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Age is the most significant factor affecting a woman’s fertility — but there are a few ways to tilt the scales in her favor.

The Race To Build The World's Tallest Skyscraper

In 1909, New York’s Metropolitan Life Tower became the tallest building in the world at 700 feet. Just over a century later, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa reached 2,717 feet, nearly four times taller.

This timeline, via Visual Capitalist's Gabriel Cohen, shows every building to hold the title of world’s tallest since 1909, using the most recent data available from the Council on Vertical Urbanism (CVU).

Per CVU methodology, buildings must include floors, excluding structures such as Toronto’s CN Tower and the Stratosphere in Las Vegas. Heights are measured to the architectural top, including spires but excluding detachable antennae, flagpoles, or signs.

New York’s Skyscraper Boom

For most of the 20th century, the U.S. housed the world’s tallest building. New York in particular held the crown, with the Big Apple producing back-to-back skyscraper marvels from 1909 to 1972.

The Metropolitan Life Tower, constructed in New York’s Flatiron District, topped out at 700 feet in 1909. Within a few years, it would be surpassed by Tribeca’s Woolworth Building (792 feet), which itself lost the title by the late 1920s with the arrival of the Art Deco icon known as the Chrysler Building (1,046 feet).

The table below lists the world’s tallest buildings between 1909 and 2026.

The Chrysler Building, found in East Midtown, opened in 1930 as the world’s first supertall skyscraper. At the time, developers were racing to build the world’s tallest building, and the Chrysler Building famously beat rival 40 Wall Street by secretly assembling a 125-foot spire inside the tower before raising it into place after 40 Wall Street was completed.

The Chrysler Building’s victory was short-lived. In 1931, the Empire State Building (1,250 feet) opened and promptly became the world’s tallest building by a significant margin. However, Depression-era economic slowdowns caused abysmal tenancy rates in the new supertall skyscraper, which was popularly derided as the “Empty State Building” in the mid-1930s.

The Twin Towers and Chicago’s Resurgence

The Empire State Building maintained its position until the completion of the Twin Towers in New York’s Financial District in 1972. At that time, One World Trade Center, commonly known as the North Tower, took the title at over 1,368 feet, standing a few feet taller than its South Tower counterpart. The two towers would eventually be destroyed in the September 11 attacks of 2001.

Chicago, the birthplace of the modern skyscraper, reemerged as a dominant player in tall buildings with the 1974 opening of the Sears Tower (1,451 feet), named for the retailer headquartered there. The building held the title of world’s tallest for nearly a quarter-century, although it was renamed in the 2000s after British insurance broker Willis Group Holdings.

In the late 1990s, the Petronas Towers opened in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur at 1,483 feet, marking the first time in decades that the world’s tallest building was not located in the United States. Similar to the Chrysler Building nearly 70 years earlier, the Petronas Towers’ spires made the difference, much to Chicagoans’ dismay.

How Asia Took Over the Skyscraper Race

Since the Petronas Towers, the world’s tallest building has remained in Asia, albeit in different regions. TAIPEI 101, in the Taiwanese capital, held the title following its completion in 2004 at 1,667 feet. A few years later, Dubai’s Burj Khalifa opened at a staggering 2,717 feet tall.

The Burj Khalifa is over 60% taller than TAIPEI 101 and nearly four times taller than the Metropolitan Life Tower, which opened a century earlier. Its long reign as the world’s tallest building could come to an end in the coming years, however, as another Middle Eastern tower nears completion in nearby Saudi Arabia.

The Jeddah Tower, which will be the world’s first building to surpass one kilometer in height, is projected to open as early as 2028. Construction began in 2013 but has been plagued by delays and pauses, only passing the 100th floor as of April 2026. When completed, this megatall skyscraper is expected to stand at 3,300 feet, making it over 500 feet taller than the Burj Khalifa.

Where are the world’s tallest buildings concentrated today? Find out with The World’s Tallest Buildings in 2024 on Voronoi.

Tyler Durden Mon, 05/25/2026 - 05:45

A Collapsing Europe Shows Where Democrat Policies Will Take America

Authored by Andrew Widburg via AmericanThinker.com,

Immediately before WWII, the biggest threat to Europe was Soviet socialism.

During WWII, the biggest threat was the open socialism (in the form of fascism) in Germany and Italy.

After WWII, during the Cold War, the biggest threat, once again, was Soviet socialism. Nevertheless, the post-war Europeans embraced socialism and touted its success, never realizing that it worked only because the U.S. paid their defense costs and absorbed the costs of wars around the world.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, and America’s defense spending waned, the true costs of socialism began to be clear: The economies became sluggish; the birthrates collapsed, necessitating importing third world, usually Muslim, labor; the social services started imploding, especially because those same third worlders drained the systems, despite never having contributed to them; soft on crime policies destroyed civilized society; and the brain rot of socialism saw Europe embrace the madcap, self-destructive idea of Net Zero carbon output, which has seen Europe retreat from the modern world into a cold, dark, pre-modern time.

All of this is what today’s Marxist Democrats want for America.

Democrats have always revered Europe. For decades, they’ve made nasty jokes about “flyover country,” referring to those parts of America that haven’t embraced European sophistication as parochial hicks. Obama summed it up with his “bitter clingers” remark, Hillary called the same people “a basket of deplorables,” and Joe Biden routinely berated Trump voters as dangerous idiots (a compliment the same voters would have returned to Biden himself).

When Democrats talk about socializing medicine, they point to Europe, a place where the cost of medical care is diffused through the tax base. England, with its National Healthcare System, shows that socialized medicine really isn’t what the Democrats think it is. In England, the patients get killed, the government endlessly debates ending medical care for old people, wait times are endless, and the patients and staff (see here, too) are at the mercy of government-mandated political correctness.

Overall, outcomes are not good. And as Canada shows, because the system has no innovation and no wealth incentives, euthanasia becomes not just one of many options, but a preferred option.

Democrats also look to Europe for its (in their view) admirable climate policies. But most of all, they love Europe’s open-border policies. Since 2015, Europe (including the UK) has thrown open its borders to the world’s Muslims.

        View this post on Instagram                      

A post shared by Visegrád24 (@visegrad.24)

That chart, by the way, is accurate. I checked. Also, those immigrants are expensive, costing Germans around 40-50 billion Euros (around $45-57 billion) annually. The German economy is about 80-85 percent smaller than America’s.

In Belgium, “Great Replacement fears in Belgium: 56% of Flemings are afraid they are being slowly replaced by foreigners.” Considering that almost 73% of people under 18 in Belgium have immigrant backgrounds, I’d say the Flemings are correct. In one generation, Belgium will be a Muslim country.

Data show that Muslim immigration dramatically increases crime in once-low-crime European nations:

Denmark is one of the rare European countries to publish crime data by country of origin.

Somalis top the list when it comes to rapes, fraud, forgeries and grievous assaults.

Palestinians lead in burglaries, blackmail and theft.

Data: Statistics Denmark (STRAFNA4, FOLK1C),… pic.twitter.com/AJ91a2eL5p

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 23, 2026

The immigrants that commit the most crime are also the costliest for the taxpayers. pic.twitter.com/9RXuA4ELkk

— Jonatan Pallesen (@jonatanpallesen) May 23, 2026

If you want to see some of those criminal behaviors in action, there are a bazillion videos such as these available on X, everything from violent crime to revolting food hygiene:

Denmark is one of the rare European countries to publish crime data by country of origin.

Somalis top the list when it comes to rapes, fraud, forgeries and grievous assaults.

Palestinians lead in burglaries, blackmail and theft.

Data: Statistics Denmark (STRAFNA4, FOLK1C),… pic.twitter.com/AJ91a2eL5p

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 23, 2026

The immigrants that commit the most crime are also the costliest for the taxpayers. pic.twitter.com/9RXuA4ELkk

— Jonatan Pallesen (@jonatanpallesen) May 23, 2026

If you want to see some of those criminal behaviors in action, there are a bazillion videos such as these available on X, everything from violent crime to revolting food hygiene:

Italy 🇮🇹:
Nigerian migrant Omo Robert was expelled from Malta after being caught sexually abusing a female horse.

Where did he go? Straight to Italy, of course, welcomed as a guest by Caritas while waiting for asylum.

There, he stormed into a shop armed with a hammer and,… pic.twitter.com/F5NM9h46kC

— Francesco 🇮🇹 (@SaP011) May 23, 2026

He served only a year in prison in France. Today he is a free man awaiting his next crime. pic.twitter.com/1LfGxNpw2o

— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) May 24, 2026

London is scary. pic.twitter.com/JF7FqcoMCm

— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) May 24, 2026

Halal food delivery. Zero hygiene. https://t.co/9u1w5qPH2r pic.twitter.com/b7DhHLPoII

— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) May 24, 2026

Asylum seekers in Germany beat a German boy who is forced to kneel. Merkel will be happy and proud of this. https://t.co/6lKhRfSCpC pic.twitter.com/n3KxG9Vm32

— RadioGenoa (@RadioGenoa) May 23, 2026

Meanwhile, in the UK, PM Starmer’s government has proudly announced that net migration decreased by 171,000 last year, besting the so-called “Conservatives”:

Net migration down 82%.

Net migration is now at 171,000, down from a high of 944,000 under the Conservatives.

This Government is restoring order and control to our borders. pic.twitter.com/ERo3QujQMD

— Shabana Mahmood MP (@ShabanaMahmood) May 21, 2026

That’s nice, except for what that boast doesn’t say:

In the year ending December 2025, the total number of people immigrating to Britain stood at 813,000. For comparison, this figure is around two-thirds of the population of the U.K.’s second-largest city, Birmingham.

That figure comprises 110,000 British nationals returning to the U.K., and 76,000 EU citizens. By far the largest contingent of immigrants was from non-EU countries, accounting for 627,000 arrivals.

The 171,000 figure is also largely offset by emigration — nearly a quarter of a million (246,000) British nationals left the country, while 118,000 EU nationals and 278,000 non-EU nationals also packed their bags.

Total emigration of 642,000 was marginally down on the 680,000 recorded the previous year.

So, while the headline figure looks impressive, that is still a considerable decline in British nationals — down a net figure of 136,000 — effectively being replaced by largely non-EU immigrants. A total of 138,000 Indians, 56,000 Pakistanis, 54,000 Chinese, and 47,000 Nigerian nationals arrived.

There’s one other quality-of-life problem with third-world, mostly-Muslim immigration, which is that doctors who arrive from Muslim-majority countries and are hired in their socialized medicine systems have problems adapting—and the patients suffer. In Britain, Muslims are over-represented as doctors relative to their numbers in the greater population, and there are problems as a result, especially around hygiene, males treating females and vice versa, moving beds to face Mecca, and all sorts of other things (and that’s an old report, before the energy really got behind accommodating Islam).

And of course, it’s not just in the UK; it’s everywhere:

The Perils of Foreign, Especially Muslim, Doctors in Europe
by Hugh Fitzgerald

In Germany, there is a shortage of doctors, and an influx of foreign doctors has not solved that problem but instead, has led to poorly trained doctors harming, and in some cases, killing, their… pic.twitter.com/H828BfnnT8

— Robert Spencer (@jihadwatchRS) May 21, 2026

Here’s another example of the products of medical schools in the Muslim world.

My question for you is, do you want America to go down this road? If yes, vote Democrat. If no, even if you’re feeling piqued about this or that thing that Donald Trump has done, you’d still better vote MAGA.

Tyler Durden Mon, 05/25/2026 - 05:10

China launched the Shenzhou 23 spacecraft Sunday night with three astronauts heading to its space station, including one set to stay in space for a year.

70% Of All Crypto 'Wrench Attacks' Happen In France: Report

About 70% of all wrench attacks, physical attacks against crypto holders and their families, carried out in an attempt to steal digital assets, occur in France, according to Bitcoin journalist Joe Nakamoto. 

There have been 41 crypto-related kidnappings in France so far in 2026, Nakamoto said, or about one attack every two and a half days, he added. 

As CoinTelegraph's Vince Quill reports, Nakamoto attributed the rise in wrench attacks to know-your-customer data collection, which is stored in centralized servers that were compromised in several high-profile data leaks, including the 2020 leak of hardware wallet provider Ledger’s customer data.

That data leak disclosed the identities, home addresses and emails of more than 270,000 customers worldwide, he added. Jameson Lopp, the CEO of crypto wallet and key management company Casa, said:

“France is the canary in the coal mine, demonstrating how financial regulations create a surveillance apparatus that causes direct harm to bitcoin holders.”

An overview of wrench attacks in France so far in 2026. Source: Joe Nakamoto

Opposition to know-your-customer data collection is mounting inside the crypto and Bitcoin communities, as digital asset holders continue to be targeted with physical attacks and kidnappings, prompting a need for increased security measures.

Don’t become a target: Bitcoiners offer advice to safeguard against attacks

The attacks are typically orchestrated by criminals living abroad, who contract young people living in France to carry out the physical attacks, Nakamoto said.

Users can stay safe by using crypto custody services that offer security features like a pre-agreed-upon word or phrase that lets a custodial or key management company know the holder is being actively attacked.

A database of known wrench attacks. Source: GitHub

The company can then freeze the assets, making sure they are not accessed by the attackers, and can even alert law enforcement authorities, he said.

He also suggested keeping a “decoy” crypto wallet with a small amount of funds to hand over to criminals in the event of an attack. 

Finally, crypto holders should keep a low profile and not discuss crypto topics online or make it public knowledge that they hold digital assets, he added.

At least 88 individuals have been arrested in connection with crypto wrench attacks in France, according to Vanessa Perrée, the country’s national prosecutor for organized crime.

Tyler Durden Mon, 05/25/2026 - 04:35

Explosives-laden vehicle reportedly detonated alongside railway line as train carrying 300 military personnel passed through.

"The World Is Losing Trust": Foreign Investment In Germany Plunges To Lowest Level Since 2009

Authored by Thomas Brooke via Remix News,

Foreign companies are continuing to shy away from investing in Germany, with the number of new projects falling last year to its lowest level since 2009, representing an eighth consecutive annual decline.

An analysis by the auditing and consulting firm EY, reported by the German Press Agency, found that foreign investors announced 548 new projects in Germany in 2025. That was 10 percent fewer than the year before.

Henrik Ahlers, the head of EY in Germany, said the figures were a “warning sign for Germany as a business location. Germany is falling behind, and other European locations are developing significantly better.”

He said Germany has talked for years about the need for reform, but has done too little, while other countries have made government services more digital, simplified their tax systems, and made it easier for companies to do business.

“In Germany, high taxes, high labor costs, expensive energy, and at the same time, paralyzing bureaucracy are stifling investment,” Ahlers noted.

“Germany’s inability to reform has now become known worldwide. Unfortunately, little remains of its image as a strong, high-quality location and an economic rock in turbulent times,” he added.

The fall in investment comes at a difficult time for the German economy. Last month, the Halle Institute for Economic Research said company bankruptcies in Germany had reached their highest level since 2005.

The institute recorded 4,573 bankruptcies among partnerships and corporations in the first three months of the year. That was higher than the level seen during the 2009 financial crisis.

The last time the figure was higher was in the third quarter of 2005, when 4,771 bankruptcies were recorded.

The rise was especially sharp in March, when bankruptcies were 71 percent above the average for the same month between 2016 and 2019.

Germany’s industrial sector is also under pressure. A Reuters report last August said 245,500 industrial jobs had been lost in Germany since 2019, before the coronavirus crisis.

Volkswagen has become one of the clearest examples of the problems facing German industry. The carmaker plans to cut around 50,000 jobs in Germany by 2030 after reporting a sharp fall in profits.

Its net profit fell 44 percent in 2025 to €6.9 billion, the lowest level since the fallout from the emissions scandal. Revenue was almost unchanged at just under €322 billion, while global deliveries slipped slightly to just under 9 million vehicles.

Volkswagen blamed the fall in profit on problems at Porsche AG, U.S. import tariffs, and the cost of restructuring the business. Porsche’s operating profit fell from more than €5 billion to just €90 million in a year.

Volkswagen finance chief Arno Antlitz said the company’s current level of profit was not good enough, explaining the drop had been “shaped by geopolitical tensions, tariffs, and intense competitive pressure” but noting that the company’s current operating margin was “not sufficient in the long run.”

Across wider Europe, EY said foreign investors announced 5,026 new projects last year, down 7 percent from the year before.

France remained in first place with 852 projects, followed by the United Kingdom with 730. Germany was third.

AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said the figures showed that international confidence in Germany was falling.

“The world is losing trust: Foreign companies are investing less and less in Germany,” she wrote on X. “In 2025, the number of investments fell by 10% to the lowest level since 2009. Germany can no longer afford the reform refusal of the Black-Red coalition!”

Read more here...

Tyler Durden Mon, 05/25/2026 - 04:00

Dr. Milica McDowell says the 10,000 steps per day benchmark is a 'marketing myth' and recommends a different range.

Industry insiders say the cultural conversation around Sydney Sweeney is growing beyond just acting as the final season

Dear Abby gives advice to a reader whose ex-husband is looking to reconnect with her and their grown children now that his second wife died.

The 'MasterChef' star and wife Tana are parents to six children, ranging from a Royal Marine commando to a toddler.

The 'MasterChef' star and wife Tana are parents to six children, ranging from a Royal Marine commando to a toddler.

"You're not going to find her, he murdered her."

The Spurs may have had some divine help in their 103-82 win over the Thunder. 

The actress reunited with Kate Jackson at the Paley Honors Spring Gala celebrating the show's 50th anniversary.

The actress reunited with Kate Jackson at the Paley Honors Spring Gala celebrating the show's 50th anniversary.

Marcus Semien’s season hasn’t had many highlights, and these days he stands among the symbols of the Mets lineup’s futility.

Anthony Volpe wasn’t in the lineup again for Sunday’s win over the Rays, but he should get more playing time on the upcoming road trip.

Since joining the Yankees prior to last season, Cody Bellinger has drawn praise from his coaches and teammates for his defense.

Azzi Fudd blitzed the Liberty in the third quarter en route to leading the Dallas Wings to a win that spoiled Sabrina Ionescu’s season debut.