Biologist Challenges Elon Musk's Theory Linking 'Adult Diapers' to Declining Population
Yo! Let's talk Elon Musk's Martian city idea and the population dilemma, shall we?
In an eye-opener with Joe Rogan, ol' Elon quipped that civilizations could be snuffed out in diapers, while hinting at the necessity of a Martian metropolis as a Plan B. He claims this is crucial to protecting humanity's "light of consciousness" from potential calamities, nuclear wars, meteor impacts, or a slow, silent demise due to insufficient birth rates.
An Evolutionary Biologist who's dug deep into population trends had some thoughts on this gloomy outlook. Here's how the conversation unfolds in three straightforward points:
- Population Burst: For the first time ever, the world hit eight billion residents in 2022, skyrocketing from 2.5 billion back in '50 and seven billion in 2010. And guess what? The party's still going, with projections pointing to around 10 billion by 2050 and 10.5 billion by 2080s.
- Struggle and Survive: Population growth seems to be decreasing, but that's not a one-way ticket to the apocalypse. Just like critters in the wild, we see this dynamic play out all the time. Some places might be struggling, but as a species, we're doing swimmin'.
Take the Florida panther or the Scottish wildcat, examples of a regional downturn not signaling an extinction level event for their species.
- Problem Solved: Musk's adult diaper theory seems a bit dubious, considering governments can control population numbers to some extent. If incentives for family-like a child tax credit-are put into action, humans might not be drowning in onesies anytime soon.
It's worth noting that Musk isn't the only one concerned about our population trends. Climate change could also shift those demographics in surprising ways. Take the Climate Change Worry Scale to see where you stand and get a peek at the fear levels of others.
Don't forget, my friends, eyes on Earth first! Building a city on Mars is an interesting mental exercise, but protecting our home planet should be the top priority. Let's tackle the challenges at hand and safeguard a future worth living in. 😉
Extra Facts
- The U.S. introduced Texas panthers to the Florida Everglades to boost the Florida Panther's genetic diversity, and the construction of wildlife corridors helped reduce roadkill fatalities, aiding in the recovery of their population.
- Conservationists in Scotland are focusing on rewilding the Scottish wildcat genome by selectively breeding individuals with minimal domestic cat ancestry and reducing hybridization with domestic cats to restore a genetically pure wild population.
- Elon Musk's Martian city idea, as a potential Plan B for humanity, is rooted in concerns about the vulnerability of human civilization to various threats, including nuclear wars, meteor impacts, and overpopulation.
- The risks of overpopulation, though persistently high, are not remedied by drastic measures such as those Musk suggested - governments can control population numbers to some extent through various incentives like child tax credits.
- Species like the Florida panther and the Scottish wildcat, which exhibit regional population downturns, do not necessarily face an extinction level event. These cases demonstrate the resilience of species in the face of population challenges, and perhaps serve as a reminder that human overpopulation may not inevitably lead to catastrophic results.
