Gaby
Very few people live beyond the age of 100. So, if everyone suddenly stopped having children, it’s likely that in a century, there wouldn’t be a single person left on Earth. However, the population would gradually decline at first.
Even if births were to suddenly cease worldwide, the population decline would happen slowly, according to Michael Little, a distinguished professor of anthropology at Binghamton University in the U.S.
He explains that eventually, there won’t be enough young people to perform essential jobs, and then retire. This would lead to a rapid breakdown of communities around the globe. Food supplies would dwindle, but there would also be fewer people to feed.
Professor Little suggests that in 70 to 80 years (rather than 100), the planet could be nearly empty due to a lack of food, clean water, and medicine—essentially, everything that is currently easily accessible and necessary for survival.
Of course, a sudden halt in births is extremely unlikely unless a global catastrophe occurs. One possible scenario explored by author Kurt Vonnegut in his dystopian novel “Galápagos” (1985) is that a highly contagious disease could render all people of reproductive age infertile.
Another factor could be nuclear war, in which no one survives. This theme has been explored in numerous films and books. Most of these works are science fiction about space travel, the challenges of reproduction, collective despair, and the loss of personal freedom.
In the 1960s and 1970s, there was concern about overpopulation on Earth leading to disaster. This topic also became the foundation for many dystopian books and films, as reported by Science Alert.
But for now, we are on track for 10 billion people
Currently, the global population is growing, although the rate of growth has slowed. Experts predict that the total number of people on Earth will peak at 10 billion in the 2080s (we are currently at 8 billion).
As these changes unfold, it will be crucial to maintain a balanced ratio of young to elderly individuals, as the youth are the driving force of society. Meanwhile, older adults often require assistance from younger generations.
In many countries today, women are having fewer children during their reproductive years than in the past. People often do not wish to have as many children as their parents did, or they prefer not to have children at all.
Moreover, an increasing number of men are becoming unable to father children due to fertility issues. This is yet another factor contributing to population decline, says Professor Little.
Neanderthals also went extinct
Our species, Homo sapiens, has existed for about 200,000 years. That’s a long time. But like all animals on Earth, we are at risk of extinction.
Let’s remember what happened to the Neanderthals, our close relatives. Their story began at least 400,000 years ago. Later, members of Homo sapiens interbred with them. Ultimately, Neanderthals gradually declined and went extinct around 40,000 years ago. Researchers assert that Homo sapiens were more successful in reproducing their numbers than Neanderthals.
However, if the scenario turns tragic and humans do go extinct, it would open up opportunities for other animals to thrive on Earth. On the flip side, it’s sad to think that if we were gone, all of humanity’s great achievements would vanish with us.
Professor Little believes that certain steps need to be taken to ensure a long future for humanity on our planet. Among these steps are addressing climate change and preventing wars.
