Follow The Data is our weekly curated list of cool and unusual data stories from around the country and the world. Got a hot tip on a data story? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter.
Scoring on Canada’s World Cup Artificial Turf
Despite all the hand-wringing over the Canadian Soccer Association’s decision to use artificial turf for the Women’s World Cup, these graphs show that goal scoring hasn’t really been affected. [Business Insider]
If This Voting System Doesn’t Work for You, Try Another
The CBC lays out the pros and cons of the first-past-the-post voting system, which Liberal leader Justin Trudeau has proposed abolishing. One popular alternative: proportional representation (but get ready for the painful horse-trading required to build a coalition). [CBC]
The Blackhawks are a Dynasty
A look at historical championship data across the 4 major sports leagues shows that, yes, the Blackhawks are indeed the first salary-cap era dynasty. [Five Thirty Eight]
The Demographic Explosion of Richmond, BC
Demographic data suggests that Richmond, BC, may be the most hyper-diverse city on the planet, with over 60% of its residents being foreign born. [Vancouver Sun]
Lightning Danger Map!
Worried about being hit by lightning in the next 10 minutes? Environment Canada now has a colour-coded map for that. Just hope you’re near a computer. [Global News]
Auditing the Auditors
John Oliver mocks the Senate expense scandal, noting that the audit, which revealed up to $1M in inappropriate expenses, somehow cost over $20M to conduct. [Youtube/Last Week Tonight]
Gender Inequality in the Sciences
Despite more and more women graduating with STEM degrees, the data is quite conclusive: the percentage of women working in STEM fields in Canada — and how much they’re paid — has barely budged in the last 20 years. [Macleans]
Lyme Disease on the Rise
Experts suggest cases of Lyme Disease in Canada to rise a remarkable (and suspiciously high) 1900% in just 5 years, from 500 cases a year today to over 10,000 by 2020. [CTV News]
Libraries Paying $135 for That E-Book You Borrowed
New data released by the Toronto Public Library reveals that libraries are paying up to 5 times more for an e-book than is charged to the retail consumer. [Toronto Star]