indicates the leading causes of death remained the same.

Repeated head injuries, which may occur in collision sports at the youth, amateur, and professional levels, can lead to CTE and early dementia.

Brain death is very rare—only 2% of hospital patients have brain death in the US

A peer-reviewed analysis examining US hospital billing code data from 2012 to 2016 concluded that the incidence of brain death is about 2% in the country. There was no available information indicating what proportion of those patients underwent organ donation.

Brain death is a uniquely modern problem stemming from modern ventilators.

Heat-related deaths may have climbed by more than 50% over 20 years

Between 2000 and 2009 one study suggests annual heat deaths averaged around 2,670, but between 2010 and 2020 that figure was likely more than 4,000. Researchers studied 54 million death records from the contiguous US and created mathematical models to arrive at these figures, noting that a combination of aging populations and climate change drove that increase.

Trauma-related amputations are primarily from falls, then car accidents and related traumas, followed by mechanical forces according to analysis based on global burden of disease data in 2017.

Brain death is a top source of organ donation

Brain death is a significant source of organ donations—approximately 40% of organs in the US and the UK are recovered from people who experience brain death. Patients declared brain dead and hooked up to intensive care unit machines will still have oxygen flowing to organs like the heart, lungs, and kidneys—preserving those organs.

Brain death is a top source of organ donation

Brain death is a significant source of organ donations because patients declared brain dead and hooked up to intensive care unit machines will still have oxygen flowing to organs like the heart, lungs, and kidneys—preserving those organs.

Murder rates spiked in the US after COVID-19, and then declined in 2023

Criminologist and former investigator Jillian Peterson says whether a murder is solved in the US is nearly up to the flip of a coin, with the clearance rate for murder cases being about 50%. The US, which has more guns than citizens, has about roughly five gun homicides per 100,000 residents, resulting in the 28th-highest rate of deaths from gun violence compared to the rest of the world.

Heatstroke deaths may be massively undercounted—perhaps by a factor of 10

One often-cited average estimate of annual American heat deaths—roughly 1,200 per year—is based on death certificate data, but it may be a significant undercount because heat kills through cardiovascular, kidney, and respiratory causes that are more likely to be cited on those documents. (Separate analysis that looked at data from 1999 to 2023 found that the highest number, in 2023, was 2325.)

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.

Someone suffers from a stroke every 40 seconds

Every 40 seconds, someone in the US experiences a stroke—and every minute without treatment destroys millions of brain cells. This explainer breaks down the two main types of strokes, their risk factors, and how early detection could change outcomes in the future.

Visualizing cause of death over time in America

As people age, their life expectancy decreases, but the timing and speed of this decline have evolved over the years. Check out this chart which shows the shift in various causes of death of Americans over the last few decades. Data from the...

CTE is a major threat to NFL players

A week before Super Bowl LVII, Boston University released findings from a study diagnosing 91.7% of former NFL players in their 376-person study with chronic traumatic encephalopathy. It was a stark comparison to the less than 1% of CTE diagnosis in non-football players.

An estimated 2 million brain cells die each minute a stroke goes untreated

Modern stroke treatment is a delicate balance between obtaining an accurate diagnosis and delivering treatment quickly. Each stroke has its own cause, and the appropriate treatment must be paired with the correct diagnosis to prevent further harm. Typical treatments pair emergency surgery to relieve the affected area and long-term regimens to avoid recurrence.

Explore the gap in what Americans die from versus news coverage on death causes

Top killers like heart disease, stroke, and liver disease, though they represent a significant burden nationally, are not often extensively covered in the media.

11 people died from firework injuries in the US in 2024, with most of those deaths involving misuse of the explosives and device malfunctions or misfires.

Heat is the leading cause of death in natural disasters

Floods are a distant second, followed by hurricanes. That's according to data reported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is suddenly interrupted, either by a blockage (ischemic stroke) or bleeding when a blood vessel in the brain breaks and bleeds (hemorrhagic stroke).

Brain death is a medical diagnosis without any wiggle room

Seeking to resolve long-standing variations between hospitals and state procedures, in 2023 several expert groups published comprehensive step-by-step guidance for clinicians to follow when determining brain death in kids and adults. Among other guidelines, it stated that doctors don't need to get family consent to do the tests needed to make this determination.

Rabies kills more than 50,000 worldwide each year

Rabies transmission to humans typically comes from an infected animal, and death was very common before recent protocols were developed (post-exposure prophylaxis). The virus is neurotropic, which means it has an affinity for nerve tissue, and moves quickly from broadly infecting the body to destroying the brain.

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.

Infographics explaining global terrorism trends

Our World in Data’s terrorism page details global trends in terrorism. Through interactive infographics, the site shows how the number of terrorist acts varies around the world and how it has changed over time. Sections investigate common definitions of terrorism, trends in global terrorism deaths, and the global distribution of terrorism. Additional segments highlight airline hijackings, public opinion, and media coverage of terrorism. Explore this website for an array of infographics on terrorism.

Most life insurance policies cover death by natural causes or accidents

However, some other causes aren’t always covered. Suicide in the first two years of coverage, high-risk activities or jobs, and war or terrorism aren’t typically covered by life insurance, for instance. However, some added benefits (or “riders”) can account for some of these situations.

Hemorrhagic strokes make up roughly 13% of stroke events

A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a faulty blood vessel within the brain bleeds. Though this is less common than an ischemic stroke, it is often far more deadly. This in-depth resource from the American Stroke Association provides a comprehensive overview of the two main subtypes of hemorrhagic stroke along with a useful animation of the condition.

Can brain scans help with processing trauma?

MRIs and brain monitoring therapies are becoming increasingly popular for those looking to process trauma and address mental health conditions, including PTSD and depression. This article details how these therapies quantify mental health, giving users another way to measure and manage their mental and emotional needs through brain mapping and other methods.

See the data comparing healthcare worker violence with other industries pre-pandemic

Nonfatal workplace violence against healthcare workers steadily climbed each year even before the pandemic. Healthcare workers comprised 73% of all nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses due to violence in 2018. The violence was highest among psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals.

Between 2006 and 2021, 444 people died from lightning strikes in the US

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that the odds of being struck by lightning in one's lifetime are one in 18,864. Participation in outdoor activities during the summer months in Florida, Texas, and Colorado increases one's risk of exposure.

9/11 first responders still deal with significant mental and physical impairments.

Trauma is a primary risk factor for substance use disorder later in life

Studies indicate 75% of people with substance use disorder have experienced at least one traumatic experience in their life. These experiences alter brain function, leading to heightened stress and emotional pain. Substances offer temporary relief, but this often results in dependency.

Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne illness in the US

In the US, ticks account for 90% of all disease transmission from bites, including mosquitoes. And Lyme disease is the most common vector-borne disease in the US overall, with estimates suggesting there are about 475,000 Lyme cases annually across the nation.

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.

A brain scientist's experience with a stroke

What happens when a leading brain scientist has a stroke of her own? Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor recounts moment by moment watching her brain function slow and then cease, followed by a prolonged recovery. Through this experience, she details what she learned about the phenomenon of stroke and how it has impacted her research ever since.

Fireworks-related ER visits in 2024 increased by 52% as compared to the prior year.

Motocross is the deadliest organized sport for US kids

At least 158 participants under the age of 20 have been killed on dirt bikes since 2000, roughly six on average per year (seven times the death rate of tackle football). Observers note risks come from mixing ages and lacking warning systems during crashes.

How Alzheimer's disease becomes fatal

Despite more than 100,000 people with Alzheimer's dying each year, the specific cause of death is not the disease itself. Often, secondary diseases arise from complications with the disease, including pneumonia, severe falls, malnutrition, or infection. Read more about the range of complications caused by Alzheimer's here.

Vector-borne diseases kill more than 700,000 people globally each year—and are growing

The diseases with the greatest potential to spread widely aren't the ones that quickly kill human hosts. Instead, the best hosts or reservoirs for vector-borne diseases would be chronically ill over the long term, increasing the likelihood that the pathogen could be transmitted to others.

Indigenous women are murdered at 10 times the rate of all other ethnicities in the US

Murder is the third-leading cause of death among Indigenous women, who are also 2.5 times more likely to experience violence than any other group. More than 4 in 5 Indigenous women have experienced violence in their lifetime.

Medical recognition of strokes stretches back to ancient Greece

Every minute, 750 milliliters of blood flows to the brain, supplying 20% of the body’s oxygen. A sudden disruption—whether from a clot (ischemic stroke) or a bleed (hemorrhagic stroke)—can be life-threatening. From ancient Greek theories to modern CT and MRI scans, here’s how stroke science has evolved over time.

Veterans reported single dose of ibogaine improved TBI, PTSD, anxiety, and depression

Research published in 2024 on the Central African plant-derived drug included 30 male combat vets who received ibogaine treatment in Mexico. It reported significant reductions in multiple mental health conditions and no serious side effects. Other work, however, has shown the substance can cause fatal cardiac arrhythmias, killing at least 19 people between 1990 and 2008. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Most Americans are now dying at home, reversing 20th century trends

For most of the 21st and 20th centuries most Americans died in hospital settings. But in 2016, home-based deaths overtook hospitals; most Americans are now dying at home, likely fueled by individual preferences to die at home or to receive at-home palliative care.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman rejects ties between CTE and playing hockey.

Some dementia cases may be linked to treatable microorganism infections in the brain.

Being struck by lightning has a mortality rate of about 10%

Near-immediate deaths are the result of electrical disruptions in the heart and nervous system, causing cardiac arrest, but severe skin burns, temporary paralysis, and blown eardrums are more common. About 74% of survivors are left with a long-term disability, which includes brain damage and changes in memory and mood.

From 1610 BCE to 2025 CE, at least 250 of the over 3,000 confirmed tsunamis were deadly, and the 2004 Indonesia tsunami was the deadliest, with over 227,000 casualties.

Each day, about 60 US pregnancies end in stillbirth

This online memorial for families who experienced the unexpected death of a fetus 20 weeks or older is the result of ProPublica reporters inviting 60 families to share their baby's name and answer some questions about their unfulfilled wishes for their children. About 21,000 babies are stillborn in the US annually. About the same number of children die in the US during their first year of life.

Heart attack risk jumps to 21 times its norm on the day of a loved one's death

Research published in 2012 suggests that the intense emotional burden of suffering a loved one's death can escalate heart rate, blood pressure, and clot risks—culminating in elevated heart attack risk. The increased heart attack risk remains after that first day, remaining eight times above normal during the first week, and then dropping down over the course of a month. (Some users may encounter a paywall.)

Visualizing the year in US tornadoes, 2024

Between January and November 2024, over 1,700 tornadoes were documented to have touched down in the US, a relatively high number (and similar to the numbers in 2004, 2008, and 2011). This map shows their location across the country to help capture the number.

Alzheimer's disease is the leading cause of dementia and risks rise after age 65

Read this primer about Alzheimer's disease and learn what factors increase the risk of this form of dementia, including genetics, being a woman, and health conditions, including high blood pressure.

A graphic illustration of death tolls in historical events and wars

Which killed more, the American Civil War or the Korean War? Hurricane Katrina or the Titanic sinking? You’ll be surprised how wrong you are about death tolls.