Recent research suggests there will be a significant reduction in the birth rate over the course of the next century. What would this mean if it were true?

In this podcast, we discuss the accuracy of population forecasts, the assumptions they are based on, and the relationship between the number of people and factors such as productivity and societal innovation. We also attempt to predict some of the implications of an aging population with fewer children and ask whether there is an optimal number of human beings.

A few things we mentioned in this podcast:

- BBC coverage of declining fertility
- The ‘Lump of Labour’ fallacy
- Derek Parfit’s repugnant conclusion

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