Well, apparently, the world is ending today as we are all squeezed to death by overpopulation. At least, that’s what was predicted would happen on November 13, 2026, by researchers in the 1960s.
According to reports, “In 1960, Science, one of the world’s leading science journals, published an article with an unambiguous title: Doomsday: Friday, 13 November, A.D. 2026. It predicted that on this future date . . . the human population would approach infinity and effectively annihilate itself.”
At the time, the researchers said, “Our great-great-grandchildren will not starve . . . they will be squeezed to death.” To stop the upcoming “squeeze,” the researchers argued that humanity needed to work together to halve the birth rate—something people actually did (the American birth rate is 1.6). And now there are grave concerns about underpopulation and what that will do to society.
This utterly wrong prediction had serious consequences, including apparently helping the deadly Roe v. Wade decision to pass regarding legalizing abortion. It’s a reminder that mathematical models are based on assumptions, and if those assumptions are wrong, the conclusions will likewise be wrong. And doomsday predictions continue to be wrong.
No, the world is not ending today. It will end when the Lord Jesus judges this world with fire and creates a new heaven and a new earth. When we start with God’s Word, we have the right worldview for interpreting the world around us. And God’s Word is clear—humans are to be fruitful and multiply, trusting that the God who gave us that charge has provided the resources, even in a fallen world, that we need for human flourishing.
