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By The Numbers

Several bones to pick

Marketplace Staff Sep 10, 2015
1,500

That’s how many bones were discovered by paleoanthropologist Lee Berger in South Africa, which constitute as many as 15 different individuals of a previously undiscovered ancient human species. As Quartz writes, the new species, called Homo naledi, were about 5 feet tall and had tiny skulls.

$39 to $52

That’s about how much a ride to LAX costs in a wheelchair-accessible vehicle via Uber. That’s about twice as expensive as Uber’s cheapest option. As companies like Uber and Lyft continue to grow exponentially, advocates for the disabled argue that the companies aren’t doing enough to ensure that all customers can use their services. As the Los Angeles Times reports, Uber stated in a hearing with LAX’s disability advisory committee earlier this year that it had only about 10 wheelchair-accessible vehicles in the Los Angeles area.

10

That’s how many veterans are picked by the Posse Foundation to enroll in selective colleges in an eponymous group. The program has traditionally picked low-income, high-achieving students, but is now focusing on veterans, providing training and mentorship to help them succeed in a competitive academic setting.

$27

That’s how little per month you might be paying for the latest iPhone. That is, if you buy it directly from Apple. The company announced a new payment plan that lets customers pay for their phones in installments. With the disruption of the traditional two-year contract model, many service providers are upending their cell phone plans — pushing for lower-cost wireless plans with no lock-in long-term contract, no offer of a cheap subsidized smartphone, and no periodic low-cost smartphone upgrade.

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