Global Fertility Collapse
The Age of Depopulation With Nicholas Eberstadt - YouTube Scientists Investigate Multiple Causes Behind Historic Population Decline Research points to environmental toxins, air pollution, microplastics, and cultural shifts as humanity faces first voluntary depopulation since the involuntary purge of the medieval plague For the first time since the Black Death, global population is poised to decline—but unlike the 14th century pandemic, today's crisis stems from plummeting birth rates rather than mass mortality. Researchers worldwide are investigating an array of potential causes, from endocrine-disrupting chemicals to fundamental shifts in human values, with mounting evidence that environmental contamination may play a larger role than previously understood. The Scale of the Decline Fertility rates have fallen below the 2.1 replacement level across every continent except sub-Saharan Africa, according to United Nations Population Division data. East Asia shows the steepest decl...