A roundup of new and noteworthy insights from the week’s most talked-about studies:
1 WORKING LESS MIGHT MAKE YOU MORE PRODUCTIVE
An analysis of worldwide gross domestic products from consulting firm Expert Market reveals that seven of the countries with the highest GDP per capita–including Norway, Switzerland and Germany–are also among the 10 countries with the fewest hours worked.
2 SOCIAL MEDIA ISN’T REALLY THAT SOCIAL
The Brief Newsletter
One study published as part of a report in the journal New Media & Society found that users spend only 3.5% of their time on social media interacting with others by commenting or chatting; the rest is spent browsing.
3 U.S. WOMEN ARE HAVING FEWER BABIES THAN EVER
New CDC data reveals that fewer than 60 babies were born per 1,000 women ages 15 to 44 during the first quarter of this year, a record low. Factors in the decline likely include the prevalence of birth control, women delaying birth by choice and people not feeling financially stable enough to have children.
–J.Z.
This appears in the August 29, 2016 issue of TIME.
