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A global halt in childbirth could lead to human extinction within a century, with societal collapse starting much earlier. Declining birth rates in Japan and US signal this trend
The balance between youth and the elderly is crucial for societal stability. (Representative/News18 Hindi)
A sudden halt in childbirth across the world could push human civilization toward extinction within a century, according to scientists. While the final end may come after 100 years, the decline would begin much earlier, as key social and economic systems collapse in the absence of new generations.
First 10–20 Years: Gradual Decline Across Key Systems
In the first 10-20 years, the changes would be gradual. Initially, life would continue as normal with people going to work, children attending school, and hospitals operating. However, as no new children are born and the elderly start to die, the young population would dwindle. The workforce in agriculture, factories, healthcare, engineering, and essential services would gradually decrease, leading to the deterioration of societal systems.
After 30–50 Years: Societal Structures Begin To Crumble
After 30-50 years, the absence of a young population would cause societal collapse. Services like agriculture, healthcare, and transportation would falter. There would be food shortages, a scarcity of medicines, and a crisis of clean water. Even though the population would be decreasing, resource management would have completely disintegrated. No new technology would be developed, diseases would go untreated, and society would fall into loneliness and chaos.
After 70–80 Years: The Onset Of Humanity’s Decline
By 70-80 years, the end would be in sight. The human population would be confined to very limited areas, perhaps with gatherings of elderly people in some cities but no youth. It wouldn’t be a generation gap, but the complete absence of an entire generation. Humans, like the Neanderthals, would become history.
Could This Scenario Become Reality?
This scenario, while alarming, is not entirely dismissed by science. Possible causes could include a global pandemic that renders humans infertile, as depicted by Kurt Vonnegut in ‘Galapagos‘, a nuclear war that devastates life on Earth, or a demographic shift where people choose not to have children.
Decline In Birth rates
Declining birth rates are already a concern in countries like Japan and South Korea. In India, fewer children are being born, and in the US, births are projected to be 3.6 million in 2024, down from 4.1 million 20 years ago. Concurrently, the number of deaths reached 3.3 million in 2022. Without immigration, this trend of population decline will continue unimpeded.
Social Equilibrium Will Begin To Crumble
The balance between youth and the elderly is crucial for societal stability. The youth bring innovation, create technology, and care for the elderly. A decrease in the young population endangers the lives of the elderly, as eventually, there would be no one to care for them.
Human Survival: A Brief Miracle Or Delayed Collapse?
Human existence, which has spanned approximately 200,000 years, could face a similar fate to the Neanderthals, who became extinct 40,000 years ago due to their inability to manage resources and a declining fertility rate. If current birth trends and threats such as global climate change, war, and pandemics persist, human extinction is not a far-fetched scenario.
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