Notations From the Grid (Mid-Week Edition): On Our World

5 MOST POPULAR REPORTS OF 2020 (SO FAR) This year has been a data whirlwind. With 2020 already halfway over, we wanted to take a look back at some of the most popular USAFacts content from this year. From COVID-19 to the environment, it's just a sampling of what's available at USAFacts.org. COVID-19 Map It's no surprise that the most popular feature on USAFacts.org this year is the coronavirus map. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and average Americans alike use this map to understand the spread of COVID-19 throughout the nation. The map has just been updated with the ability to dive deeper into state cases and engage with the data on a county level. If you haven't checked it out yet, now is the perfect time. State of the Earth To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Earth Day this April, USAFacts analyzed metrics from government agencies responsible for measuring the nation’s air, land usage, and energy production. This data portrait touches on environmental numbers from 2019 back to 1895. See the data on National Parks, climate, and air quality and make your judgments.  Causes of Death in the US Released in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, this report analyzed the top causes of death for Americans in an array of demographic groups. Trace deaths from heart disease and cancer—two of the biggest causes of death in the US—over time. Metrics on flu, pneumonia, liver disease, and drug deaths are also available, including the locations in the US where they're most pervasive.   Small Business Loans Readers were also interested in which businesses received government assistance during the pandemic. We have the data on the states that received the majority of the loans from the Paycheck Protection Program put in place by the CARES Act. The original $350 billion allotted for the program went quickly; according to the Small Business Administration, the agency processed more than 14 years’ worth of loans in less than 14 days.   State of the Union Ahead of the president’s State of the Union, USAFacts released the State of the Union in Numbers, a data-driven, nonpartisan snapshot of the nation. This feature includes topics typically covered in State of the Union addresses, including compelling facts on the economy, education, infrastructure, and the American standard of living. How many people are coming to the US, and who are they?​ How well is the government educating the population?​ Are Americans getting healthier? Interact with the data to get the answers to questions like these and many more.