Re: Population Growth & Sustainability

Eric G Hurley (ehurley@iastate.edu)
Wed, 20 Oct 1999 15:50:33 CDT

Just to add to the population limits discussion I did some calculations
considering the limits to our growth based on the simple assumption that
mass cannot be created or destroyed.

Assuming a current world human population of 6 billion and a doubling rate
of every 30 years. And assuming that the average human weight is 50 kg.
(110 lbs).

By the year 3350, far less time than the between the time of Christ and
now, a mere 54 generations away, the mass of humanity will exceed the mass
of the earth (6 X 10^24 kg).

In another 540 years or 22 more generations, by the year 3890 the mass of
humanity will exceed the mass of the sun (2 X 10^30 kg).

For a total freak out consider that just 163 generations or 4,080 years
from now, in the year 6080, the mass of humanity would
exceed the mass of the known universe (2.5 X 10^52 kg), that is the mass
of all the stars in all the GALAXIES that astronomers are aware of.

I suspect our population growth will be somewhat limited before we reach
this point. We will choose how painful it will be.

Eric G. Hurley
Iowa State University
Ames IA 50011

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