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Thursday

India's population passes 1.4 billion — and that's not a bad thing

India is number 1 in global population. This clock board outside the International Institute for Population Sciences in Mumbai keeps track of the numbers. The photo is from June 2, 2023. Punit Paranjpe/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Punit Paranjpe/AFP via Getty Images

Goats and Soda

India's population passes 1.4 billion — and that's not a bad thing

Population growth has long been a source of worry in India, which now has more people than China: 1.486 billion residents. But some experts are optimistic about the impact of this population boom.

India's population passes 1.4 billion — and that's not a bad thing

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Tuesday

Earth welcomes its 8 billionth baby. Is that good or bad news... or a bit of both?

The population of Earth will hit 8 billion on Nov. 15, according to predictions by the United Nations Population Fund. And next year, India is expected to surpass China as the most populous country. In this photo, taken on Oct. 13, newborn babies rest inside a newborn care unit at a hospital in Amritsar. Narinder Nanu/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

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Narinder Nanu/AFP via Getty Images

Goats and Soda

Earth welcomes its 8 billionth baby. Is that good or bad news... or a bit of both?

Sometime today, the global population is forecast to hit 8 billion. The U.N. calls it a milestone for humanity, made possible by advances in public health and medicine. But there are also challenges.

Monday

The Bomb That Didn't Explode

In the 1960s, demographers warned that we were on track for a global population explosion. That's not exactly what happened. moodboard - Mike Watson/Getty Images hide caption

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moodboard - Mike Watson/Getty Images

Hidden Brain

The Bomb That Didn't Explode

We know that we live in an ever-changing world, but one thing we often overlook is demographic change. Whether the world's population is growing or shrinking can affect many aspects of our lives, from the number of kids we have to the likelihood that we'll live to old age. This week on Hidden Brain, we explore how our planet's population is changing, and what that means for us in the century to come.

The Bomb That Didn't Explode

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Tuesday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Wednesday

Is That Another Wave Of Collapse Headed Our Way?

London's financial district, known as the Square Mile. Will it be one of the first dominoes to fall when society can no longer sustain itself? Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images hide caption

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Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images

Opinion

13.7: Cosmos And Culture

Is That Another Wave Of Collapse Headed Our Way?

Is civilization on the brink of collapse? Every age has its seers who falsely claim that all is rotten. But it's also true, as a new study notes, that history is littered with examples of implosion.

Friday

Urbanization Puts Farms In Africa's Cities At Risk

An urban farmer waters his plants near Bamako, Mali, where the government has set aside nearly 250 acres for market gardens. donkeycart/Flickr hide caption

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donkeycart/Flickr

The Salt

Urbanization Puts Farms In Africa's Cities At Risk

As many as 40 percent of urban families in sub-Saharan Africa farm in household or commercial gardens. A survey from the United Nations finds that these urban farms, which feed millions of people each year, are in jeopardy if they're not protected during Africa's growth spurt.

Friday

Thursday