Numbers: Feb. 20, 2006

• Share

30 New species of plants and animals discovered during a recent expedition to remote western New Guinea, including the orange-faced honeyeater, above, and 20 frogs

2.5 million Acres in New Guinea's Foja Mountains virtually untouched by humans

$16 billion Amount of U.S. taxpayer money disbursed in the Iraq reconstruction program

6 Measures of infrastructure performance presented to a Senate committee hearing, of which only one--hours of power available outside Baghdad--has surpassed preinvasion levels

42 million Sleeping-pill prescriptions filled in the U.S. last year, up nearly 60% since 2000

$298 million Amount drugmakers spent in the first 11 months of 2005 to convince consumers that sleep aids are safe and effective--four times as much as they spent in 2004

15.1 million TV viewers of the Grammy Awards' first hour

28.3 million Viewers of amateur singing contest American Idol during the same time slot

Sources: BBC; Conservation International; GAO; www. sigir. mil; New York Times (2); AP (2)