We're nearing 'peak population.' These economists are worried.

Podcast: The Indicator from Planet Money (LS 74 · TOP 0.01% what is this?)Episode: We're nearing 'peak population.' These economists are worried.Pub date: 2025-07-01Get Podcast Transcript →powered by Listen411 - fast audio-to-text and summarizationOver the past century, the world's human population has exploded from around 2 billion to 8 billion. Meanwhile, the average fertility rate has gradually declined. And if that trend continues as it has, we may soon see a crash in the population rate, which some argue could have disastrous effects.Today on the show, we talk to co-authors Michael Geruso and Dean Spears about their forthcoming book After the Spike: Population, Progress, and the Case for People. Together, they explain why you should care about declining fertility rates.Related episodes:Babies v climate change; AI v IP; bonds v worldFor sponsor-free episodes of The Indicator from Planet Money, subscribe to Planet Money+ via Apple Podcasts or at plus.npr.org.Fact-checking by Sierra Juarez. Music by Drop Electric. Find us: TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, Newsletter. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy PolicyThe podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from NPR, which is the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Listen Notes, Inc.