Teens of Bay Area

Did you know that…

1. To be in the top 1% of earners worldwide, you would need to earn at least $60,000. Though, this number varies massively between countries: according to Unbiased, to be in the top 1% of earners in the United States, your annual income must surpass $747,000. Even then, interestingly, most of the world’s top 1% of earners come from Asian and European countries — the United States aren’t even considered in the top ten countries with the most top 1% earners. 
2. Humans (and other animals) have the ability to subconsciously avoid physical obstacles, even while blind. This phenomenon is known as blindsight, and occurs when one’s primary visual cortex is damaged but can still react to stimuli. In a 2008 Harvard Medical School study, an individual who had suffered two strokes and had a damaged visual cortex was able to completely dodge several objects in a cluttered hallway, including those of a garbage can, tripod, and more, without the conscious awareness of their existence.  
3. The earliest forks, bone forks, were invented by the Chinese during the Qijia culture 2400-1900 B.C.). Later, forks emerged in other ancient civilizations like Greece, Egypt, and Rome. The table fork that we all know and love today emerged from the Byzantines, or Eastern Roman Empire.
4. This year, 21 movies had box offices that broke $100 million, with “The Account 2” at the bottom of the 21 at $103.2 million. At the top of the list stands “Ne Zha 2”, a film that had a box office of a staggering $1.9 billion as of mid-July. Another recent movie that had a high opening weekend box office: Superman (2025), which was released just earlier last week, had an opening weekend box office of around $220 million globally, with the movie now having grossed over $300 million overall. 
5. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, 12% of Americans have been diagnosed with chronic insomnia. This percentage is expected to be larger in the real American population.