# 6 billion? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 13, 1999, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312 "1999-10-13T00:02:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 18
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 1999, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/341 "1999-11-30T01:26:00Z")
No they’re not. ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 1999, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/342 "1999-11-30T02:17:00Z")
Is too, is too, is too, is too, is too, is too, is too, is too ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 1999, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/343 "1999-11-30T02:35:00Z")
Are not, are not, are not, are not, are not, are not, are not, are not. ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 1999, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/344 "1999-11-30T11:55:00Z")
is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is, is ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 1999, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/345 "1999-11-30T21:04:00Z")
Aren’t, aren’t, aren’t, aren’t, aren’t, aren’t, aren’t, aren’t, aren’t, aren’t, aren’t, aren’t, aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [November 30, 1999, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/346 "1999-11-30T21:16:00Z")
Well, that little exchange was certainly enlightening. Thanks for clearing it up guys. * * * **Dopeler effect:** The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/347 "1999-12-01T01:00:00Z")
You’re welcome. ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/348 "1999-12-01T02:20:00Z")
**Isssssssssssssssssssssssssss tooooooooooooooooooo** ---
**Author:** ![Gaudere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e495f1/32.png) [@Gaudere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gaudere)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/349 "1999-12-01T02:25:00Z")
I was hoping someone would switch from “are not” to “is too” halfway through and trip the other person up, like in Bugs Bunny cartoons. Darn. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/350 "1999-12-01T02:48:00Z")
Duck season! Fire! ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/351 "1999-12-01T12:30:00Z")
nasty wabbit! ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/352 "1999-12-01T20:57:00Z")
He don’t know me vewwy well, do he? ---
**Author:** ![Falcon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/49beb7/32.png) [@Falcon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Falcon)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/353 "1999-12-01T21:13:00Z")
Thank you tracer - I’ve now spit Diet Coke all over my desk at work after the “Duck season! FIRE!” comment…best damn laugh I’ve had all day. * * * “Men are from Earth, women are from Earth. Deal with it.” - George Carlin ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 1999, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/354 "1999-12-01T23:10:00Z")
Then I succeeded in fooling you, Falcon. It’s really Elmer Season. ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 1999, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/355 "1999-12-02T00:21:00Z")
You wiggley wascal! Too many wabbits in da woild. Too much popewation, and it’s gowing warger and warger by da day. ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 2, 1999, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/356 "1999-12-02T13:22:00Z")
**Why should we be concerned about population growth rates of 1, 2 and 3 percent a year? Doesn’t that mean that population is growing very slowly?** Small percentages of very large numbers add up quickly. For example, the world’s current population is estimated to be 6 billion, with an annual growth rate of 1.31 percent. Yet, at this rate, 78 million people (more than the population of Vietnam) will be added to the population this year alone. Another way to see the impact of growth rates is to consider the doubling time of a population. In Saudi Arabia, for example, the population is growing at the rate of 3 percent and if this rate continues, it will double in just 23 years. That isn’t much time to build roads, houses, schools and sanitation facilities to accommodate twice as many people. At the world’s present growth rate of 1.31 percent, the **Earth’s population will double in just 53 years.** In order to calculate the doubling time of a population, divide the annual growth rate into 70. For example, 70/1.31 = 53 years [doubling time for world population]. The"magic number" 70 is derived from a logarithmic equation.) 1, 2 1999 World Population Data Sheet, Population Reference Bureau ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/357 "1999-12-03T01:27:00Z")
Read it and weep. ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/358 "1999-12-03T01:27:00Z")
Read it and weep. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/359 "1999-12-03T02:50:00Z")
Yes, **if** the world’s population growth rate remained steady at 1.31 percent, the population would double in 53 years. Fortunately, other data that _you yourself_ have posted says that the rate of population increase is declining, and will likely be down to less than half a percent (0.5%) by the middle of the next century. If you’re going to post alarming statistics, at least post consistent ones. ---
**Author:** ![John\_John](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8797f3/32.png) [@John\_John](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_John)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 1999, 11:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312/360 "1999-12-03T23:19:00Z")
Tracer, neither you or I can dispute that billions more will crowd the planet in the next 25 years. Sierra Club > [@](#): > > Growing and Declining Numbers > > On average, 2.37 people are born every second. Today, [6 billion] people inhabit the planet. The United Nations projects that over the next 50 years, we may add nearly 4 billion more, totaling 9.4 billion people. Ninety-eight percent of this growth is expected to occur in low-income countries where natural resources and ecosystems are already stressed and fragile, and where social services are limited. > > With an expanding human population, many non-human species face decline or total extermination. We destroyed 30 percent of the natural world between 1970 and 1995. At the current rate of extinction, the Earth will have lost 25% of its present number of species by 2050. Roughly 50,000 species vanish every year. Scientists estimate that Earth harbors between 7 and 20 million species, of which only 1.75 million have been catalogued. Sadly, many creatures will forever remain unknown to us, for they are disappearing before we get a chance even to learn about them. Should We Care? Yes! The loss of our planet’s diversity touches us all. Biological diversity underpins our existence * * * Truth is something you stumble into when you think you’re going someplace else. [Jerry Garcia] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312.md?page=17) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/6-billion/17312.md?page=19)