Misc
The Five Tallest Glass Skyscrapers, and the Views From Their Tops
The Five Tallest Glass Skyscrapers, and Their Views
Whether it is from a lookout point on the side of the road or a scenic vista from the top of the mountain, everyone can appreciate a good view.
And while nature provides many great opportunities for admiring such scenery, some of the best views are actually from man-made structures. In particular, the world’s tallest glass skyscrapers provide an unparalleled chance to see the surrounding city and landscape from an unobstructed bird’s eye view.
The Five Tallest Glass Skyscrapers
Today’s infographic from Abbey Glass shows us the five tallest glass skyscrapers in the world, as well as the views from the top of these structures.
Four of the five tallest glass skyscrapers are located in Asia, which is not surprising considering that 76.4% of all skyscrapers completed in 2015 were on the Asian continent. It’s also worth noting that all of the skyscrapers on this list are relatively new, with the oldest being built in 2008 – for a more visual representation of this trend, see our post documenting how the world’s tallest buildings have changed over time.
1. Burj Khalifa (Dubai, UAE)
The Burj Khalifa, completed in 2010 in 1,325 days, is an engineering feat. At 828m (2,717 ft) tall, the view from the world’s tallest building makes other “skyscrapers” in the city look microscopic. Despite having 18 built-in maintenance units for cleaning the windows of the Burj Khalifa, it still takes three to four full months to wipe down the exterior of this monstrosity.
2. Shanghai Tower (Shanghai, China)
The Shanghai Tower, the tallest skyscraper completed in 2015, stands at 632m (2,073 ft). It’s the world’s second-tallest building, and has been designed as a spiral that twists an average of 1% per floor.
3. One World Trade Center (New York, USA)
The tallest building in the Western Hemisphere is located on the site of the two original World Trade Center towers. Its height in feet (1,776 ft) corresponds with the year the United States achieved independence.
4. Shanghai World Financial Center (Shanghai, China)
The Shanghai World Financial Center, completed in 2008, is the oldest building on this list. At 492m (1,614 ft) in height, it has been engineered to withstand a magnitude eight earthquake, lightning strikes, or the typhoon-force winds often encountered in the city.
5. International Commerce Center (Hong Kong, China)
The tallest building in Hong Kong is also the fifth-tallest glass skyscraper in the world. At 484m (1,587 ft), it is also home to the world’s highest swimming pool.
Misc
Visualizing the Most Common Pets in the U.S.
Lions, tigers, and bears, oh my!—these animals do not feature on this list of popular American household pets.
Visualizing The Most Common Pets in the U.S.
This was originally posted on our Voronoi app. Download the app for free on iOS or Android and discover incredible data-driven charts from a variety of trusted sources.
In this graphic, we visualized the most common American household pets, based on 2023-2024 data from the American Pet Products Association (accessed via Forbes Advisor).
Figures represent the number of households that own each pet type, rather than the actual number of each animal. The “small animal” category includes hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, mice, rats, and ferrets.
What is the Most Popular American Household Pet?
Based on this data, dogs—one of the first domesticated animals—are the most common pets in the United States. In fact, around 65 million households own a dog, and spend an average of $900 a year on their care.
Rank | Species | Households |
---|---|---|
1 | 🐶 Dog | 65M |
2 | 🐱 Cat | 47M |
3 | 🐟 Freshwater Fish | 11M |
4 | 🐰 Small Animals | 7M |
5 | 🐦 Bird | 6M |
6 | 🦎 Reptile | 6M |
7 | 🐴 Horse | 2M |
8 | 🐠 Saltwater Fish | 2M |
Note: Households can own multiple pets, and are counted for all relevant categories.
Cats rank second, at 47 million households, and these smaller felines are a little less expensive to own at $700/year according to Forbes estimates.
But aside from these two juggernauts, there are plenty of other common pet types found in households across the country.
Freshwater fish can be found in 11 million households, along with small animals—rabbits, hamsters, guinea pigs—in 7 million. Meanwhile, nearly 6 million homes have birds or reptiles.
Pet Ownership is on the Rise in America
Forbes found that 66% of all American households (numbering 87 million) own at least one pet, up from 56% in 1988. One third of these (29 million) own multiple pets.
A combination of factors is driving this increase: rising incomes, delayed childbirth, and of course the impact of the pandemic which nearly cleared out animal shelters across the globe.
America’s loneliness epidemic may also be a factor. Fledgling research has shown that single-individual households with pets recorded lower rates of loneliness during the pandemic than those without a pet.
-
Economy7 days ago
VC+: Get Our Key Takeaways From the IMF’s World Economic Outlook
-
Maps2 weeks ago
The Largest Earthquakes in the New York Area (1970-2024)
-
Green2 weeks ago
Ranked: The Countries With the Most Air Pollution in 2023
-
Green2 weeks ago
Ranking the Top 15 Countries by Carbon Tax Revenue
-
Markets2 weeks ago
U.S. Debt Interest Payments Reach $1 Trillion
-
Mining2 weeks ago
Gold vs. S&P 500: Which Has Grown More Over Five Years?
-
Energy2 weeks ago
The World’s Biggest Nuclear Energy Producers
-
Misc2 weeks ago
How Hard Is It to Get Into an Ivy League School?