With thousands of vegan handbags and brands on the market, it can be hard to decide which one is best for you.
But, we're here to help and whether you're looking for an affordable vegan handbag, a luxury bag, or a faux leather tote, we've got you covered.
In this article, I'll introduce you to the best vegan handbag brands of 2020-2021
Then, I'll share with you the top bags (most wanted) from their fabulous collections.
Also, to make it easier for you, I've crowned three brands as winners of three vegan handbag categories:
Best OVERALL Vegan Handbags Best BUDGET Vegan HandBags Best DESIGNER Vegan HandBags
I have curated the best vegan handbag brands for spring, summer, winter, for the gym, beach, work, and even dinner date.
Finally, all handbags, purses, and totes on this list are vegan-friendly, made from cruelty-free or organic materials such as apple leather, pineapple leaves, mushroom, and cork.

Vegan Handbags - Intro

Traditional leather handbags – the kind made from animals – have always been a staple of the fashion world.
But the world is changing as a variety of new and established brands have begun producing vegan leather or faux leather bags.
Above all, the makers of vegan handbags are innovators at the core.
Creators of materials made from recycled plastic bottles, fishing nets, fruit skins, mushrooms, cactuses, and tree bark these designers create vegan bags that are sturdy, sustainable, and above all, stylish.
Not too long ago, vegan bags were seen as ‘crunchy’, tacky and polluting.
Nowadays, they’re just as chic as anything produced by the most exclusive ‘designer’ brands.
And what’s more, these bags act as a badge of honor as finally, you can "wear your ethics on your sleeve"!
And it turns out, what's right for the animals and the planet is also good for your pocket.
In this article, you'll find vegan bags or alternative leather options at a better price than their animal leather counterparts.
You can also reduce your impact further by shopping for a second-hand luxury vegan handbag at one of our favorite online thrift stores here.
We've identified ten vegan and faux leather handbag (and purses) brands and their unique products, proudly cruelty-free.

What Is Vegan Leather?

Vegan leather is a catch-all term for materials that replace animal leather and are cruelty-free.
Vegan leather is made from various materials such as wood, cork, rubber, barkcloth, apple, pineapple, and glazed cotton.
Moreover, we see more eco-friendly alternative options becoming available as the vegan fashion market grows and evolves.
However, two of the most common types of vegan leather are produced with polyvinyl chloride (PVC) or polyurethane (PU).
This is where the term "vegan leather" becomes a bit problematic.
Sure, PVC and PU are not animal products.
That's the good part.
But, the bad part is that PVC is manufactured with toxic chemicals that cannot be recycled.
So we recommend that you avoid any handbags made with PVC.

"There have been concerns over the last few years about PVC because of production challenges and because they release dioxins, potentially hazardous chemicals if burnt," said Andrew Dent, the Vice President of Library and Research Materials at Material ConneXion.

A better synthetic alternative, while not perfect, is PU, which is less environmentally harmful and can be recycled.
Finally, vegan leather bags are getting the recognition they deserve in the world of fashion.
Compared to animal leather bags - which required the sacrifice of an animal to produce - vegan leather bags are cruelty-free alternatives that keep you looking good while doing good. Moreover, thanks to recent material developments, there are more environmentally-friendly vegan leather alternatives, such as mushroom leather, and kelp leather now than ever before.
Without further ado...these the top 26 best vegan handbags brands, for every budget, now in 2021.

1. Demi Black Vegan Winged Tote Bag by LaBante London

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BRAND | LaBante London MADE IN | London, UK STYLE | Tote MATERIALS | Recycled PET BEST FOR | All occasion PRICE | $180
labante.co.uk
Based in London, LaBante is a British designer label founded in 2009, known for its excellent vegan leather handbags.
The brand uses PETA-approved vegan leather, PVC-free, and recycled materials, without any toxic chemicals.
LaBante London's offering includes faux leather clutches, crossbodies, vegan backpacks, and vegan leather tote bags in quilted textures and natural colors, making them easy to incorporate into your everyday wardrobe.
Usually, the bags' inners are made from polyester rescued from discarded plastic bottles.
On the other hand, the outers are made with over 50 percent vegetable oil, a renewable natural source.
The brand's design and production team is made up of 99 percent women and the bags are manufactured in a SEDEX Certified factory.
Moreover, every year, LaBante London donates around 10 percent of its profits to several charities.
The stunning Black Demi bag from LaBante London is a designer winged tote bag featuring gold hardware plaques on the base and the LaBante logo for an elegant look.
The bag fits a 13-inch laptop and it comes with two zipper compartments.
It also features an inner side zip pocket, as well as two open pockets for keys and phones.
This black tote handbag is a simple but perfectly sized bag for your day or evening out.
Comes with a long detachable & adjustable shoulder strap.

2. Monica Pencil Clutch by Ahimsa Collective

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BRAND | Ahimsa Collective MADE IN | Australia STYLE | Clutch - Handbag MATERIALS | Cactus Leather (Desserto) BEST FOR | Weekends PRICE | $172
wardrobeoftomorrow.com
As a perfect example that luxury, animal love, and sustainability can co-exist, Ahimsa Collective is on a mission to end fast fashion.
The label is providing high-end sustainable alternatives to animal leather and ‘pleather’ goods.
Formed from the ‘a’ meaning ‘without’ and ‘himsa’ meaning ‘harm’, Ahimsa Collective signifies “respect for all living beings and avoidance of harm towards others".
Ethical, social, and environmental responsibility are upheld at every stage of the Ahimsa Collective.
Ahimsa is using some of the most innovative materials in its vegan handbags, combined with excellent design and artistic flair.
The label’s intention is to offer vegan leather bags that are not only environmentally friendly but environmentally beneficial as well.
To do this, Ahimsa Collective creates handbags out of existing resources, would-be-waste, and innovative plant-based textiles.
Moreover, each Ahimsa bag component has an ‘End Of Life’ program.
This extends from the closed-loop system of recycled water bottles that line the bags, to the raw material of the FSC Certified washable paper and piñatex (pineapple leather) as the main material in the brand's bags.
The Monica Pencil clutch is hand-crafted using Desserto cactus leather-like on the outer and 100% GOTS certified organic cotton for the inner.
The bag is secure and more functional than it appears.
It has two roomy compartments and an additional slot for your mobile.
You can pair it with your favorite denim and heeled boots.
Or, just sling it over your shoulder on a night out in sleek chic style.

3. Chocolate Thoroughbred Bag by Jill Milan

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BRAND | Jill Milan MADE IN | Italy STYLE | Handbag MATERIALS | Italian gold-coated canvas and black faux leather BEST FOR | Work or uni PRICE | $700
wardrobeoftomorrow.com
The co-founder of Jill Milan, Jill Fraser spent years searching for a luxury bag that was not made of animal leather.
Eventually, she partnered with Milan Lazich and launched Jill Milan in 2010, aiming to address a gap she perceived in the market.
All Jill Milan creations are vegan and are crafted by artisans in Italy.
Everything is done by hand and the quality is magnificent.
Jill Milan bags are very popular with celebrities and have been spotted on the red carpet, at the Oscars and movie premiers.
Celebrities such as Anne Hathaway, Kerry Washington, and Eva Longoria are all big fans of the brand.
The Thoroughbred Bag is spacious enough for an overnight trip or ideal for daily use.
It is adorned with a handmade horse head and brass crafted by an Italian artisan.
The bag is both elegant and timeless, made in limited quantities.
It is very practical and yet stylish, suitable for work or leisure.
The interior is designed to easily accommodate your tablet computing device and mobile phone.

4. Marcelline Tote by Moenn

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BRAND | Moenn MADE IN | Asia, China STYLE | Large Handbag - Tote bag MATERIALS | Premium Vegan Leather BEST FOR | Travelling PRICE | $109 $89
shopmoenn.com
Moenn is known for its minimalist, classic designs that reflect a deep belief in sustainable innovation.
But, what does that mean?
To Moenn sustainable innovation means using superior non-animal skin materials, following ethical labor practices, and delivering the highest quality.
The brand regularly researches and explores innovative new materials and has committed to using linings made from recycled plastic bottles.
Marcelline Totem bag comes in either caramel or black and is made from premium vegan leather.
It is large and accommodating and it closes with a magnetic Snap.

5. Falabella Mini Tote by Stella McCartney📷

BRAND | Stella McCartney MADE IN | Italy STYLE | Mini Tote - Handbag MATERIALS | 100% Polyester, lining 100% ECONYL® recycled nylon BEST FOR | Night outs PRICE | $865
wardrobeoftomorrow.com
Stella McCartney needs no introduction in the world of sustainable fashion.
The British fashion designer is known for her luxury lines of vegan, cruelty-free bags.
Stella uses vegetarian leather, ultra-suede, and recycled polyester.
Of all the brands on this list, Stella McCartney takes the cake when it comes to blending luxury with sustainability.
The brand's mission statement puts ethics and sustainable practices at the center, with the aim of creating a world that treats people, the planet, and animals equally.
That's why the company avoids fur and uses recycled materials, to reduce its environmental impact.
Stella McCartney's vegan alternatives retain patterns that resemble rare animal leather or snakeskin still to give the products that 'designer fee'.
Stella McCartney is a lifelong vegetarian so it’s no surprise that she doesn’t feature any leather or fur in her collections.
Stella’s commitment to sustainability is evident in all her collections and is part of her brand’s ethos of being a responsible, honest, and modern company.
If you are looking for high-quality, luxury vegan products then Stella McCartney may be the perfect fit for you! If you’re wondering whether any designer bags are vegan then Stella is the way to go!
Our favorite Stella McCartney vegan handbag is the label's Mini Tote signature bag.
Part of the Falabella family, this light-weight structured mini bag features the signature diamond cut chain.
Made in Italy from the brand's proprietary vegan leather-like material.

6. Rotunda Vegan Handbag by Gunas

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BRAND | Gunas MADE IN | South Korea STYLE | Handbag - Cross Body Bag MATERIALS | 100% Vegan textured Eco-Polyurethane BEST FOR | On the go PRICE | $195
wardrobeoftomorrow.com
Located in Long Island City, NY, Gunas makes vegan handbags from cruelty-free and PVC-free materials.
The brand also uses recycled nylons, coated canvas, cork, rubber, upcycled polyester, and proprietary ultra-leather.
As one of the first fully vegan brands in the world, Gunas has been selling vegan shoes and handbags for the last ten years.
The brand started in a Manhattan studio apartment, under the guidance of Sugandh Agrawal, who wanted to create a fashion brand centered around activism.
Rather than using leather, Sugandh decided to use canvas, nylons, upcycled materials, and other sustainable materials.
Nowadays, Gunas offers a wide range of handbags, purses, clutches, totes, and shoulder bags, with dozens of five-star reviews.
‘Rotunda’ bag is named after the famous Capitol in Washington, the United States, Guggenheim museum, and the Pantheon in Rome.
All of these buildings are round domed structures and the type of architecture represents the “authority of nature and power of reason”.
Rotunda bag is the Gunas’ symbol of important issues of our times such as women’s rights, equality for all, and animal rights.

7. Hamilton Satchel Micro by Angela Roi

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BRAND | Angela Roi MADE IN | Asia, Korea STYLE | Mini Handbag - Mini Cross Body Bag MATERIALS | Vegan Leather (EPUL) BEST FOR | All occasion PRICE | $235
angelaroi.com
Angela Roi is a vegan and cruelty-free label from New York that uses its own blend of polyurethane 'leather'.
Creation of two co-founders (Angela and Roi, obviously) the brand wants to bring virtue to an otherwise competitive and wasteful industry: fashion.
The label's vegan leather and artisanal staple piece purses are ethically made from premium vegan materials while remaining affordable.
If you're looking for bucket bags, totes, pouches, saddlebags, or any other staple pieces, Angela Roi has them in stunning colors and with superb design.
The company also gives back by supporting charities worldwide who fought against animal mistreatment and poaching.
Angela Roi makes premium vegan leather handbags that are modern classics.
Their leather bags are constructed solely with non-animal materials and their artisans get paid fair wages for meaningful work in clean, comfortable factories.
Hamilton Satchel Micro is a smaller, more compact version of the Hamilton Collection.
The gunmetal silver hardware adds an edgy touch to the bag.
After years of searching for the perfect balance between durability and softness, Angela found this new vegan micro-pebble leather, which possesses both structure and flexibility.
Hamilton is the first collection Angela created with the new material.
Meticulously handcrafted by skilled artisans, Hamilton Satchel Micro is complexity turned simple, cruelty-free, and sweatshop-free.

8. Adelsm Small Satchel by Matt & Nat

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BRAND | Matt & Nat MADE IN | Canada STYLE | Textured Satchel Handbag MATERIALS | 100% recycled nylon lining BEST FOR | Business PRICE | $130
us.mattandnat.com
Matt & Nat is a sustainable label that makes vegan purses from cruelty-free leather alternatives and recycled materials, out of Montreal.
The brand's bags are ethically made from recycled plastic, cork, rubber, recycled nylon.
As a longtime leader in the vegan goods industry, with handbags, shoes, and other vegan accessories, Matt & Nat has implemented cruelty-free and ethical practices that utilize sustainable materials whenever possible.
From wallets to yoga bags and men's briefcases, Matt & Nat uses organic vegan leather to create that polished, high-end look.
We love that their company motto is “live beautifully”, as an acknowledgment of the collective responsibility to nurture and celebrate the creativity, positivity, and most importantly, the humanity inside each one of us.
The brand makes exceptional vegan handbags and should be a top choice for anyone looking to buy a faux leather or vegan leather bag.
Adelsm handbag is a small satchel with double handles and flap closure.
Comes with a detachable and adjustable crossbody strap.

9. Grandeur Shoulder Bag by Scarleton Los Angeles

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BRAND | Scarleton Los Angeles MADE IN | Asia, China STYLE | Handbag - Shoulder Bag MATERIALS | High-quality Eco-friendly Vegan (PU) Leather BEST FOR | On the go PRICE | $24.99
scarleton.com
Scarleton makes really affordable, stylish bags.
The kind where you get asked, “Is your bag vegan? It really looks good!"
If you’re on a budget and are hunting for a bag or vegan backpack then Scarleton is your best bet.
The Scarleton Grandeur is a great handbag and a casual accessory for work or play, spacious and economically priced.
The handbag has lots of storage, enough room for your cell phone, wallet, makeup, and toiletries with plenty of space left over.
If you are an active person in need of a chic and reliable handbag, Grandeur crossbody bag is the one for you.

10. The Fae Top Handle Bag by JW PEI

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BRAND | JW PEI MADE IN | China STYLE | Handbag - Handle Bag MATERIALS | Croc-Embossed Vegan Leather BEST FOR | Night outs PRICE | $79 $56
jwpei.com
Hailing from Los Angeles, CA, JW Pei has a minimalist style somehow similar to Matt & Nat.
However, uniquely to other vegan brands, JW Pei specializes in patina made vegan bags.
Made from high-grade polyurethane resin and ultra-fine microfiber bundles, the patina mimics the structure of real leather.
The technology isn’t new but JW Pei brings it to vegan bags, as it’s soft, beautiful, and durable.
The lining of their bags is made from 100% recycled plastic bottles.
Moreover, whilst over 50% of all their plastics are recycled now, the aim is to make this 100% in two years and replace all major materials with recycled materials over the next 5 years.

Best Vegan Handbags - What’s The Verdict?

All handbags in this article are best in their own category and according to what you need one for.
But, most important is that all bags here are ethically made, sustainable, from vegan leather with love for animals and the planet.
It is our personal responsibility to be compassionate and conscious when it comes to considering our fashion choices.
Moreover, seeing these amazing vegan bags, it is clear that you do not have to compromise your style in the name of ethical and sustainable fashion.
As more brands respond to consumers’ demand for eco-friendly and sustainable bags, it is your turn to contribute by choosing cruelty-free and vegan handbags, whenever possible.
Time to shop guilt-free, safe in the knowledge you are helping rather than destroying the environment.

Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster is an electric sports car that served as the dummy payload for the February 2018 Falcon Heavy test flight and became an artificial satellite of the Sun. "Starman", a mannequin dressed in a spacesuit, occupies the driver's seat. The car and rocket are products of Tesla and SpaceX, respectively, both companies founded by Elon Musk.[4] The 2008-model Roadster was previously used by Musk for commuting to work, and is the only production car in space.
The car, mounted on the rocket's second stage, acquired enough velocity to escape Earth's gravity and enter an elliptical heliocentric orbit crossing the orbit of Mars.[5] The orbit reaches a maximum distance from the Sun at aphelion of 1.66 astronomical units (au).[3] During the early portion of the voyage outside the Earth's atmosphere, live video was transmitted back to the mission control center and live-streamed for slightly over four hours.[6]
Advertising analysts noted Musk's sense of brand management and use of new media for his decision to launch a Tesla into space. While some commenters voiced concern that the car contributed to space debris, others saw it as a work of art. Musk explained he wanted to inspire the public about the "possibility of something new happening in space" as part of his larger vision for spreading humanity to other planets.[7]n March 2017, SpaceX's founder, Elon Musk, said that because the launch of the new Falcon Heavy vehicle was risky, it would carry the "silliest thing we can imagine".[8] In June 2017, one of his Twitter followers suggested that the silly thing be a Tesla Model S, to which Musk replied "Suggestions welcome!".[9][10][11][12] In December 2017 he announced that the payload would be his personal "midnight cherry Tesla Roadster".[13][14][15][16] Later that month, photos of the car prior to payload encapsulation were released.
One of the test flight objectives was to demonstrate that the new rocket could carry a payload as far as the orbit of Mars. NASA had declined SpaceX's offer to carry a scientific payload.[17]
Following the successful launch, the Roadster became the first standard roadworthy vehicle sent into space, [18] though several special-purpose lunar and Mars rovers had previously been launched.Roadster as payload Illustration of Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster attached to the upper stage of a Falcon rocket, with a driver wearing a white-and-black spacesuit in the driving seat and the Earth visible in the background. The Roadster is permanently attached to the upper stage of the Falcon Heavy rocket. The car was permanently mounted on the rocket in an inclined position above the payload adapter. Tubular structures were added to mount front and side cameras.[19]
Positioned in the driver's seat is "Starman", a full-scale human mannequin clad in a SpaceX pressure spacesuit.[20] It was placed with the right hand on the steering wheel and the left elbow resting on the open window sill. The mannequin was named after the David Bowie song "Starman"[21] and the car's sound system was set before launch to continuously loop the Bowie song "Space Oddity".[22]
There is a copy of Douglas Adams' novel The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in the glovebox, along with references to the book in the form of a towel and a sign on the dashboard that reads "DON'T PANIC!".[23] A Hot Wheels miniature Roadster with a miniature Starman is mounted on the dashboard. A plaque bearing the names of the employees who worked on the project is placed underneath the car, and a message on the vehicle's circuit board reads "Made on Earth by humans".[24] The car also carries a copy of Isaac Asimov's Foundation trilogy on a 5D optical disc, a proof of concept for high-density long-lasting data storage, donated to Musk by the Arch Mission Foundation.[25][26]The US Office of Commercial Space Transportation issued the test flight's launch license on February 2, 2018.[27] The rocket lifted off from Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center[27] at 15:45 EST (20:45 UTC) on February 6.[28] The upper stage supporting the car was initially placed in an Earth parking orbit.[5] It spent six hours coasting through the Van Allen radiation belts, thereby demonstrating a new capability requested by the U.S. Air Force for direct insertion of heavy intelligence satellites into geostationary orbit. Then, the upper stage performed a second boost to reach the desired escape trajectory.[29][30][31]
The launch was live streamed, and video feeds from space showed the Roadster at various angles, with Earth in the background, thanks to cameras placed inside and outside the car, on booms attached to the vehicle's custom adaptor atop the upper stage.[32][33] Musk had estimated the car's battery would last over 12 hours, but the live stream ran for just over four hours, thus ending before the final boost out of Earth orbit.[6][34][35] The images were released by SpaceX into the public domain on their Flickr account.[36][37]
Following the launch, the rocket stage carrying the car was given the Satellite Catalog Number 43205, named "TESLA ROADSTEFALCON 9H", along with the COSPAR designation 2018-017A.[38] The JPL Horizons system publishes solutions for the trajectory as target body "-143205".[1][3]
The Roadster is in a heliocentric orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars and reaches a distance of 1.66 au from the Sun.[5] With an inclination of roughly 1 degree to the ecliptic plane, compared to Mars' 1.85° inclination, this trajectory by design cannot intercept Mars, so the car will neither fly by Mars nor enter an orbit around Mars.[39] This was the second object launched by SpaceX to leave Earth orbit, after the DSCOVR mission to the Earth–Sun L1 Lagrangian point. Nine months after launch, the Tesla had travelled beyond the orbit of Mars,[40] reaching aphelion at 12:48 UTC on November 9, 2018, at a distance of 248,892,559 km (1.664 au) from the Sun.[3] The maximum speed of the car relative to the Sun will be 121,005 km/h (75,189 mph) at perihelion.[41]
Even if the rocket had targeted an actual Mars transfer orbit, the car could not have been placed into orbit around Mars, because the upper stage that carries it is not equipped with the necessary propellant, maneuvering, and communications capabilities. This flight simply demonstrated that Falcon Heavy is capable of launching significant payloads towards Mars in potential future missions.[39]Reactions The choice of the Roadster as a dummy payload was variously interpreted as a shrewd marketing move for Tesla, a work of art, or a contribution to space debris.
Marketing move Musk was lauded as a visionary marketer and brand manager by controlling both the timing and the content of his corporate public relations.[54][55][56][57] After the launch, Scientific American said using a car was not entirely pointless, in the sense that something of that size and weight was necessary for a meaningful test. "Thematically, it was a perfect fit" to use the Tesla car, and there was no reason not to take the opportunity to remind the auto industry that Musk was challenging the status quo in that arena, as well as in space.[54] Advertising Age agreed with Business Insider that the Roadster space launch was the "greatest ever car commercial without a dime spent on advertising", demonstrating that Musk is "miles ahead of the rest" in reaching young consumers, where "mere mortals scrabble about spending millions to fight each other over seconds of air time", Musk "just executes his vision."[55][56] Alex Hern, technology reporter for The Guardian, said the choice to launch a car was a "hybrid of genuine breakthrough and nerd-baiting publicity stunt" without "any real point beyond generating good press pics", which should not detract from the much more important technological milestone represented by the launch of the rocket itself.[58]
Lori Garver, a former NASA deputy director, initially said the choice of payload for the Falcon Heavy maiden flight is a gimmick and a loss of opportunity to further advance science—but later clarified that "I was told by a SpaceX VP (vice president) at the launch that they offered free launches to NASA, Air Force etc. but got no takers."[59]
Musk responded to the critics explaining he wanted to inspire the public about the "possibility of something new happening in space," as part of his larger vision for spreading humanity to other planets.[7]
Work of art Large circular disc of a fully-illuminated planet Earth floating in the blackness of space. In front of Earth is a red convertible sports-car seen from the side. A humanoid figure wearing a white-and-black spacesuit is seated in the driving seat with the right-arm holding the steering wheel, and the left-arm resting on the top of the car door. The mannequin known as "Starman", seated in the Roadster Alice Gorman, a lecturer in archaeology and space studies at Flinders University in Australia, said that the Roadster's primary purpose is symbolic communication, that "the red sports car symbolises masculinity – power, wealth and speed[60] – but also how fragile masculinity is." Drawing on anthropological theories of symbols, she argues that "The car is also an armour against dying, a talisman that quells a profound fear of mortality."[61] Gorman wrote that "the spacesuit is also about death. [...] The Starman was never alive, but now he's haunting space."[61]
The Verge likened the Roadster to a "Readymade" work of art, such as Marcel Duchamp's 1917 piece Fountain, created by placing an everyday object in an unusual position, context and orientation.[62]
Space debris Orbital debris expert Darren McKnight stated that the car poses no risk because it is far from Earth orbit. He added: "The enthusiasm and interest that [Musk] generates more than offsets the infinitesimally small 'littering' of the cosmos."[63] Tommy Sanford, director of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation, said that the car and its rocket stage are no more "space junk" than the mundane material usually launched on other test flights. Mass simulators are often deliberately placed in a graveyard orbit or sent on a deep space trajectory, where they are not a hazard.[64] Hugh Lewis, an expert in space debris at the University of Southampton, tweeted "Intentionally launching a car to a long-lived orbit is not what you want to hear from a company planning to fly 1000s satellites in LEO."[65]
The Planetary Society was concerned that launching a non-sterile object to interplanetary space may risk biological contamination of a foreign world.[66] Scientists at Purdue University thought it was the "dirtiest" man-made object ever sent into space, in terms of bacteria amount, noting the car was previously driven on Los Angeles freeways. Although the vehicle will be sterilized by solar radiation over time, some bacteria might survive on pieces of plastic which could contaminate Mars in the distant future.[67][68]Orbit tracking The car and the upper stage were passivated by intentionally removing remaining chemical and electrical energy, at which point they ceased transmitting telemetry. Based on optical observations made using a robotic telescope at the Warrumbungle Observatory, Dubbo, Australia and refinement of the orbit, a close re-encounter with Earth (originally predicted for 2073) is not possible.[69] In October 2020, the car will make its closest approach to Mars, about 6.9 million kilometres (4.3 million miles) away, well outside the planet's gravitational sphere of influence.[70]
The Virtual Telescope Project observed the Tesla two days after its launch, where it had a magnitude of 15.5,[71] comparable to Pluto's moon Charon. The Roadster was automatically spotted and logged by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS) telescope operated by the University of Hawaii.[72] The car was observed by the Deimos Sky Survey (DeSS) at a distance of 720,000 km (450,000 mi) with a flashing effect suggesting spinning.[73]Through measuring changes in apparent brightness of the object, astronomers have determined that the Roadster is rotating with a period of 4.7589 ± 0.0060 minutes (i.e. 4 minutes, 46 seconds).[74] By February 11, 2018, astrometry measurements from 241 independent observations had been collated, refining the positions to within one-tenth of an arcsecond and published by the SeeSat-L mailing list, a group of amateur satellite spotters—more accurate than for most observations of objects in space.[75]
Future predictions Simulations over a 3-million-year timespan found a probability of the Roadster colliding with Earth at approximately 6%, or with Venus at approximately 2.5%. These probabilities of collision are similar to those of other near-Earth objects. The half-life for the tested orbits was calculated as approximately 20 million years, but with trajectories varying significantly following a close approach to the Earth–Moon system in 2091.[76]
Musk had originally speculated that the car could drift in space for a billion years.[13] According to chemist William Carroll, solar radiation, cosmic radiation, and micrometeoroid impacts will structurally damage the car over time. Radiation will eventually break down any material with carbon–carbon bonds, including carbon fiber parts. Tires, paint, plastic and leather might last only about a year, while carbon fiber parts will last considerably longer. Eventually, only the aluminum frame, inert metals, and glass not shattered by meteoroids will remain.[77]
Potential followup mission In August 2019, as the Roadster completed its first orbit around the Sun,[78] Musk stated that SpaceX may one day launch a small spacecraft to catch up with the Roadster and take photographs.[79]

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TOP NEWS

• Comcast adds more internet subscribers, beats profit forecasts Comcast Corp's CMCSA.O quarterly profit and revenue topped Wall Street estimates as it attracted more customers to its high-speed internet connections, offsetting a drop in cable TV subscribers that was also less severe than expected.
• Twitter monthly usage drops, company warns it will fall again Twitter reported a larger-than-expected decline in monthly users in the third quarter, its second straight quarterly drop, and predicted the figure will fall again in the current period.
• UBS targets American wealth for growth as investment bank shines UBS said it is targeting ultra-rich Americans for growth, as it reported a strong investment banking performance which offset sluggishness in its wealth management business.
• WPP shares plunge as ad group falls behind in post-Sorrell era WPP lost a fifth of its market value after downturns at its New York and London creative agencies forced it to cut sales and profit forecasts, showing the scale of the task facing its new boss after founder Martin Sorrell's acrimonious exit.
• ECB to stick to exit plans despite darker outlook The European Central Bank seems certain to keep policy unchanged on Thursday but it is likely to acknowledge the growth outlook is deteriorating, even if not yet by enough to derail a carefully crafted retreat from stimulus.

STOCKS TO WATCH

Results

• Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD). The company on Wednesday forecast fourth-quarter revenue below estimates as the chipmaker faces dwindling demand from cryptocurrency miners for its high-margin graphic processors and excess inventory, sending its shares down 22 percent. Revenue rose to $1.65 billion, but missed estimates of $1.7 billion. AMD said net income climbed to $102 million, or 9 cents per share, in the third quarter ended Sept. 29 from $61 million, or 6 cents per share, a year earlier. AMD said it now expects revenue of about $1.45 billion, plus or minus $50 million, below analysts' estimates of $1.6 billion, according to Refinitiv data.
• Anheuser-Busch InBev (BUD). The Belgium based brewer cut its proposed dividend by half as beer sales dropped in the world's largest brewer's largest markets, the United States and Brazil, and overall earnings fell short of forecasts, knocking its shares. Thirdquarter core profit rose 7.5 percent on a like-for-like basis to $5.36 billion, well below the average forecast in a Reuters poll of $5.71 billion. Earnings per share, at $0.82 was also below the average expectation of $1.03.
• CME Group Inc (CME). The exchange operator reported a 33.4 percent rise in quarterly profit as it earned more from providing market data services to clients and reaped the benefits of a tax cut. Net income rose to $411.8 million, or $1.21 per share, in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, from $308.6 million, or $0.91 per share, a year earlier.
• ConcoPhillips (COP). The U.S. oil and gas producer reported a more than fourfold jump in quarterly profit, benefiting from a recovery in oil prices and a gain of $345 million related to a settlement agreement with Venezuela's PDVSA. Net income rose to $1.9 billion, or $1.59 per share, in the third-quarter ended Sept. 30, from $420 million, or 34 cents per share, a year earlier.
• Dunkin' Brands Group Inc (DNKN). The company beat estimates for profit and sales, selling more breakfast sandwiches and beverages in the third quarter as it prepares to rebrand its flagship chain to underscore its focus on coffee. Comparable sales at established Dunkin' outlets in the United States rose 1.3 percent, but missed the average analyst estimate due to a fall in traffic. Analysts on average had expected a 1.5 percent rise, according to Refinitiv data. Net income in the third quarter ended Sept. 29 rose to $66.07 million, or 79 cents per share, from $41.2 million, or 45 cents per share, a year earlier.
• Hershey Co (HSY). The confectioner reported lower-than-expected quarterly revenue, as growth in the Kisses and Reese peanut buttercups maker's recently bought snack brands failed to offset a drop in sales of sugary chocolates. Net income attributable to Hershey fell to $263.71 million, or $1.25 per share, in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, from $273.30 million, or $1.28 per share, a year earlier. Sales rose 2.3 percent to $2.08 billion.
• Equinor ASA (EQNR). Equinor will reduce its capital expenditure as a result of significant cost cuts in recent years, the company said as it reported a slightly smaller than expected increase in third-quarter profit. Adjusted earnings before interest and taxes rose to $4.8 billion in the quarter, a four-year high, from $2.35 billion during the same quarter in 2017, and compared with $4.9 billion in a Reuters poll of analysts. The company maintained its guidance for exploration spending in 2018 at $1.5 billion and annual production growth at 1-2 percent, and has decided to keep a dividend of $0.23 per share as expected.
• Comcast Corp (CMCSA). The company's quarterly profit and revenue topped Wall Street estimates as it attracted more customers to its high-speed internet connections, offsetting a drop in cable TV subscribers that was also less severe than expected. Net income attributable to Comcast rose 9.2 percent to $2.89 billion, or 62 cents per share, from $2.64 billion, or 55 cents per share, a year earlier. Excluding items, the company earned 65 cents.
• Ford Motor Co (F). The carmaker on Wednesday reported slightly higher than expected third-quarter profit and stuck to its targets for the year, raising investor hopes for a strong fourth quarter and sending its shares up as much as 7 percent after-hours. Revenue for the quarter rose to $37.7 billion from $36.5 billion a year earlier. Profit was down as high commodity costs and a China sales slump partially offset strong demand for high-margin pickup trucks and sport-utility vehicles in North America. The company said it still expects full-year earnings per share in a range of $1.30 to $1.50, indicating it sees a fourth-quarter profit in the range of 31 to 51 cents a share. Analysts expect a fourth-quarter profit of 31 cents.
• Merck & Co Inc (MRK). The U.S. drugmaker posted a third-quarter profit, compared with a loss a year earlier, helped by strong demand for its blockbuster immunotherapy Keytruda and the drug's dominance as an initial treatment for advanced lung cancer.The company reported net income of $1.95 billion, or 73 cents per share, in the third quarter, compared with a loss of $56 million, or 2 cents per share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 4.5 percent to $10.79 billion.
• Microsoft Corp (MSFT). The company beat Wall Street estimates for revenue and profit in its first quarter on Wednesday, as more businesses signed up for its Azure cloud computing services and Office 365 software. Revenue from Microsoft's personal computing division, its largest by revenue, rose 14.6 percent to $10.75 billion. Microsoft forecast strong revenue for that division in the holiday quarter, of $12.8 billion to $13.2 billion. Net income rose to $8.82 billion, or $1.14 per share, in the quarter ended Sept. 30 from $6.58 billion, or 84 cents per share, a year earlier.
• Nokia Oyj (NOK). The Telecom network equipment maker kicked off a new cost-cutting programme and repeated an ambitious profit forecast, saying operators' demand for next-generation 5G networks would pick up pace in the remainder of the year.The Finnish firm, which also reported a drop in quarterly profit, said it was targeting annual cost savings of 700 million euros by the end of 2020, without elaborating on the scale of expected job reductions. Nokia's operating profit in the third quarter fell 27 percent from a year ago to 487 million euros broadly in line with analysts' mean forecast in a Reuters poll of 492 million euros.
• Southwest Airlines Co (LUV). The company reported a 16.5 percent increase in third-quarter profit as robust travel demand and lower U.S. federal taxes helped the airline offset rising fuel costs. The fourth-largest U.S. airline by passenger traffic said it expects fourth-quarter unit revenue - a closely watched performance measure that compares sales to flight capacity - to rise 1 to 2 percent.The Dallas, Texas-based airline said net income rose to $615 million, or $1.08 per share, in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with $528 million, or 88 cents per share, a year earlier.
• Shopify Inc (SHOP). The company reported a 58 percent jump in revenue as it benefited from growth in its subscription and merchant segments. Revenue rose to $270.1 million from $171.5 million. The company, which helps e-commerce companies build their online stores, said net loss widened to $23.2 million, or 22 cents per share, in the third quarter ended Sept. 30, from $9.4 million, or 9 cents per share, a year earlier.
• Tesla Inc (TSLA). The company reported a net profit, positive cash flow and wider-than-expected margins for the latest quarter on Wednesday, delivering on Chief Executive Elon Musk's promise to turn the electric carmaker profitable as higher production volumes of its new Model 3 began to pay off. Total revenue more than doubled to $6.82 billion, beating analysts' average estimate of $6.33 billion, according to Refinitiv data. Tesla reported a profit of $311.5 million, or $1.75 per share, for the third quarter ended Sept. 30, compared with a loss of $619.4 million, or $3.70 per share, a year earlier. Separately, Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk said the electric carmaker's new Model 3 will be available in Australia and the UK around the middle of next year.
• Teck Resources Ltd (TCK). The diversified miner reported a near 23 percent drop in third-quarter adjusted earnings as prices for the Canadian company's main products fell in the quarter. Teck said adjusted profit fell to C$466 million, or C$0.81 per share, during July-September, from C$605 million, or C$1.05 per share, a year earlier. Revenue rose 4.4 percent to C$3.21 billion from a year earlier, the company said.
• Twitter Inc (TWTR). The company reported a larger-than-expected decline in monthly users in the third quarter, its second straight quarterly drop, and predicted the figure will fall again in the current period. Quarterly advertising revenue jumped 29 percent from a year earlier to $650 million. That helped push revenue up 29 percent from a year earlier to $758 million, handily beating the average analyst estimate $702.6 million. The company reported adjusted profit of 21 cents per share, beating the average forecast of 14 cents.
• Valero Energy Corp (VLO). The Independent U.S. refiner reported a small rise in its third-quarter profit, as its expenses dropped and it processed more crude. Net income attributable to the company's shareholders rose to $856 million, or $2.01 per share, in the third quarter, from $841 million, or $1.91 per share, a year earlier. Total revenue rose to $30.85 billion from $23.56 billion.
• Visa Inc (V). The company topped Wall Street estimates for quarterly profit on Wednesday, as the world's largest payments network benefited from higher credit- and debit-card spending in a strengthening U.S. economy. Visa's net income rose to $2.85 billion in the fourth quarter ended Sept. 30, from $2.14 billion a year earlier. The company’s total payments volume jumped 11 percent in the quarter ended September, while the number of processed transactions rose 12 percent.
• Whirlpool Corp (WHR). The home appliances maker was able to counter costs arising from trade tariffs by raising prices, helping it beat Wall Street estimates for quarterly profit and driving its shares 7 percent higher on Wednesday. Whirlpool lifted the lower end of its 2018 adjusted earnings forecast range to $14.50 per share from $14.20. It kept the higher end unchanged at $14.80. Net earnings available to Whirlpool fell to $210 million from $276 million a year earlier. In the third quarter ended September, Whirlpool sold more of those higher-priced products, thanks to rising consumer spending on durable goods in a strengthening U.S. economy, helping outweigh the impact of tariffs to its costs.

IPO

• StoneCo Ltd (STNE). The Brazilian credit card processor priced its initial public offering above its initially suggested price range, raising $1.5 billion, one person with knowledge of the matter said. Strong demand allowed the company to sell its shares at $24, above the range of $21-$23, and raise the total amount of shares, the person added, asking for anonymity to discuss the deal details. StoneCo and its shareholders had initially expected to raise up to $1.1 billion. Moves • BT Group Plc (BT). The company appointed Worldpay co-CEO Philip Jansen as its new chief executive, ending months of speculation about who would be chosen to tackle a host of problems at Britain's biggest broadband and mobile provider. Jansen will be appointed to the board as an executive director on Jan. 1 before taking over from Patterson at the start of February. Jansen will be paid 1.1 million pounds a year along with a cash allowance in lieu of pension of 15 percent of salary and an annual bonus of up to 240 percent of salary subject to performance. In Other News • American Airlines Group Inc (AAL). The company on Wednesday said flight 257 bound for Mexico City from Miami has been cleared after a security concern and "will be reboarding momentarily". • Amgen Inc (AMGN). The company looking to boost use of its potent cholesterol drug Repatha, has cut the medication's U.S. list price by 60 percent to $5,850, the biotechnology company said on Wednesday. The new $5,850 price is in line with the current net price Amgen gets after discounts and rebates to pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) and health insurers, said Amgen spokeswoman Kristen Davis.
• Bank of America Corp (BAC). Top executives at the company, including Chief Executive Officer Brian Moynihan, made a surprise appearance at a gathering of the bank's senior dealmakers on Tuesday in an effort to boost morale, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters. Moynihan, Chief Financial Officer Paul Donofrio and Chief Operating Officer Tom Montag assured those attending a gathering for managing directors in Bank of America's investment bank that they had the full support of senior leadership and the broader organization, said the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
• Broadcom Inc (AVGO). The company is facing antitrust scrutiny from the European Union over the possible use of its market dominance to pressure customers to buy its semiconductors, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday. The preliminary inquiry by the EU focuses on Broadcom's sales of chips in set-top box hardware used by the cable and satellite industry, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter and a questionnaire issued by the European Commission.
• Chevron Corp (CVX).N The company will spend about $163 million to settle claims by the U.S. government and the state of Mississippi that it violated provisions of the Clean Air Act when its refineries accidentally released hazardous chemicals, the U.S. Justice Department said on Wednesday.
• Facebook Inc (FB). The UK chiefs of Microsoft, Facebook and Google met with British government ministers in London on Wednesday to seek assurances over the impact of a no-deal Brexit on jobs and investment, the Telegraph reported on Wednesday. The executives used the meeting to express concern over the potential impact on staff visas, rules on data sharing and UK research and education, the report said. Separately, Britain's information regulator upheld a small but symbolic 500,000 pound ($645,000) fine for Facebook for breaches of data protection law related to the harvesting of data by consultancy Cambridge Analytica.
• Hilton Worldwide Holdings Inc (HLT). Activist investor William Ackman's Pershing Square Capital Management has acquired a 3.7 percent stake in Hilton, the fund said. The activist fund said that the 10.9 million Hilton shares purchased represent about 13.9 percent of the net asset value of Pershing Square.
• Pioneer Natural Resources Co (PXD). The company on Wednesday warned investors that it expected a $135 million hit to earnings during the third quarter due to losses on oil hedges, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
• Verizon Communications Inc (VZ).N The company said on Wednesday it will spend $25 million to update its network in Florida's Panhandle, an area hard-hit by service outages after Hurricane Michael. Verizon said the $25 million network technology upgrade would be largely spent in 2019.
• Wells Fargo & Co (WFC). The company said on Wednesday it put two executives on leave in connection with ongoing regulatory reviews into the bank’s retail sales practices.Chief Administration Officer Hope Hardison and Chief Auditor David Julian have begun leaves of absence and will no longer be members of the bank’s operating committee, the bank said.
• WPP PLC (WPP). The company lost a fifth of its market value after a major downturn at its creative agencies in New York and London forced it to cut its sales and profit forecasts, ramping up the pressure on new boss Mark Read. The share fall wiped 2.8 billion pounds ($3.6 billion) off WPP's market capitalisation, taking the stock to a six-year low. WPP also said that Finance Director Paul Richardson would step down after 22 years in the role.

Each day, Apollo’s fiery chariot makes its way across the sky, bringing life-giving light to the planet. For the ancient Greeks and Romans, Apollo was the god of medicine and healing as well as of sun and light—but Apollo could bring sickness as well as cure. Today’s scientists have come to a similarly dichotomous recognition that exposure to the ultraviolet radiation (UVR) in sunlight has both beneficial and deleterious effects on human health.
Most public health messages of the past century have focused on the hazards of too much sun exposure. UVA radiation (95–97% of the UVR that reaches Earth’s surface) penetrates deeply into the skin, where it can contribute to skin cancer indirectly via generation of DNA-damaging molecules such as hydroxyl and oxygen radicals. Sunburn is caused by too much UVB radiation; this form also leads to direct DNA damage and promotes various skin cancers. Both forms can damage collagen fibers, destroy vitamin A in skin, accelerate aging of the skin, and increase the risk of skin cancers. Excessive sun exposure can also cause cataracts and diseases aggravated by UVR-induced immunosuppression such as reactivation of some latent viruses.
However, excessive UVR exposure accounts for only 0.1% of the total global burden of disease in disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), according to the 2006 World Health Organization (WHO) report The Global Burden of Disease Due to Ultraviolet Radiation. DALYs measure how much a person’s expectancy of healthy life is reduced by premature death or disability caused by disease. Coauthor Robyn Lucas, an epidemiologist at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health in Canberra, Australia, explains that many diseases linked to excessive UVR exposure tend to be relatively benign—apart from malignant melanoma—and occur in older age groups, due mainly to the long lag between exposure and manifestation, the requirement of cumulative exposures, or both. Therefore, when measuring by DALYs, these diseases incur a relatively low disease burden despite their high prevalence.
In contrast, the same WHO report noted that a markedly larger annual disease burden of 3.3 billion DALYs worldwide might result from very low levels of UVR exposure. This burden subsumes major disorders of the musculoskeletal system and possibly an increased risk of various autoimmune diseases and life-threatening cancers.
The best-known benefit of sunlight is its ability to boost the body’s vitamin D supply; most cases of vitamin D deficiency are due to lack of outdoor sun exposure. At least 1,000 different genes governing virtually every tissue in the body are now thought to be regulated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25[OH]D), the active form of the vitamin, including several involved in calcium metabolism and neuromuscular and immune system functioning.
Although most of the health-promoting benefits of sun exposure are thought to occur through vitamin D photosynthesis, there may be other health benefits that have gone largely overlooked in the debate over how much sun is needed for good health [see “Other Sun-Dependent Pathways,” p. A165]. As for what constitutes “excessive” UVR exposure, there is no one-size-fits-all answer, says Lucas: “‘Excessive’ really means inappropriately high for your skin type under a particular level of ambient UVR.”
Vitamin D Production
Unlike other essential vitamins, which must be obtained from food, vitamin D can be synthesized in the skin through a photosynthetic reaction triggered by exposure to UVB radiation. The efficiency of production depends on the number of UVB photons that penetrate the skin, a process that can be curtailed by clothing, excess body fat, sunscreen, and the skin pigment melanin. For most white people, a half-hour in the summer sun in a bathing suit can initiate the release of 50,000 IU (1.25 mg) vitamin D into the circulation within 24 hours of exposure; this same amount of exposure yields 20,000–30,000 IU in tanned individuals and 8,000–10,000 IU in dark-skinned people.
The initial photosynthesis produces vitamin D3, most of which undergoes additional transformations, starting with the production of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D), the major form of vitamin D circulating in the bloodstream and the form that is routinely measured to determine a person’s vitamin D status. Although various cell types within the skin can carry out this transformation locally, the conversion takes place primarily in the liver. Another set of transformations occurs in the kidney and other tissues, forming 1,25(OH)D. This form of the vitamin is actually a hormone, chemically akin to the steroid hormones.
1,25(OH)D accumulates in cell nuclei of the intestine, where it enhances calcium and phosphorus absorption, controlling the flow of calcium into and out of bones to regulate bone-calcium metabolism. Michael Holick, a medical professor and director of the Bone Health Care Clinic at Boston University Medical Center, says, “The primary physiologic function of vitamin D is to maintain serum calcium and phosphorous levels within the normal physiologic range to support most metabolic functions, neuromuscular transmission, and bone mineralization.”
Without sufficient vitamin D, bones will not form properly. In children, this causes rickets, a disease characterized by growth retardation and various skeletal deformities, including the hallmark bowed legs. More recently, there has been a growing appreciation for vitamin D’s impact on bone health in adults. In August 2007, the Agency for Health Care Policy and Research published Effectiveness and Safety of Vitamin D in Relation to Bone Health, a systematic review of 167 studies that found “fair evidence” of an association between circulating 25(OH)D concentrations and either increased bone-mineral density or reduced falls in older people (a result of strengthened muscles as well as strengthened bones). “Low vitamin D levels will precipitate and exacerbate osteoporosis in both men and women and cause the painful bone disease osteomalacia,” says Holick.
Evolution of the Great Solar Debate
In the 2002 book Bone Loss and Osteoporosis in Past Populations: An Anthropological Perspective, Reinhold Vieth, a nutrition professor at the University of Toronto, writes that early primates probably acquired their relatively high vitamin D requirements from frequent grooming and ingestion of oils rich in vitamin D precursors that were secreted by their skin onto their fur. The first humans evolved in equatorial Africa, where the direct angle of sunlight delivers very strong UVR most of the year. The gradual loss of protective fur may have created evolutionary pressure to develop deeply pigmented skin to avoid photodegradation of micronutrients and protect sweat glands from UVR-induced injury.
In the July 2000 issue of the Journal of Human Evolution, California Academy of Sciences anthropologists Nina Jablonski and George Chaplin wrote that because dark skin requires about five to six times more solar exposure than pale skin for equivalent vitamin D photosynthesis, and because the intensity of UVB radiation declines with increasing latitude, one could surmise that skin lightening was an evolutionary adaptation that allowed for optimal survival in low-UVR climes, assuming a traditional diet and outdoor lifestyle. Cooler temperatures in these higher latitudes resulted in the need for more clothing and shelter, further reducing UVR exposure. With shorter winter days and insufficient solar radiation in the UVB wavelengths needed to stimulate vitamin D synthesis, dietary sources such as fatty fish became increasingly important.
Over time, clothing became the norm in higher latitudes and then eventually a social attribute in many societies. By the 1600s, peoples in these regions covered their whole body, even in summertime. Many children who lived in the crowded and polluted industrialized cities of northern Europe developed rickets. By the late 1800s, approximately 90% of all children living in industrialized Europe and North America had some manifestations of the disease, according to estimates based on autopsy studies of the day cited by Holick in the August 2006 Journal of Clinical Investigation and the October 2007 American Journal of Public Health.
Doctors throughout Europe and North America began promoting whole-body sun-bathing to help prevent rickets. It was also recognized that wintertime sunlight in the temperate zone was too feeble to prevent rickets. For this reason, many children were exposed to UVR from a mercury or carbon arc lamp for one hour three times a week, which proved to be an effective preventive measure and treatment.
Around the time the solar solution to rickets gained widespread traction in medical circles, another historic scourge, tuberculosis (TB), was also found to respond to solar intervention. TB patients of all ages were sent to rest in sunny locales and generally returned in good health. Dermatology professor Barbara A. Gilchrest of Boston University School of Medicine says that, whereas sun exposure was shown to improve cutaneous TB, sanatorium patients with pulmonary TB likely responded as much or more to rest and good nutrition than to UVR. Nevertheless, a meta-analysis published in the February 2008 International Journal of Epidemiology found that high vitamin D levels reduce the risk of active TB (i.e., TB showing clinical symptoms) by 32%.
Almost overnight, as awareness of the sun’s power against rickets and TB spread, attitudes toward sun exposure underwent a radical shift. The suntan became valued in the Western world as a new status symbol that signified both health and wealth, as only the affluent could afford to vacation by the sea and play outdoor sports. Phototherapy quickly emerged as a popular medical treatment not only for TB, but also for rheumatic disorders, diabetes, gout, chronic ulcers, and wounds. The “healthy tan” was in, and “sickly-looking” pale skin was out.
Cancer: Cause, Protection, or Both?
The first reports of an association between sun exposure and skin cancer began to surface in dermatology publications in the late nineteenth century. Nevertheless, it was not until the 1930s that the U.S. Public Health Service began issuing warnings about sun-related health risks. People were cautioned to avoid the midday summer sun, cover their heads in direct sunlight, and gradually increase the time of sun exposure from an initial 5–10 minutes per day to minimize the risk of sunburn.
In the decades that followed, the skin cancer hazards of excessive sun exposure would be extensively studied and mapped. Today, the three main forms of skin cancer—melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma—are largely attributed to excessive UVR exposure. Skin cancers became the most common form of cancer worldwide, especially among groups such as white residents of Australia and New Zealand.
When atmospheric scientists first called attention to possible chemical destruction of the stratospheric ozone layer in the early 1970s, one predicted consequence of the increased UVB radiation was a rise in skin cancer rates, especially in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Latin America. To counter this threat, the WHO, the United Nations Environment Programme, the World Meteorological Organization, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, and the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection established INTERSUN, the Global UV Project, with the express goal of reducing the burden of UVR-related disease. INTERSUN activities have included the development of an internationally recognized UV Index to help frame sun protection messages related to the daily intensity of UVR. [For more information on these activities, see “WHO Ultraviolet Radiation Website,” p. A157 this issue.]
Australia was among the first countries to spearhead large-scale sun protection programs, with the Slip-Slop-Slap initiative (short for “slip on a shirt, slop on some sun-screen, and slap on a hat”) introduced in the early 1980s. “This program and the subsequent SunSmart campaign have been highly effective in informing Australians of the risks and providing clear, practical instructions as to how to avoid excessive UVR exposure,” says Lucas. As a result of increased use of hats, sunscreen, and shade, the incidence of malignant melanoma has begun to plateau in Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and Northern Europe among some age groups. However, because other UVR-induced skin cancers typically take longer than melanoma to develop, their incidence rates continue to rise in most developed countries. Lucas says a gradual improvement in these rates is to be expected as well.
Whereas skin cancer is associated with too much UVR exposure, other cancers could result from too little. Living at higher latitudes increases the risk of dying from Hodgkin lymphoma, as well as breast, ovarian, colon, pancreatic, prostate, and other cancers, as compared with living at lower latitudes. A randomized clinical trial by Joan Lappe, a medical professor at Creighton University, and colleagues, published in the June 2007 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, confirmed that taking 2–4 times the daily dietary reference intake of 200–600 IU vitamin D3 and calcium resulted in a 50–77% reduction in expected incidence rates of all cancers combined over a four-year period in post-menopausal women living in Nebraska.
Moreover, although excessive sun exposure is an established risk factor for cutaneous malignant melanoma, continued high sun exposure was linked with increased survival rates in patients with early-stage melanoma in a study reported by Marianne Berwick, an epidemiology professor at the University of New Mexico, in the February 2005 Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Holick also points out that most melanomas occur on the least sun-exposed areas of the body, and occupational exposure to sunlight actually reduced melanoma risk in a study reported in the June 2003 Journal of Investigative Dermatology.
Other Health Links
Various studies have linked low 25(OH)D levels to diseases other than cancer, raising the possibility that vitamin D insufficiency is contributing to many major illnesses. For example, there is substantial though not definitive evidence that high levels of vitamin D either from diet or from UVR exposure may decrease the risk of developing multiple sclerosis (MS). Populations at higher latitudes have a higher incidence and prevalence of MS; a review in the December 2002 issue of Toxicology by epidemiology professor Anne-Louise Ponsonby and colleagues from The Australian National University revealed that living at a latitude above 37° increased the risk of developing MS throughout life by greater than 100%.
Still to be resolved, however, is the question of what levels of vitamin D are optimal for preventing the disease—and whether the statistical associations reflect different gene pools rather than different levels of 25(OH)D. (Interestingly, Holick reported in the August 1988 issue of The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism that no previtamin D3 formed when human skin was exposed to sunlight on cloudless days in Boston, at 42.2°N, from November through February or in Edmonton, at 52°N, from October through March.)
“Scientific evidence on specific effects of vitamin D in preventing MS or slowing its progression is not sufficient,” says Alberto Ascherio, a nutritional epidemiologist at the Harvard School of Public Health. “Nevertheless, considering the safety of vitamin D even in high doses, there is no clear contraindication, and because vitamin D deficiency is very prevalent, especially among MS patients, taking vitamin D supplements and getting moderate sun exposure is more likely to be beneficial than not.”
As with MS, there appears to be a latitudinal gradient for type 1 diabetes, with a higher incidence at higher latitudes. A Swedish epidemiologic study published in the December 2006 issue of Diabetologia found that sufficient vitamin D status in early life was associated with a lower risk of developing type 1 diabetes. Nonobese mice of a strain predisposed to develop type 1 diabetes showed an 80% reduced risk of developing the disease when they received a daily dietary dose of 1,25(OH)D, according to research published in the June 1994 issue of the same journal. And a Finnish study published 3 November 2001 in The Lancet showed that children who received 2,000 IU vitamin D per day from 1 year of age on had an 80% decreased risk of developing type 1 diabetes later in life, whereas children who were vitamin D deficient had a fourfold increased risk. Researchers are now seeking to understand how much UVvitamin D is needed to lower the risk of diabetes and whether this is a factor only in high-risk groups.
There is also a connection with metabolic syndrome, a cluster of conditions that increases one’s risk for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. A study in the September 2006 issue of Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology demonstrated that in young and elderly adults, serum 25(OH)D was inversely correlated with blood glucose concentrations and insulin resistance. Some studies have demonstrated high prevalence of low vitamin D levels in people with type 2 diabetes, although it is not clear whether this is a cause of the disease or an effect of another causative factor—for example, lower levels of physical activity (in this case, outdoor activity in particular).
People living at higher latitudes throughout the world are at higher risk of hypertension, and patients with cardiovascular disease are often found to be deficient in vitamin D, according to research by Harvard Medical School professor Thomas J. Wang and colleagues in the 29 January 2008 issue of Circulation. “Although the exact mechanisms are poorly understood, it is known that 1,25(OH)D is among the most potent hormones for down-regulating the blood pressure hormone renin in the kidneys,” says Holick. “Moreover, there is an inflammatory component to atherosclerosis, and vascular smooth muscle cells have a vitamin D receptor and relax in the presence of 1,25(OH)D, suggesting a multitude of mechanisms by which vitamin D may be cardioprotective.”
To determine the potential link betwen sun exposure and the protective effect in preventing hypertension, Rolfdieter Krause of the Free University of Berlin Department of Natural Medicine and colleagues exposed a group of hypertensive adults to a tanning bed that emitted full-spectrum UVR similar to summer sunlight. Another group of hypertensive adults was exposed to a tanning bed that emitted UVA-only radiation similar to winter sunlight. After three months, those who used the full-spectrum tanning bed had an average 180% increase in their 25(OH)D levels and an average 6 mm Hg decrease in their systolic and diastolic blood pressures, bringing them into the normal range. In constrast, the group that used the UVA-only tanning bed showed no change in either 25(OH)D or blood pressure. These results were published in the 29 August 1998 issue of The Lancet. According to Krause, who currently heads the Heliotherapy Research Group at the Medical University of Berlin, a serum 25(OH)D level of at least 40 ng/mL should be adequate to protect against hypertension and other forms of cardiovascular disease (as well as cancers of the prostate and colon).
William Grant, who directs the Sunlight, Nutrition, and Health Research Center, a research and education organization based in San Francisco, suspects that sun exposure and higher 25(OH)D levels may confer protection against other illnesses such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), asthma, and infectious diseases. “Vitamin D induces cathelicidin, a polypeptide that effectively combats both bacterial and viral infections,” Grant says. “This mechanism explains much of the seasonality of such viral infections as influenza, bronchitis, and gastroenteritis, and bacterial infections such as tuberculosis and septicemia.” For example, RA is more severe in winter, when 25(OH)D levels tend to be lower, and is also more prevalent in the higher latitudes. In addition, 25(OH)D levels are inversely associated with the clinical status of RA patients, and greater intake of vitamin D has been linked with lower RA risk, as reported in January 2004 in Arthritis & Rheumatism.
Some reports, including an article in the October–December 2007 issue of Acta Medica Indonesiana, indicate that sufficient 1,25(OH)D inhibits induction of disease in RA, collagen-induced arthritis, Lyme arthritis, autoimmune encephalomyelitis, thyroiditis, inflammatory bowel disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Nonetheless, interventional data are lacking for most autoimmune disorders and infectious diseases, with the exception of TB.
How Much Is Enough?
Gilchrest points out a problem with the literature: “Everyone recommends something different, depending on the studies with which they are most aligned. One study reports an increased risk of prostate cancer for men with 25(OH)D levels above 90 ng/mL, for example.” In the June 2007 Lappe article, she notes, subjects in the control “high-risk” unsupplemented group had 25(OH)D levels of 71 nmol/L and the supplemented group had levels of 96 nmol/L.
Nevertheless, given the epidemiologic backdrop described above, there are now calls to rethink sun exposure policy or to promote vitamin D supplementation in higher-risk populations. Such groups include pregnant or breastfeeding women (these states draw upon a mother’s own reserves of vitamin D), the elderly, and those who must avoid the sun. Additionally, solely breastfed infants whose mothers were vitamin D deficient during pregnancy have smaller reserves of the nutrient and are at greater risk of developing rickets. Even in the sun-rich environment of the Middle East, insufficient vitamin D is a severe problem among breast-fed infants of women who wear a burqa (a traditional garment that covers the body from head to foot), as reported in the February 2003 Journal of Pediatrics.
Several recent reports indicate an increase in rickets particularly among breastfed black infants, though white babies also are increasingly at risk. A study in the February 2007 Journal of Nutrition concluded that black and white pregnant women and neonates in the northern United States are at high risk of vitamin D insufficiency, even when mothers take prenatal vitamins (which typically provide 100–400 IU vitamin D3). Studies by Bruce Hollis, director of pediatric nutritional sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina, and colleagues suggest that a maternal vitamin D3 intake of 4,000 IU per day is safe and sufficient to ensure adequate vitamin D status for both mother and nursing infant.
These days, most experts define vitamin D deficiency as a serum 25(OH)D level of less than 20 ng/mL. Holick and others assert that levels of 29 ng/mL or lower can be considered to indicate a relative insufficiency of vitamin D. Using this scale and considering various epidemiologic studies, an estimated 1 billion people worldwide have vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency, says Holick, who adds, “According to several studies, some forty to one hundred percent of the U.S. and European elderly men and women still living in the community [that is, not in nursing homes] are vitamin D deficient.” Holick asserts that a large number of infants, children, adolescents, and postmenopausal women also are vitamin D insufficient. “These individuals have no apparent skeletal or calcium metabolism abnormalities but may be at much higher risk of developing various diseases,” Holick says.
In the context of inadequate sunlight or vitamin D insufficiency, some scientists worry that the emphasis on preventing skin cancers tends to obscure the much larger mortality burden posed by more life-threatening cancers such as lung, colon, and breast cancers. Many studies have shown that cancer-related death rates decline as one moves toward the lower latitudes (between 37°N and 37°S), and that the levels of ambient UVR in different municipalities correlate inversely with cancer death rates there. “As you head from north to south, you may find perhaps two or three extra deaths [per hundred thousand people] from skin cancer,” says Vieth. “At the same time, though, you’ll find thirty or forty fewer deaths for the other major cancers. So when you estimate the number of deaths likely to be attributable to UV light or vitamin D, it does is not appear to be the best policy to advise people to simply keep out of the sun just to prevent skin cancer.”
To maximize protection against cancer, Grant recommends raising 25(OH)D levels to between 40 and 60 ng/mL. Research such as that described in Holick’s August 2006 Journal of Clinical Investigation article indicates that simply keeping the serum level above 20 ng/mL could reduce the risk of cancer by as much as 30–50%.
Cedric F. Garland, a medical professor at the University of California, San Diego, says that maintaining a serum level of 55–60 ng/mL may reduce the breast cancer rate in temperate regions by half, and that incidence of many other cancers would be similarly reduced as well. He calls this “the single most important action that could be taken by society to reduce the incidence of cancer in North America and Europe, beyond not smoking.” Moreover, these levels could be readily achieved by consuming no more than 2,000 IU/day of vitamin D3 at a cost of less than $20 per year and, unless there are contraindications to sunlight exposure, spending a few minutes outdoors (3–15 minutes for whites and 15–30 minutes for blacks) when the sun is highest in the sky, with 40% of the skin area exposed.
Holick, Vieth, and many other experts now make a similar daily recommendation: 4,000 IU vitamin D3 without sun exposure or 2,000 IU plus 12–15 minutes of midday sun. They say this level is quite safe except for sun-sensitive individuals or those taking medications that increase photosensitivity.
Gilchrest says some sunlight enters the skin even through a high-SPF sunscreen, so people can maximize their dermal vitamin D production by spending additional time outdoors while wearing protection. “Without the sunscreen, this same individual would be incurring substantially more damage to her skin but not further increasing her vitamin D level,” she says.
Creating a Balanced Message
A growing number of scientists are concerned that efforts to protect the public from excessive UVR exposure may be eclipsing recent research demonstrating the diverse health-promoting benefits of UVR exposure. Some argue that the health benefits of UVB radiation seem to outweigh the adverse effects, and that the risks can be minimized by carefully managing UVR exposure (e.g., by avoiding sunburn), as well as by increasing one’s intake of dietary antioxidants and limiting dietary fat and caloric intake. Antioxidants including polyphenols, apigenin, curcumin, proanthocyanidins, resveratrol, and silymarin have shown promise in laboratory studies in protecting against UVR-induced skin cancer, perhaps through antimutagenic or immune-modulating mechanisms.
Central to the emerging debate is the issue of how to best construct public health messages that highlight the pros and cons of sun exposure in a balanced way. Such messages must necessarily take into account variations in skin pigmentation between groups and these groups’ differing susceptibilities to the dangers and benefits of sun exposure. Moreover, says Patricia Alpert, a nursing professor at the University of Las Vegas, age matters. “The elderly [have a] declining capacity to make vitamin D,” she says. “Many elderly, especially those living in nursing homes, are vitamin D deficient, [even] those living in areas considered to have adequate sunshine.”
Many experts are now recommending a middle-ground approach that focuses on modest sun exposures. Gilchrest says the American Academy of Dermatology and most dermatologists currently suggest sun protection in combination with vitamin D supplementation as a means of minimizing the risk of both skin cancer and internal cancers. Furthermore, brief, repeated exposures are more efficient at producing vitamin D. “Longer sun exposures cause further sun damage to skin and increase the risk of photo-aging and skin cancer, but do not increase vitamin D production,” she explains.
Lucas adds that people should use sun protection when the UV Index is more than 3. As part of Australia’s SunSmart program, “UV Alerts” are announced in newspapers throughout the country whenever the index is forecast to be 3 or higher. “Perhaps,” she says, “this practice should be extended to other nations as well.” U.S.
In the near future, vitamin D and health guidelines regarding sun exposure may need to be revised. But many factors not directly linked to sun protection will also need to be taken into account. “Current observations of widespread vitamin D insufficiency should not be attributed only to sun protection strategies,” says Lucas. “Over the same period there is a trend to an increasingly indoor lifestyle, associated with technological advances such as television, computers, and video games.” She says sun-safe messages remain important—possibly more so than ever before—to protect against the potentially risky high-dose intermittent sun exposure that people who stay indoors may be most likely to incur.
Serotonin, Melatonin, and Daylight
As diurnal creatures, we humans are programmed to be outdoors while the sun is shining and home in bed at night. This is why melatonin is produced during the dark hours and stops upon optic exposure to daylight. This pineal hormone is a key pacesetter for many of the body’s circadian rhythms. It also plays an important role in countering infection, inflammation, cancer, and auto-immunity, according to a review in the May 2006 issue of Current Opinion in Investigational Drugs. Finally, melatonin suppresses UVR-induced skin damage, according to research in the July 2005 issue of Endocrine.
When people are exposed to sunlight or very bright artificial light in the morning, their nocturnal melatonin production occurs sooner, and they enter into sleep more easily at night. Melatonin production also shows a seasonal variation relative to the availability of light, with the hormone produced for a longer period in the winter than in the summer. The melatonin rhythm phase advancement caused by exposure to bright morning light has been effective against insomnia, premenstrual syndrome, and seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
The melatonin precursor, serotonin, is also affected by exposure to daylight. Normally produced during the day, serotonin is only converted to melatonin in darkness. Whereas high melatonin levels correspond to long nights and short days, high serotonin levels in the presence of melatonin reflect short nights and long days (i.e., longer UVR exposure). Moderately high serotonin levels result in more positive moods and a calm yet focused mental outlook. Indeed, SAD has been linked with low serotonin levels during the day as well as with a phase delay in nighttime melatonin production. It was recently found that mammalian skin can produce serotonin and transform it into melatonin, and that many types of skin cells express receptors for both serotonin and melatonin.
With our modern-day penchant for indoor activity and staying up well past dusk, nocturnal melatonin production is typically far from robust. “The light we get from being outside on a summer day can be a thousand times brighter than we’re ever likely to experience indoors,” says melatonin researcher Russel J. Reiter of the University of Texas Health Science Center. “For this reason, it’s important that people who work indoors get outside periodically, and moreover that we all try to sleep in total darkness. This can have a major impact on melatonin rhythms and can result in improvements in mood, energy, and sleep quality.”
For people in jobs in which sunlight exposure is limited, full-spectrum lighting may be helpful. Sunglasses may further limit the eyes’ access to full sunlight, thereby altering melatonin rhythms. Going shades-free in the daylight, even for just 10–15 minutes, could confer significant health benefits.
Other Sun-Dependent Pathways
The sun may be best known for boosting production of vitamin D, but there are many other UVR-mediated effects independent of this pathway.
Direct immune suppression. Exposure to both UVA and UVB radiation can have direct immunosuppressive effects through upregulation of cytokines (TNF-α and IL-10) and increased activity of T regulatory cells that remove self-reactive T cells. These mechanisms may help prevent autoimmune diseases.
Alpha melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH). Upon exposure to sunshine, melanocytes and keratinocytes in the skin release α-MSH, which has been implicated in immunologic tolerance and suppression of contact hypersensitivity. α-MSH also helps limit oxidative DNA damage resulting from UVR and increases gene repair, thus reducing melanoma risk, as reported 15 May 2005 in Cancer Research.
Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). Released in response to both UVA and UVB exposure, this potent neuropeptide modulates a number of cytokines and is linked with impaired induction of immunity and the development of immunologic tolerance. According to a report in the September 2007 issue of Photochemistry and Photobiology, mast cells (which mediate hypersensitivity reactions) play a critical role in CGRP-mediated immune suppression. This could help explain sunlight’s efficacy in treating skin disorders such as psoriasis.
Neuropeptide substance P. Along with CGRP, this neuropeptide is released from sensory nerve fibers in the skin following UVR exposure. This results in increased lymphocyte proliferation and chemotaxis (chemically mediated movement) but may also produce local immune suppression.
Endorphins. UVR increases blood levels of natural opiates called endorphins. Melanocytes in human skin express a fully functioning endorphin receptor system, according to the June 2003 Journal of Investigative Dermatology, and a study published 24 November 2005 in Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology suggests that the cutaneous pigmentary system is an important stress-response element of the skin.
Research Challenges
Growing evidence of the beneficial effects of UVR exposure has challenged the sun-protection paradigm that has prevailed for decades. Before a sun-exposure policy change occurs, however, we need to know if there is enough evidence to infer a protective effect of sun exposure against various diseases.
Only through well-designed randomized clinical trials can cause-and-effect relationships be established. However, most sunlight-related epidemiologic research to date has relied on observational data that are subject to considerable bias and confounding. Findings from observational studies are far less rigorous and reliable than those of interventional studies. But interventional studies would need to be very large and carried out over several decades (since most UVR-mediated diseases occur later in life). Moreover, it is not at all clear when, over a lifetime, sun exposure/vitamin D is most important. So for now scientists must rely on the results of well-conducted observational analytic studies.
In sunlight-related research, there are two main exposures of interest: vitamin D status, which is measured by the serum 25(OH)D level; and personal UVR dose, which involves three fundamental factors: ambient UVR (a function of latitude, altitude, atmospheric ozone levels, pollution, and time of year), amount of skin exposed (a function of behavioral, cultural, and clothing practices), and skin pigmentation (with dark skin receiving a smaller effective dose to underlying structures than light skin).
When measuring sun exposure at the individual level, many scientists have relied on latitude or ambient UVR of residence. But these measures are fraught with uncertainties. “While ambient UVR varies, . . . so too do a variety of other possible etiological factors, including diet, exposure to infectious agents, temperature, and possibly even physical activity levels,” says Robyn Lucas, an epidemiologist at Australia’s National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health. “Additionally, under any level of ambient UVR, the personal UV dose may vary greatly. In short, there is no real specificity for ambient UVR.”
Researchers also assess history of time in the sun at various ages, history of sunburns, dietary and supplemental vitamin D intake, and other proxy measures. Nonetheless, says Lucas, “there are drawbacks to inferring that a relationship with any proxy for the exposure of interest is a relationship with personal UV dose or vitamin D status.” On the bright side, she adds, our ability to accurately gauge an individual’s UV dose history has been enhanced with the use of silicone rubber casts of the back of subjects’ hands. The fine lines recorded by the cast provide an objective measure of cumulative sun damage.

Period: 364.69 days

	Submissions	Comments
Total	1000	59903
Rate (per day)	2.74	163.56
Unique Redditors	429	5225
Combined Score	97913	300009

Top Submitters' Top Submissions

1. 22034 points, 7 submissions: aerowindwalker
   
   1. NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media (21451 points, 1207 comments)
   2. Xi'an's school teacher live streamed the entire class to her students because of the smog (268 points, 78 comments)
   3. Fuck Bank of America (138 points, 89 comments)
   4. So quick background story about One Finger Selfie Challenge (58 points, 40 comments)
   5. Donald Trump hints US support of 'One China' policy may end (42 points, 63 comments)
   6. Everyone Thought Chinese Reality TV Show Star Naomi Kang Was A Hapa (41 points, 42 comments)
   7. Is it just me or a lot of Chinese guys would just hop in front of you in line and start ordering or whatnot as if you werent even there. (36 points, 46 comments)
2. 6383 points, 10 submissions: ChinaHandy
   
   1. My Idiot Coworker: James Does Safety (2841 points, 116 comments)
   2. My Idiot Coworker - James vs The Bathroom (785 points, 72 comments)
   3. James Does Team Building (514 points, 74 comments)
   4. My Idiot Coworker - James vs The Security Guards (474 points, 61 comments)
   5. My Idiot Coworker - James vs Tsingtao (463 points, 75 comments)
   6. My Idiot Coworker - James Does Meetings (408 points, 53 comments)
   7. My Idiot Coworker - James Goes On A Business Trip (395 points, 81 comments)
   8. My idiot coworker (380 points, 85 comments)
   9. A New Year Begins... (82 points, 9 comments)
   10. My Idiot Coworker - First Day with James (41 points, 18 comments)
3. 3511 points, 56 submissions: upads
   
   1. (Translation) ELI5 on how China fucked their own economy, chapter 1 (252 points, 107 comments)
   2. Doctors in China be like (123 points, 68 comments)
   3. A Chinese boat was stopped for fishing illegally in Indonesian waters and was being towed to port when the Chinese Coast Guard invaded Indonesian waters to take it back (114 points, 86 comments)
   4. (Translation) ELI5 on how China fucked their own economy, chapter 4 (with snarky comments) (111 points, 62 comments)
   5. RUN (108 points, 66 comments)
   6. [Rant]I'm sick and tired of people saying GFW is easy to get around with a VPN (96 points, 241 comments)
   7. China Dumps Chemicals to Kill Fish Around Disputed Island to Drive Away Fishermen (96 points, 55 comments)
   8. Oh shit, offshore RMB really is plummeting, 7.25 and still fucking dropping (screenshot attached) (89 points, 23 comments)
   9. Chinese woman uses passport with nine-dash line drawn on it to enter Vietnam, found out someone wrote "fuck you" over their 9 dash line (87 points, 92 comments)
   10. HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT (84 points, 97 comments)
4. 2581 points, 40 submissions: GuessImStuckWithThis
   
   1. Some photos I took over the weekend of probably the most beautiful place I've visited in China (167 points, 41 comments)
   2. Oh China (127 points, 93 comments)
   3. Fifty years on, a former red guard uses her blog to expose the horror of the Cultural Revolution (119 points, 20 comments)
   4. Last night hundreds of people got arrested at a rave in Shenzhen; some being threatened with deportation (105 points, 171 comments)
   5. Panama Papers: China detains lawyer after he shares details of leaders online (102 points, 26 comments)
   6. This will perfectly sum up your next Air China flight (100 points, 51 comments)
   7. TIL that Dyslexia doesn't affect Chinese readers in the same way (92 points, 27 comments)
   8. Tuhao style (82 points, 39 comments)
   9. Just tried to change 2,000 RMB into Taiwanese dollars at the Bank of China and they totally took the piss (81 points, 137 comments)
   10. Chinese activist's family 'taken away' over letter calling for Xi Jinping to quit (80 points, 67 comments)
5. 2330 points, 26 submissions: tan_guan
   
   1. The cover that just got Time blocked in China (286 points, 132 comments)
   2. Henan students take an exam outside in the smog (x-post /HenanPorn) (261 points, 43 comments)
   3. Latest map of Chinese territory (176 points, 55 comments)
   4. Wedding photography gone wrong (148 points, 121 comments)
   5. Newly declassified British embassy cable shows Tiananmen Square massacre was planned in advance (144 points, 116 comments)
   6. Reimburse That $h*t! 可以报销！Fapiao Rap Song (113 points, 18 comments)
   7. The effects of smog on a high speed train (110 points, 58 comments)
   8. 85yo American who took part in the Cultural Revolution does AMA, answers 9 questions. Worst China-related AMA ever. (93 points, 114 comments)
   9. Zuckerberg Shows How Much He Loves China By Running in AQI 337 Air Without a Mask (81 points, 104 comments)
   10. Ignored by police, woman spends 17 years hunting down her husband’s five killers (80 points, 47 comments)
6. 1699 points, 26 submissions: ManiaforBeatles
   
   1. Chinese state media says that Donald Trump as president is what happens if people have democracies (368 points, 303 comments)
   2. China Bars Independence Supporters From Hong Kong Legislature (79 points, 74 comments)
   3. Second British artist accuses China of copying work after statue 'identical' to London sculpture spotted in Shanghai (78 points, 18 comments)
   4. Vancouver slaps $10,000 a year tax on empty homes. Lie about it and it’s $10,000 a day [X-post from /WorldNews] (76 points, 42 comments)
   5. Donald Trump accuses China of 'stealing' US Navy drone in international waters (72 points, 67 comments)
   6. Beijing smog: pollution red alert declared in China capital and 21 other cities - Authorities issue five-day warning and order schools to close, residents to stay indoors and heavy industry to slow or halt production (69 points, 23 comments)
   7. The absurd face of China’s censorship: Bookstore tears out Taiwan page from Webster’s (66 points, 36 comments)
   8. China warns Hong Kong democracy activists after election - BBC News (65 points, 34 comments)
   9. China slams U.S.-South Korea military drills even as it stages naval war games of its own (63 points, 17 comments)
   10. Chinese flags and red scarves spark debate at Vancouver city hall | Critics say they are symbols of communist repression, while supporters defend participation in symbolic event (62 points, 59 comments)
7. 1609 points, 27 submissions: TheDark1
   
   1. Huawei boss in Cambodia crashes car, tries to flee; subsequently, articles about the incident have been disappearing from the Internet (130 points, 56 comments)
   2. Taiwan is a country with history and people. It's not just a diplomatic nuisance. (116 points, 231 comments)
   3. China confirms swimmer Chen Xinyi failed doping test (104 points, 107 comments)
   4. Xi Jinping calls for greater tolerance of criticism online about China’s government ... and comments about his remarks are barred or censored (88 points, 43 comments)
   5. My response to the recent wave of Global Times controversies: Dear GT, it doesn't have to be like this. The clash of cultures is far from inevitable (78 points, 114 comments)
   6. Random Englishman named MARK Horton getting inundated with angry Sun Yang comments; "Luckily I don't speak Mandarin." (77 points, 84 comments)
   7. Dear Global Times, do you really believe that your rant piece "wasn't intended to offend or discriminate against any particular group?" (69 points, 116 comments)
   8. Abayo!: And the world record for worst gig ever goes to... (English man recounts his experience with a Beijing TV studio) (62 points, 54 comments)
   9. Chinese language newspapers in Australia: Beijing controls messaging, propaganda in press (62 points, 34 comments)
   10. Aussie 400m gold medallist slams Chinese swimmer Sun Yang before tense final: he has no 'time or respect for drug cheats' (62 points, 107 comments)
8. 1480 points, 21 submissions: rockyrainy
   
   1. 80% of data in Chinese clinical trials have been fabricated (136 points, 63 comments)
   2. Fujian villager turns down 10,000 RMB, returns giant turtle back to the sea (127 points, 26 comments)
   3. Open Letter asking Xi Jinping to Resign translated into English. (127 points, 95 comments)
   4. Chinese tourists in Thailand going postal on shrimps. (84 points, 135 comments)
   5. Butthurt Chinese players are mass downvoting Endless Legend on Steam in response to the removal of a Chinese language translation mod that links to a pirated copy of the game (82 points, 83 comments)
   6. China completes 16km HSR tunnel uner Qinling Mountains. Chengdu to Xian by train will take 3 hours in 2017 (79 points, 38 comments)
   7. Xiaomi Can Silently Install Any App On Your Android Phone Using A Backdoor (73 points, 60 comments)
   8. 松格玛尼石经城 A Massive Complex Built Out of Tibetan Mani Stone Tablets dating back to the time of the Legendary King Gesar Located in the Middle of Nowhere. (66 points, 13 comments)
   9. Yulin Dog Meat Festival to 狗 ahead despite protests (66 points, 124 comments)
   10. I have created a new sub /China2020 to track the miracles 3 years into the future. (64 points, 25 comments)
9. 1461 points, 16 submissions: lammatthew725
   
   1. Just your usual day in China (249 points, 19 comments)
   2. Whoever says China isn't creative can now go eat shit (172 points, 24 comments)
   3. In chinese, red and purple mean fame and fortune (大紅大紫), so lets start our 2017 working year with some red and purple. (155 points, 21 comments)
   4. Most accurate hazard warning label you can find (107 points, 18 comments)
   5. Good morning people in Beijing (106 points, 91 comments)
   6. 171 ccp members urge Xi to step down. (104 points, 64 comments)
   7. The chabuduo level is over 9000. Shanghai nurse mistakenly gave out abortion drugs to pregnant patients (duphaston vs mifepristone) (96 points, 59 comments)
   8. A notice from Shenzhen police (69 points, 83 comments)
   9. it's that time of a year again.... (64 points, 35 comments)
   10. Nassim Taleb says no to printer asking him to change Taiwan into Taiwan,china in his work. (63 points, 94 comments)
10. 1239 points, 14 submissions: exceptionalaverage
    
    1. China's thoughts on Taiwan calling Trump (290 points, 174 comments)
    2. Chinese tourists in Italian village pick up sea urchins and start eating them. Local fishermen tell them to stop, as they're not fully grown. They don't listen. (118 points, 106 comments)
    3. Wish you weren't here: Thousands of Chinese tourists trapped in Japan after snowstorm get angry and clash with police (116 points, 91 comments)
    4. Trump: Tiananmen square was a "riot", that was put out by a "strong government" (112 points, 139 comments)
    5. Chinese tourists arrested in Australia for urinating in botanic gardens (102 points, 78 comments)
    6. Henan businessman, surnamed Zhou, buys lucky number plate "K88888" for 1 million RMB. Puts it on his cheap minivan. Gets stopped 8 times by police in 1 day for suspected fake licence plate (96 points, 61 comments)
    7. Independent film 'Ten Years' nominated for Hong Kong Film Awards. China subsequently announces the awards show will now NOT be broadcast in mainland China. (89 points, 35 comments)
    8. Chinese media pixellates Taiwanese flag during report on its president (69 points, 45 comments)
    9. Tsinghua Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit forced to close from embarrassing English mistakes. (49 points, 138 comments)
    10. Angry Chinese dump their holiday purchases at airport rather than pay new tax on imported goods (48 points, 87 comments)
11. 1088 points, 16 submissions: chialtism
    
    1. Voting ballot for Mayor of Beijing (146 points, 68 comments)
    2. Chinese Citizen Arrested after wearing "Xitler" shirt critizing Xi Jinping in public [Chinese] (124 points, 65 comments)
    3. Chinese citizens are being arrested for sharing news about the Wukan village rebellion (109 points, 13 comments)
    4. James performing a magic trick (95 points, 27 comments)
    5. China’s plan to organize its society relies on ‘big data’ to rate everyone (73 points, 38 comments)
    6. Chinese military veterans protest in Beijing (67 points, 20 comments)
    7. More details on the Foreigner ABC Classification system (63 points, 101 comments)
    8. In Xinjiang VPNs are classified as "2nd-degree terrorist software" and downloading them is considered as "online terrorist activities". (58 points, 87 comments)
    9. 'No ghosts. No gay love stories. No nudity': tales of film-making in China (56 points, 39 comments)
    10. Beijing's Disturbing Turn Against Personal Freedoms (50 points, 42 comments)
12. 1085 points, 19 submissions: sturle
    
    1. How to Explain Xi Jinping’s Mounting Foreign-Policy Failures (121 points, 79 comments)
    2. Chinese factory worker who suffered 99% burns after falling into boiling pot of soup told by state-run employers ‘to stop treatment and die’ (82 points, 21 comments)
    3. China Gets Worst Ever Score in Global Press Freedom Survey (70 points, 28 comments)
    4. Economist front cover (65 points, 17 comments)
    5. Huawei Just Copied the iPhone—Down to the Last Screw (65 points, 127 comments)
    6. China Just Released True Color HD Photos Of The Moon (63 points, 42 comments)
    7. China Has Unblocked Internet Searches That Refer to Kim Jong Un As a ‘Pig’ (59 points, 19 comments)
    8. U.S. Naval Flight Officer Lt. Cmdr. Edward Lin Accused of Giving U.S. Secrets to China (56 points, 56 comments)
    9. Over 80 Percent of Water Is Polluted in Tested China Wells (56 points, 44 comments)
    10. China’s Censors Denounced in Online Attack (54 points, 69 comments)
13. 797 points, 3 submissions: nerbovig
    
    1. Farewell, China. I'm leaving forever, and I'll never forgive you for the three months of hell you call teaching English, and I'll tell you why... (514 points, 76 comments)
    2. Just another day in China (245 points, 75 comments)
    3. They're calling it "smoke" now. (38 points, 16 comments)
14. 749 points, 11 submissions: allestacious
    
    1. On eve of election day, here is Clinton's last-ditch heart-rendering appeal to Chinese citizens (140 points, 26 comments)
    2. And, you can immediately wash your hands afterwards [NSFW] (114 points, 70 comments)
    3. Chinese driver caught parking in handicapped zone in Vancouver pleads racism [x-post/Canada] (85 points, 92 comments)
    4. Canada Overwhelmed By 100,000 Chinese Millionaire Immigrants [X-post from Canada] (77 points, 164 comments)
    5. Rap song with lyrics "“find a house and scope it out, find a Chinese neighborhood, because they don’t believe in bank accounts" petitioned to be banned (59 points, 55 comments)
    6. The Global Times sends its highest respect to Philippines PM Duterte in today's coverage of his state visit to China (58 points, 30 comments)
    7. Illegally parked SUV blocks path to garbage waystation in Zhejiang, so garbagemen do the right thing and surround the parked SUV with 10 tons of garbage (53 points, 23 comments)
    8. Constance Wu says Matt Damon's 'Great Wall' perpetuates 'racist myth' [X-post from Movies] (50 points, 118 comments)
    9. Reddit user Sexy Cyborg, a scientist from Shenzhen, China, 3-printed her own wrist mount for her home-made nano-drones for racing contests. [repost from /UNBGBBIIVCHIDCTIICBG] (41 points, 64 comments)
    10. Guangdong guy detained by police for online Photoshop prank, altered newspaper headline to read "City to Implement Two-Wife Policy Reform'; cops: you can't do that (36 points, 5 comments)
15. 704 points, 8 submissions: iwazaruu
    
    1. Happy man eating rice in Beijing, circa 1900 (243 points, 29 comments)
    2. Rural home cooking in Wuyuan (213 points, 30 comments)
    3. Building a roadbridge - sped up gif (73 points, 8 comments)
    4. A highway separating the Great Wall (36 points, 24 comments)
    5. The Great Wall starring Matt Damon (36 points, 40 comments)
    6. Beautiful morning in Henan mountains (35 points, 26 comments)
    7. Ice rime on trees in Jilin (OC) (35 points, 9 comments)
    8. Ecstatic goofy looking Olympian swimmer's reactions gone viral (gifs) (33 points, 23 comments)
16. 669 points, 12 submissions: itoitoito
    
    1. China’s elite—including Xi Jinping—are linked to offshore deals that hid millions of dollars (107 points, 48 comments)
    2. What do you think reaction of Chinese "netizens" would have been had roles been reversed....Xi was not given the red carpet like all the other world leaders and then American officials trying to deny other government staff to join him. (89 points, 75 comments)
    3. Harbin (76 points, 16 comments)
    4. Democracy is nothing to fear, Taiwan tells China on Tiananmen anniversary (58 points, 39 comments)
    5. Rejoice Americans!!! China is now home of the most obese people in the world. (57 points, 51 comments)
    6. Alibaba’s Jack Ma: The problem with counterfeits is they’re “better quality” than authentic luxury goods (56 points, 152 comments)
    7. Chinese censors rush to make "Panama Papers" disappear. (44 points, 19 comments)
    8. Is /worldnews censoring China stories? (40 points, 108 comments)
    9. Hong Kong vote sees record turnout; 'Umbrella Revolution' leader set for election (38 points, 24 comments)
    10. LIVE: Hong Kong’s legal sector stages rare ‘silent protest’ against interference from Beijing (38 points, 14 comments)
17. 632 points, 6 submissions: JamesKWayne
    
    1. Chairman Miao spotted on subway (321 points, 27 comments)
    2. Saw this in /funny, I was there when they shot this in Chengdu...What a coincidence! (85 points, 6 comments)
    3. Chinese military tactics are absolutely genius (69 points, 19 comments)
    4. China sees leak of hundreds of nude photos sent by desperate women to loan sharks (63 points, 150 comments)
    5. Tai Chi Smog (48 points, 5 comments)
    6. Shanzai Precinct (46 points, 39 comments)
18. 624 points, 3 submissions: a254052656
    
    1. China's endangered 'magic rabbit' was photographed for the first time in 20 years! (376 points, 28 comments)
    2. People help a man who dropped 25000 yuan(3570 USD) in the street. He didn't lose a single bank note (x-post all) (157 points, 42 comments)
    3. TIL a 2013 survey showed 91% of Chinese people in support of a nationwide ban on the trade in shark fins, largely as a result of campaigning by ex-NBA player Yao Ming. (x-post all) (91 points, 9 comments)
19. 548 points, 10 submissions: davies2014p
    
    1. Yesterday afternoon in Hangzhou train station (95 points, 27 comments)
    2. Book on Xi JinPing will still be published, but in Taiwan instead of HK, 'last lighthouse of publishing freedom for ethnic Chinese' says author (88 points, 77 comments)
    3. Xi JinPing picture at Beijing art museum 中国美术馆三大美术展集中亮相 (64 points, 49 comments)
    4. DPP's Tsai Ingwen wins Taiwan election (47 points, 40 comments)
    5. Gu Minhai 'has turned himself in to Chinese authorities for Ningbo hit and run incident 12 years ago,' confesses on CCTV (video attached) (46 points, 86 comments)
    6. First ‘Silk Road’ train departs China for Iran (45 points, 16 comments)
    7. 'An Urgent Cry from Hong Kong' by 19yo Agnes Chow (42 points, 37 comments)
    8. Chinese Defector Reveals Beijing’s Secrets (42 points, 18 comments)
    9. Thousands protested in HK today, smaller protest in London (pics, videos and tweets of both) (41 points, 5 comments)
    10. China censors Panama Papers online discussion (38 points, 16 comments)
20. 509 points, 7 submissions: DarkSkyKnight
    
    1. Tsai Ing-wen elected Taiwan's first female president - BBC News (139 points, 98 comments)
    2. WTF is happening to China!?!?!? (102 points, 299 comments)
    3. ‘Beijing will send in troops if Hong Kong declares independence’ (87 points, 219 comments)
    4. china is famous do you know it (50 points, 13 comments)
    5. A summary of interesting stuff on Chinese history from the Massive China Panel thread in /askhistorians. (49 points, 9 comments)
    6. CMV: I don't think the "wumaos" on Reddit are actual wumaos, I think they're just patriotic Asians sitting in their Californian bedroom typing on their MacBook Pros. (46 points, 351 comments)
    7. Journalists need to stop quoting retards in China. (36 points, 60 comments)

Top Commenters

1. ting_bu_dong (10016 points, 1782 comments)
2. upads (6172 points, 1718 comments)
3. the_visalian (6103 points, 2 comments)
4. nerbovig (5474 points, 379 comments)
5. tan_guan (5127 points, 575 comments)
6. lanfanmu (4162 points, 28 comments)
7. zerohalo (3988 points, 983 comments)
8. rockyrainy (3485 points, 576 comments)
9. Smirth (3411 points, 569 comments)
10. TheDark1 (3092 points, 374 comments)
11. GuessImStuckWithThis (2934 points, 495 comments)
12. lammatthew725 (2732 points, 732 comments)
13. Hautamaki (2460 points, 451 comments)
14. downvotesyndromekid (2424 points, 272 comments)
15. kulio_forever (2386 points, 823 comments)
16. caucasianchinastrug (2326 points, 549 comments)
17. BillyBattsShinebox (2304 points, 241 comments)
18. TheMediumPanda (2267 points, 342 comments)
19. mr-wiener (2195 points, 380 comments)
20. dazzazhonggua (1939 points, 452 comments)
21. laowaispy (1871 points, 400 comments)
22. allestacious (1781 points, 119 comments)
23. itoitoito (1733 points, 290 comments)
24. scionicate (1619 points, 268 comments)
25. thegan32d (1556 points, 299 comments)
26. me-i-am (1487 points, 256 comments)
27. kanada_kid (1483 points, 391 comments)
28. marmakoide (1467 points, 249 comments)
29. dandmcd (1448 points, 168 comments)
30. impossinator (1434 points, 459 comments)
31. ratsta (1396 points, 249 comments)
32. LeYanYan (1376 points, 365 comments)
33. americarthegreat (1348 points, 226 comments)
34. jp599 (1331 points, 203 comments)
35. Polypinoon (1257 points, 135 comments)
36. Sasselhoff (1243 points, 239 comments)
37. exceptionalaverage (1242 points, 129 comments)
38. Eat_the_Path (1240 points, 153 comments)
39. JayTeeLaramie (1206 points, 306 comments)
40. justinchina (1197 points, 214 comments)
41. Sevren (1172 points, 29 comments)
42. DarkSkyKnight (1151 points, 350 comments)
43. UpvoteIfYouDare (1142 points, 204 comments)
44. iwazaruu (1129 points, 276 comments)
45. papaloopus (1107 points, 91 comments)
46. derrickcope (1093 points, 275 comments)
47. WuQianNian (1071 points, 259 comments)
48. GuestBob (1070 points, 199 comments)
49. TheRealSamBell (1024 points, 114 comments)
50. BranchOfTheTree (1020 points, 179 comments)

Top Submissions

1. NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media by aerowindwalker (21451 points, 1207 comments)
2. My Idiot Coworker: James Does Safety by ChinaHandy (2841 points, 116 comments)
3. My Idiot Coworker - James vs The Bathroom by ChinaHandy (785 points, 72 comments)
4. Farewell, China. I'm leaving forever, and I'll never forgive you for the three months of hell you call teaching English, and I'll tell you why... by nerbovig (514 points, 76 comments)
5. James Does Team Building by ChinaHandy (514 points, 74 comments)
6. Chinese dating show dump. Not mine, but I nostalgia'd hard and am sharing. by feylias (496 points, 134 comments)
7. My Idiot Coworker - James vs The Security Guards by ChinaHandy (474 points, 61 comments)
8. My Idiot Coworker - James vs Tsingtao by ChinaHandy (463 points, 75 comments)
9. Problems with Bank of China accounts and foreigners (particularly Americans)? by TotakekeSlider (417 points, 476 comments)
10. My Idiot Coworker - James Does Meetings by ChinaHandy (408 points, 53 comments)

Top Comments

1. 6089 points: the_visalian's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
2. 3410 points: nerbovig's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
3. 2737 points: lanfanmu's comment in Problems with Bank of China accounts and foreigners (particularly Americans)?
4. 1203 points: downvotesyndromekid's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
5. 1020 points: Sevren's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
6. 886 points: unitedamerika's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
7. 812 points: la_pluie's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
8. 793 points: allestacious's comment in My Idiot Coworker: James Does Safety
9. 778 points: Im_A_Cringy_Bastard's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
10. 771 points: Fragarach-Q's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media

Generated with BBoe's Subreddit Stats (Donate)

Period: 364.69 days

	Submissions	Comments
Total	1000	59903
Rate (per day)	2.74	163.56
Unique Redditors	429	5225
Combined Score	97949	300316

Top Submitters' Top Submissions

1. 22038 points, 7 submissions: aerowindwalker
   
   1. NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media (21448 points, 1207 comments)
   2. Xi'an's school teacher live streamed the entire class to her students because of the smog (273 points, 78 comments)
   3. Fuck Bank of America (134 points, 89 comments)
   4. So quick background story about One Finger Selfie Challenge (59 points, 40 comments)
   5. Donald Trump hints US support of 'One China' policy may end (44 points, 63 comments)
   6. Everyone Thought Chinese Reality TV Show Star Naomi Kang Was A Hapa (41 points, 42 comments)
   7. Is it just me or a lot of Chinese guys would just hop in front of you in line and start ordering or whatnot as if you werent even there. (39 points, 46 comments)
2. 6380 points, 10 submissions: ChinaHandy
   
   1. My Idiot Coworker: James Does Safety (2839 points, 116 comments)
   2. My Idiot Coworker - James vs The Bathroom (789 points, 72 comments)
   3. James Does Team Building (514 points, 74 comments)
   4. My Idiot Coworker - James vs The Security Guards (476 points, 61 comments)
   5. My Idiot Coworker - James vs Tsingtao (453 points, 75 comments)
   6. My Idiot Coworker - James Does Meetings (412 points, 53 comments)
   7. My idiot coworker (384 points, 85 comments)
   8. My Idiot Coworker - James Goes On A Business Trip (384 points, 81 comments)
   9. A New Year Begins... (86 points, 9 comments)
   10. My Idiot Coworker - First Day with James (43 points, 18 comments)
3. 3498 points, 56 submissions: upads
   
   1. (Translation) ELI5 on how China fucked their own economy, chapter 1 (255 points, 107 comments)
   2. Doctors in China be like (126 points, 68 comments)
   3. A Chinese boat was stopped for fishing illegally in Indonesian waters and was being towed to port when the Chinese Coast Guard invaded Indonesian waters to take it back (113 points, 86 comments)
   4. RUN (112 points, 66 comments)
   5. (Translation) ELI5 on how China fucked their own economy, chapter 4 (with snarky comments) (107 points, 62 comments)
   6. [Rant]I'm sick and tired of people saying GFW is easy to get around with a VPN (95 points, 241 comments)
   7. China Dumps Chemicals to Kill Fish Around Disputed Island to Drive Away Fishermen (95 points, 55 comments)
   8. HOT HOT HOT HOT HOT (87 points, 97 comments)
   9. Oh shit, offshore RMB really is plummeting, 7.25 and still fucking dropping (screenshot attached) (86 points, 23 comments)
   10. Chinese woman uses passport with nine-dash line drawn on it to enter Vietnam, found out someone wrote "fuck you" over their 9 dash line (84 points, 92 comments)
4. 2591 points, 40 submissions: GuessImStuckWithThis
   
   1. Some photos I took over the weekend of probably the most beautiful place I've visited in China (170 points, 41 comments)
   2. Oh China (125 points, 93 comments)
   3. Fifty years on, a former red guard uses her blog to expose the horror of the Cultural Revolution (121 points, 20 comments)
   4. Last night hundreds of people got arrested at a rave in Shenzhen; some being threatened with deportation (110 points, 171 comments)
   5. Panama Papers: China detains lawyer after he shares details of leaders online (104 points, 26 comments)
   6. This will perfectly sum up your next Air China flight (101 points, 51 comments)
   7. TIL that Dyslexia doesn't affect Chinese readers in the same way (92 points, 27 comments)
   8. Tuhao style (84 points, 39 comments)
   9. Just tried to change 2,000 RMB into Taiwanese dollars at the Bank of China and they totally took the piss (81 points, 137 comments)
   10. The Chinese Football Team just lost 2-0 to Uzbekistan. (80 points, 94 comments)
5. 2340 points, 26 submissions: tan_guan
   
   1. The cover that just got Time blocked in China (281 points, 132 comments)
   2. Henan students take an exam outside in the smog (x-post /HenanPorn) (258 points, 43 comments)
   3. Latest map of Chinese territory (179 points, 55 comments)
   4. Wedding photography gone wrong (150 points, 121 comments)
   5. Newly declassified British embassy cable shows Tiananmen Square massacre was planned in advance (142 points, 116 comments)
   6. The effects of smog on a high speed train (114 points, 58 comments)
   7. Reimburse That $h*t! 可以报销！Fapiao Rap Song (113 points, 18 comments)
   8. 85yo American who took part in the Cultural Revolution does AMA, answers 9 questions. Worst China-related AMA ever. (91 points, 114 comments)
   9. Zuckerberg Shows How Much He Loves China By Running in AQI 337 Air Without a Mask (85 points, 104 comments)
   10. Xi Jinping visits CCTV News (81 points, 16 comments)
6. 1698 points, 26 submissions: ManiaforBeatles
   
   1. Chinese state media says that Donald Trump as president is what happens if people have democracies (361 points, 303 comments)
   2. China Bars Independence Supporters From Hong Kong Legislature (77 points, 74 comments)
   3. Vancouver slaps $10,000 a year tax on empty homes. Lie about it and it’s $10,000 a day [X-post from /WorldNews] (76 points, 42 comments)
   4. Second British artist accuses China of copying work after statue 'identical' to London sculpture spotted in Shanghai (75 points, 18 comments)
   5. Donald Trump accuses China of 'stealing' US Navy drone in international waters (74 points, 67 comments)
   6. The absurd face of China’s censorship: Bookstore tears out Taiwan page from Webster’s (71 points, 36 comments)
   7. Beijing smog: pollution red alert declared in China capital and 21 other cities - Authorities issue five-day warning and order schools to close, residents to stay indoors and heavy industry to slow or halt production (68 points, 23 comments)
   8. China warns Hong Kong democracy activists after election - BBC News (67 points, 34 comments)
   9. Chinese flags and red scarves spark debate at Vancouver city hall | Critics say they are symbols of communist repression, while supporters defend participation in symbolic event (66 points, 59 comments)
   10. China's most-wanted economic fugitive Yang Xiuzhu surrenders - Yang Xiuzhu is accused of embezzling more than $40m (£26m) when working as a public official. (63 points, 7 comments)
7. 1621 points, 27 submissions: TheDark1
   
   1. Huawei boss in Cambodia crashes car, tries to flee; subsequently, articles about the incident have been disappearing from the Internet (133 points, 56 comments)
   2. Taiwan is a country with history and people. It's not just a diplomatic nuisance. (117 points, 231 comments)
   3. China confirms swimmer Chen Xinyi failed doping test (101 points, 107 comments)
   4. Xi Jinping calls for greater tolerance of criticism online about China’s government ... and comments about his remarks are barred or censored (84 points, 43 comments)
   5. Random Englishman named MARK Horton getting inundated with angry Sun Yang comments; "Luckily I don't speak Mandarin." (79 points, 84 comments)
   6. My response to the recent wave of Global Times controversies: Dear GT, it doesn't have to be like this. The clash of cultures is far from inevitable (75 points, 114 comments)
   7. Dear Global Times, do you really believe that your rant piece "wasn't intended to offend or discriminate against any particular group?" (74 points, 116 comments)
   8. Chinese language newspapers in Australia: Beijing controls messaging, propaganda in press (66 points, 34 comments)
   9. Aussie 400m gold medallist slams Chinese swimmer Sun Yang before tense final: he has no 'time or respect for drug cheats' (65 points, 107 comments)
   10. Global Times says Australia is 'on fringes of civilisation' after swimmer Mack Horton attacks Sun Yang (62 points, 102 comments)
8. 1492 points, 21 submissions: rockyrainy
   
   1. 80% of data in Chinese clinical trials have been fabricated (138 points, 63 comments)
   2. Open Letter asking Xi Jinping to Resign translated into English. (127 points, 95 comments)
   3. Fujian villager turns down 10,000 RMB, returns giant turtle back to the sea (123 points, 26 comments)
   4. Butthurt Chinese players are mass downvoting Endless Legend on Steam in response to the removal of a Chinese language translation mod that links to a pirated copy of the game (82 points, 83 comments)
   5. Chinese tourists in Thailand going postal on shrimps. (80 points, 135 comments)
   6. China completes 16km HSR tunnel uner Qinling Mountains. Chengdu to Xian by train will take 3 hours in 2017 (80 points, 38 comments)
   7. Xiaomi Can Silently Install Any App On Your Android Phone Using A Backdoor (77 points, 60 comments)
   8. 松格玛尼石经城 A Massive Complex Built Out of Tibetan Mani Stone Tablets dating back to the time of the Legendary King Gesar Located in the Middle of Nowhere. (67 points, 13 comments)
   9. Yulin Dog Meat Festival to 狗 ahead despite protests (65 points, 124 comments)
   10. Taiwan announces U.S. itinerary for president, upsetting China (64 points, 64 comments)
9. 1473 points, 16 submissions: lammatthew725
   
   1. Just your usual day in China (251 points, 19 comments)
   2. Whoever says China isn't creative can now go eat shit (171 points, 24 comments)
   3. In chinese, red and purple mean fame and fortune (大紅大紫), so lets start our 2017 working year with some red and purple. (158 points, 21 comments)
   4. Good morning people in Beijing (110 points, 91 comments)
   5. 171 ccp members urge Xi to step down. (104 points, 64 comments)
   6. Most accurate hazard warning label you can find (101 points, 18 comments)
   7. The chabuduo level is over 9000. Shanghai nurse mistakenly gave out abortion drugs to pregnant patients (duphaston vs mifepristone) (100 points, 59 comments)
   8. A notice from Shenzhen police (69 points, 83 comments)
   9. it's that time of a year again.... (66 points, 35 comments)
   10. Nassim Taleb says no to printer asking him to change Taiwan into Taiwan,china in his work. (64 points, 94 comments)
10. 1223 points, 14 submissions: exceptionalaverage
    
    1. China's thoughts on Taiwan calling Trump (279 points, 174 comments)
    2. Wish you weren't here: Thousands of Chinese tourists trapped in Japan after snowstorm get angry and clash with police (118 points, 91 comments)
    3. Trump: Tiananmen square was a "riot", that was put out by a "strong government" (114 points, 139 comments)
    4. Chinese tourists in Italian village pick up sea urchins and start eating them. Local fishermen tell them to stop, as they're not fully grown. They don't listen. (114 points, 106 comments)
    5. Chinese tourists arrested in Australia for urinating in botanic gardens (98 points, 78 comments)
    6. Henan businessman, surnamed Zhou, buys lucky number plate "K88888" for 1 million RMB. Puts it on his cheap minivan. Gets stopped 8 times by police in 1 day for suspected fake licence plate (97 points, 61 comments)
    7. Independent film 'Ten Years' nominated for Hong Kong Film Awards. China subsequently announces the awards show will now NOT be broadcast in mainland China. (84 points, 35 comments)
    8. Chinese media pixellates Taiwanese flag during report on its president (69 points, 45 comments)
    9. Angry Chinese dump their holiday purchases at airport rather than pay new tax on imported goods (49 points, 87 comments)
    10. Tsinghua Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit forced to close from embarrassing English mistakes. (47 points, 138 comments)
11. 1099 points, 19 submissions: sturle
    
    1. How to Explain Xi Jinping’s Mounting Foreign-Policy Failures (114 points, 79 comments)
    2. Chinese factory worker who suffered 99% burns after falling into boiling pot of soup told by state-run employers ‘to stop treatment and die’ (82 points, 21 comments)
    3. China Gets Worst Ever Score in Global Press Freedom Survey (69 points, 28 comments)
    4. Economist front cover (68 points, 17 comments)
    5. Huawei Just Copied the iPhone—Down to the Last Screw (65 points, 127 comments)
    6. China Just Released True Color HD Photos Of The Moon (64 points, 42 comments)
    7. China Has Unblocked Internet Searches That Refer to Kim Jong Un As a ‘Pig’ (61 points, 19 comments)
    8. Over 80 Percent of Water Is Polluted in Tested China Wells (56 points, 44 comments)
    9. China’s Censors Denounced in Online Attack (54 points, 69 comments)
    10. U.S. Naval Flight Officer Lt. Cmdr. Edward Lin Accused of Giving U.S. Secrets to China (53 points, 56 comments)
12. 1089 points, 16 submissions: chialtism
    
    1. Voting ballot for Mayor of Beijing (144 points, 68 comments)
    2. Chinese Citizen Arrested after wearing "Xitler" shirt critizing Xi Jinping in public [Chinese] (127 points, 65 comments)
    3. Chinese citizens are being arrested for sharing news about the Wukan village rebellion (111 points, 13 comments)
    4. James performing a magic trick (94 points, 27 comments)
    5. Chinese military veterans protest in Beijing (72 points, 20 comments)
    6. China’s plan to organize its society relies on ‘big data’ to rate everyone (72 points, 38 comments)
    7. More details on the Foreigner ABC Classification system (60 points, 101 comments)
    8. In Xinjiang VPNs are classified as "2nd-degree terrorist software" and downloading them is considered as "online terrorist activities". (59 points, 87 comments)
    9. Beijing's Disturbing Turn Against Personal Freedoms (54 points, 42 comments)
    10. 'No ghosts. No gay love stories. No nudity': tales of film-making in China (53 points, 39 comments)
13. 800 points, 3 submissions: nerbovig
    
    1. Farewell, China. I'm leaving forever, and I'll never forgive you for the three months of hell you call teaching English, and I'll tell you why... (521 points, 76 comments)
    2. Just another day in China (241 points, 75 comments)
    3. They're calling it "smoke" now. (38 points, 16 comments)
14. 749 points, 11 submissions: allestacious
    
    1. On eve of election day, here is Clinton's last-ditch heart-rendering appeal to Chinese citizens (136 points, 26 comments)
    2. And, you can immediately wash your hands afterwards [NSFW] (114 points, 70 comments)
    3. Chinese driver caught parking in handicapped zone in Vancouver pleads racism [x-post/Canada] (88 points, 92 comments)
    4. Canada Overwhelmed By 100,000 Chinese Millionaire Immigrants [X-post from Canada] (77 points, 164 comments)
    5. The Global Times sends its highest respect to Philippines PM Duterte in today's coverage of his state visit to China (58 points, 30 comments)
    6. Rap song with lyrics "“find a house and scope it out, find a Chinese neighborhood, because they don’t believe in bank accounts" petitioned to be banned (55 points, 55 comments)
    7. Constance Wu says Matt Damon's 'Great Wall' perpetuates 'racist myth' [X-post from Movies] (51 points, 118 comments)
    8. Illegally parked SUV blocks path to garbage waystation in Zhejiang, so garbagemen do the right thing and surround the parked SUV with 10 tons of garbage (51 points, 23 comments)
    9. Reddit user Sexy Cyborg, a scientist from Shenzhen, China, 3-printed her own wrist mount for her home-made nano-drones for racing contests. [repost from /UNBGBBIIVCHIDCTIICBG] (43 points, 64 comments)
    10. Chinese audiences preferring to go watch English-language version of Kung Fu Panda 3 instead of Chinese-version especially made for Chinese market: "Anything reworked just for the Chinese market just comes across as trying too hard" (39 points, 18 comments)
15. 709 points, 8 submissions: iwazaruu
    
    1. Happy man eating rice in Beijing, circa 1900 (240 points, 29 comments)
    2. Rural home cooking in Wuyuan (215 points, 30 comments)
    3. Building a roadbridge - sped up gif (77 points, 8 comments)
    4. The Great Wall starring Matt Damon (39 points, 40 comments)
    5. A highway separating the Great Wall (36 points, 24 comments)
    6. Ecstatic goofy looking Olympian swimmer's reactions gone viral (gifs) (36 points, 23 comments)
    7. Ice rime on trees in Jilin (OC) (34 points, 9 comments)
    8. Beautiful morning in Henan mountains (32 points, 26 comments)
16. 680 points, 12 submissions: itoitoito
    
    1. China’s elite—including Xi Jinping—are linked to offshore deals that hid millions of dollars (110 points, 48 comments)
    2. What do you think reaction of Chinese "netizens" would have been had roles been reversed....Xi was not given the red carpet like all the other world leaders and then American officials trying to deny other government staff to join him. (88 points, 75 comments)
    3. Harbin (76 points, 16 comments)
    4. Democracy is nothing to fear, Taiwan tells China on Tiananmen anniversary (61 points, 39 comments)
    5. Rejoice Americans!!! China is now home of the most obese people in the world. (56 points, 51 comments)
    6. Alibaba’s Jack Ma: The problem with counterfeits is they’re “better quality” than authentic luxury goods (53 points, 152 comments)
    7. Chinese censors rush to make "Panama Papers" disappear. (45 points, 19 comments)
    8. LIVE: Hong Kong’s legal sector stages rare ‘silent protest’ against interference from Beijing (42 points, 14 comments)
    9. Is /worldnews censoring China stories? (40 points, 108 comments)
    10. German Man Shows the Reality of Marriage in China. (38 points, 39 comments)
17. 648 points, 6 submissions: JamesKWayne
    
    1. Chairman Miao spotted on subway (328 points, 27 comments)
    2. Saw this in /funny, I was there when they shot this in Chengdu...What a coincidence! (83 points, 6 comments)
    3. Chinese military tactics are absolutely genius (72 points, 19 comments)
    4. China sees leak of hundreds of nude photos sent by desperate women to loan sharks (65 points, 150 comments)
    5. Tai Chi Smog (53 points, 5 comments)
    6. Shanzai Precinct (47 points, 39 comments)
18. 622 points, 3 submissions: a254052656
    
    1. China's endangered 'magic rabbit' was photographed for the first time in 20 years! (377 points, 28 comments)
    2. People help a man who dropped 25000 yuan(3570 USD) in the street. He didn't lose a single bank note (x-post all) (154 points, 42 comments)
    3. TIL a 2013 survey showed 91% of Chinese people in support of a nationwide ban on the trade in shark fins, largely as a result of campaigning by ex-NBA player Yao Ming. (x-post all) (91 points, 9 comments)

Top Commenters

1. ting_bu_dong (10055 points, 1782 comments)
2. upads (6192 points, 1718 comments)
3. the_visalian (6097 points, 2 comments)
4. nerbovig (5497 points, 379 comments)
5. tan_guan (5166 points, 575 comments)
6. lanfanmu (4181 points, 28 comments)
7. zerohalo (4013 points, 983 comments)
8. rockyrainy (3489 points, 576 comments)
9. Smirth (3424 points, 569 comments)
10. TheDark1 (3137 points, 374 comments)
11. GuessImStuckWithThis (2928 points, 495 comments)
12. lammatthew725 (2709 points, 732 comments)
13. downvotesyndromekid (2441 points, 272 comments)
14. Hautamaki (2431 points, 451 comments)
15. kulio_forever (2429 points, 823 comments)
16. caucasianchinastrug (2329 points, 549 comments)
17. BillyBattsShinebox (2291 points, 241 comments)
18. TheMediumPanda (2287 points, 342 comments)
19. mr-wiener (2195 points, 380 comments)
20. dazzazhonggua (1913 points, 452 comments)
21. laowaispy (1840 points, 400 comments)
22. allestacious (1784 points, 119 comments)
23. itoitoito (1739 points, 290 comments)
24. scionicate (1636 points, 268 comments)
25. thegan32d (1542 points, 299 comments)
26. me-i-am (1499 points, 256 comments)
27. marmakoide (1476 points, 249 comments)
28. kanada_kid (1469 points, 391 comments)
29. dandmcd (1456 points, 168 comments)
30. impossinator (1447 points, 459 comments)
31. ratsta (1394 points, 249 comments)
32. LeYanYan (1373 points, 365 comments)
33. americarthegreat (1372 points, 226 comments)
34. jp599 (1316 points, 203 comments)
35. Polypinoon (1262 points, 135 comments)
36. Eat_the_Path (1259 points, 153 comments)
37. exceptionalaverage (1250 points, 129 comments)
38. Sasselhoff (1223 points, 239 comments)
39. justinchina (1201 points, 214 comments)
40. JayTeeLaramie (1187 points, 306 comments)
41. Sevren (1178 points, 29 comments)
42. DarkSkyKnight (1134 points, 350 comments)
43. iwazaruu (1120 points, 276 comments)
44. UpvoteIfYouDare (1118 points, 204 comments)
45. GuestBob (1098 points, 199 comments)
46. papaloopus (1093 points, 91 comments)
47. derrickcope (1079 points, 275 comments)
48. WuQianNian (1047 points, 259 comments)
49. TheRealSamBell (1039 points, 114 comments)
50. BranchOfTheTree (1033 points, 179 comments)
51. Shoeboy78 (997 points, 204 comments)
52. Funktagalactic (978 points, 247 comments)
53. LaowaiLaowei (921 points, 183 comments)
54. onchonchpalawonch (914 points, 151 comments)
55. ExcaliburZSH (907 points, 209 comments)
56. Aan2007 (894 points, 484 comments)
57. unitedamerika (884 points, 1 comment)
58. komnenos (872 points, 251 comments)
59. la_pluie (853 points, 16 comments)
60. MoonshineGraham (852 points, 143 comments)
61. ArcboundChampion (848 points, 199 comments)
62. pssssssssssst (847 points, 178 comments)
63. xiefeilaga (843 points, 148 comments)
64. westiseast (825 points, 142 comments)
65. goin_dang (794 points, 386 comments)
66. mohkohnsepicgun (782 points, 106 comments)
67. Fragarach-Q (776 points, 1 comment)
68. Im_A_Cringy_Bastard (775 points, 1 comment)
69. chialtism (768 points, 145 comments)
70. GatoNanashi (768 points, 138 comments)
71. plorrf (739 points, 119 comments)
72. sturle (706 points, 139 comments)
73. BurgerLaowai (690 points, 129 comments)
74. JillyPolla (689 points, 190 comments)
75. jah718 (677 points, 84 comments)
76. 93402 (674 points, 230 comments)
77. jiaxingseng (667 points, 159 comments)
78. singularentity (661 points, 1 comment)
79. skullblasta (653 points, 142 comments)
80. jingzi_factory (648 points, 180 comments)
81. BornIntoConfusion (639 points, 105 comments)
82. haosenan (635 points, 84 comments)
83. yasiCOWGUAN (632 points, 74 comments)
84. lpgfff (623 points, 62 comments)
85. FatBabyBrother (612 points, 293 comments)
86. educo_ (600 points, 54 comments)
87. wertexx (598 points, 144 comments)
88. Maox (573 points, 1 comment)

Top Submissions

1. NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media by aerowindwalker (21448 points, 1207 comments)
2. My Idiot Coworker: James Does Safety by ChinaHandy (2839 points, 116 comments)
3. My Idiot Coworker - James vs The Bathroom by ChinaHandy (789 points, 72 comments)
4. Farewell, China. I'm leaving forever, and I'll never forgive you for the three months of hell you call teaching English, and I'll tell you why... by nerbovig (521 points, 76 comments)
5. James Does Team Building by ChinaHandy (514 points, 74 comments)
6. Chinese dating show dump. Not mine, but I nostalgia'd hard and am sharing. by feylias (497 points, 134 comments)
7. My Idiot Coworker - James vs The Security Guards by ChinaHandy (476 points, 61 comments)
8. My Idiot Coworker - James vs Tsingtao by ChinaHandy (453 points, 75 comments)
9. Problems with Bank of China accounts and foreigners (particularly Americans)? by TotakekeSlider (417 points, 476 comments)
10. My Idiot Coworker - James Does Meetings by ChinaHandy (412 points, 53 comments)

Top Comments

1. 6085 points: the_visalian's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
2. 3409 points: nerbovig's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
3. 2741 points: lanfanmu's comment in Problems with Bank of China accounts and foreigners (particularly Americans)?
4. 1201 points: downvotesyndromekid's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
5. 1024 points: Sevren's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
6. 884 points: unitedamerika's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
7. 817 points: la_pluie's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
8. 796 points: allestacious's comment in My Idiot Coworker: James Does Safety
9. 776 points: Fragarach-Q's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media
10. 775 points: Im_A_Cringy_Bastard's comment in NSFW! One Finger Selfie Challenge Is Trending On Chinese Social Media

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