66 years ago, scientists calculated the date of humanity's end. We have only a few weeks left

The article reviews the 'Doomsday' prediction from 1960, according to which on November 13, 2026, the world population will reach mathematical infinity. The article explains the formula, its limitations, and why the prediction did not materialize due to demographic changes.

The article examines the 'Doomsday' prediction published in 1960 by physicist Heinz von Foerster and his colleagues in the journal Science. The researchers calculated that if the world population continued to grow at its historical rate, it would reach mathematical infinity on Friday, November 13, 2026. The article explains that the calculation was based on 24 population estimates over 2,000 years, and the formula showed a fit to the data with a deviation of about 7%. However, the article emphasizes that the researchers themselves acknowledged that the model is not a law of nature, and that the uncertainty range was about five and a half years in each direction. Since the 1960s, the population growth rate has dropped dramatically due to declining fertility, urbanization, and economic changes, so the prediction did not materialize. The article notes that today the population stands at 8.2 billion, far from infinity, and that modern demographic concerns actually relate to declining birth rates in many countries. In conclusion, the article states that on November 13, 2026, nothing special is expected to happen from a physical standpoint.