The overpopulation myth

The first ever study on the demographical effects of life extension has been conducted [1]. The paper investigates 5 different scenarios ranging from negligible senescence after age 60 to continuous rejuvenation. Even the most radical scenario only resulted in a 22% increase in population size over a 100 year period. Another, for most people totally unexpected result, was the finding that even a population of immortal persons with less than two children per family resulted in a finite population growth and the final population is only 1/ 1 – r time larger than the original population. However, I had already noticed in 2008 that population growth is limited (see green and red graph) [2].

[1] Gavrilov L. A., and Gavrilova N. S. Demographic Consequences of Defeating Aging. Rejuvenation Research, 2010 [Epub ahead of print].

[2] http://nl.netlog.com/RBX_S123/blog/blogid=81245373#blog [Dutch]