When a language disappears, a worldview, history, and culture fade with it. There are thousands of languages at risk of going extinct, as a report from Preply shows. Their Endangered Languages Report gathers data showing where the crises are most acute, while offering hope that extinction isn’t inevitable. They’ve shown areas where revival is working, too.  The study highlighted problem areas in vanishing languages, the reasons they are in danger, and hopeful signs that languages can be revived.

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Australia leads the world in the number of critically endangered languages indigenous to its borders (133). In general, the Pacific region and islands have the most endangered languages overall, at 250. Africa has the highest number of threatened languages at 217. In many of these locations, globalization puts pressure on Indigenous and isolated communities. A globalized world pushes young working-age people toward learning a globally dominant language like English or Mandarin, so they have expanded opportunities. It’s worth paying attention to the scale the study creates with at-risk, vulnerable, threatened, endangered, severely endangered, and critically endangered languages. This shows that risk is a spectrum in the world of language, just as it is in plant and animal species.

In the data, a language stands out as a relative success story. Welsh is a vulnerable language, with 19%–20% of the population speaking it. After over 50 years of effort and education, it rose to 30% of children between 3 and 15 years old who spoke it. The nation of Wales set a goal of a million fluent speakers by 2050. If they can meet that goal, it will prove that policy and education can revive a language.

The Lakota language is a cautionary tale of historical oppression. There are only 2,000 speakers today and it’s an endangered language. The United States assimilation policies pushed Indigenous people into residential schools, where children were forced to drop their language and speak English. Today, only 1% of the Lakota population of 170,000 can speak their native language fluently.

Cornish is a rare and unique language brought back from extinction. It officially went extinct in the 1800s, and thanks to a standardized written form revived and adopted in 2008, there are now 557 speakers of a once-dead language.

“Awakening” languages are revivals of once-extinct languages, like Cornish. Kaurna, an Australian language, was nearly lost when the last speaker passed away in 1929. But a program worked to revive it among 50 speakers using dictionaries, songs, and formal education programs. These aren’t the only awakening languages. Wampanoag, Palawa Kani, and Natchez have also awakened back into existence. Revitalization is slow, meticulous work, but these languages show that it’s possible.

Non-native speakers can do their part to support efforts by studying an at-risk language or helping out a revival group. Native speakers carry the heaviest burden and will most effectively save a language by teaching it to their children early. Schools and governments also have a part to play by offering classes in endangered languages. Language survival is possible when ordinary people decide the language is worth speaking.

Logos are among the most dramatic and important aspects of marketing, shaping how consumers view a brand in ways that aren’t always visible. Logo designs are based on psychology, which informs us how shapes and colors make us feel, and how they can shape a brand’s trustworthiness and credibility. If a brand changes its logo, it must be done with care and intention, and with a clear reason to justify the switch. The team at LogoMaker displays the most effective logo switches and rebrands in a graphic based on increased web traffic.

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The team chose web traffic as an indicator of a successful logo because in the world of marketing, clicks and traffic are closely linked with sales and brand awareness. It’s a quantifiable way to measure customer behavior. The team used SEMrush traffic data to estimate traffic changes in the three months leading up to their rebrand announcement, compared with the two months after the launch. Their graph isolates traffic rates to the time of the rebrand to get the most accurate depiction of the effects. The team also helpfully included the old and new logos so readers can form their own opinions about changes.

According to the team’s results, these were the brands with the biggest traffic increases after their new logo launched:

• Pfizer
• MLB
• Premier League
• The Guardian
• Southwest
• VISA
• Target
• Jaguar
• IHOP
• Spotify

We see a wide range of industries represented in these results. Pfizer takes the lead after redesigning its logo from a pill shape to a double helix. This is also a good example of other factors, in addition to the rebrand, causing the traffic spikes. The rebrand occurred in 2021, the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the world was hoping for a company like Pfizer to develop an effective vaccine.

After Pfizer, we see a few sports leagues on the chart. Major League Soccer, or MLS, is in second place, followed by the UK’s Premier League in third. Both of them dramatically simplified their logos, making them clearer and possibly more memorable, as the increased traffic indicates. In fact, many of the companies on the list seem to have opted for simpler logo designs. This is quite possibly so the logos are more visible when they’re small, like on a phone screen. This could also reflect a changing aesthetic, shifting from the more stylized and classical designs of the 90s and 00s to today’s more bold, minimalist style.

The trend toward minimalist logo redesign reflects evolving consumer preferences and the demands of digital media. Companies across diverse industries, from pharmaceuticals to sports and retail, are embracing simpler, more impactful designs that enhance brand recognition and visibility in an increasingly mobile world. These changes not only boost traffic but also demonstrate how branding adapts to cultural shifts and technological advancements, helping organizations stay relevant and competitive in today’s fast-paced landscape.

Job searching is stressful and the current employment market isn’t the strongest. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) says that the average job search lasts 23.3 weeks. That’s a long haul. The World Economic Forum does see the market becoming more dynamic soon with new and emerging job opportunities. Qualtrics added to this top with a new map showing where we’ll find the most active job seekers in the U.S. They drew on data from the BLS’s American Time Use Survey.

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The team’s main visual for their data is a color-coded map of the 50 states, ranked by the percentage of residents who reported engaging in job-seeking activities. These could include looking for work, wanting a job, submitting applications, intending to seek work soon, looking at job ads, or attending job training. Five states had to be excluded from the ranking because of insufficient survey data. This included Hawaii, Vermont, North Dakota, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

These states were found to have the most people wanting new jobs:

1. Alaska — 23.81% (standout leader)
2. Idaho — 17.24%
3. California — 13.33%
4. Oklahoma — 12.5%
5. Nevada & New Hampshire — tied at 11.9%
6. Iowa — 11.28%
7. Washington — 9.95%
8. Oregon — 9.04%
9. Virginia — 8.84%

This list shows Western and Pacific states dominating the top. Alaska as a standout leader might come as a surprise because it’s not due to a job shortage. There is actually a workforce shortage in Alaska. In 2024, Alaska created 5,400 new jobs with more expected in 2025. $20 billion in infrastructure development is expected to generate 20,000 more jobs by 2030. So, Alaska’s high job-seeking activity reflects a growing, dynamic economy with ample room for pivots and career changes.

States with the lowest rankings were Kentucky (1.32%), Arkansas (1.83%), and Missouri (3.26%). These states may have lower unemployment rates, different market conditions, or demographic factors that influenced their ranking. The data make it clear that job-seeking activity varies widely by state, tied to local economic conditions, perhaps more so than national trends. Job seekers should take advantage of training programs, the federal jobs board, and role-specific job search sites. It also shows that securing talent is only one step toward building a loyal, long-term workforce. Only 42% of workers feel engaged, which is a major reason they may seek new jobs.

Beyond a snapshot of where Americans are currently looking for work, these data points to a bigger reality: labor-market “energy” is uneven, and high job-seeking activity can signal opportunity as much as instability. In states like Alaska, movement may reflect an expanding, restructuring economy in which workers feel empowered (or required) to pivot as new roles and industries emerge. For job seekers, the practical takeaway is to align search strategy with local conditions. Prioritize skills-building and credentials that travel across employers, use targeted boards and training pipelines, and treat mobility as a long-term advantage rather than a short-term disruption. Organizations and individuals that read these regional signals early and invest accordingly will be best positioned to thrive as the economy continues to evolve.