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I haven't heard of a specie disapearing primarily because it didn't have enough babies. Even the giant panda, before arriving to this situation, had seen thei

I haven't heard of a specie disapearing primarily because it didn't have enough babies. Even the giant panda, before arriving to this situation, had seen their forests devasted by us. So at best, I expect our specie to mess up in some big ways, then maybe, the finish blow will be reproduction. Yet I doubt it. First, other threats have a way higher likelyhood. India has no water, terrible social tension, instable border situations and the nuclear bomb. We killed 60% of the insects. There are microparticules of plastic everywhere in the oceans. Not to mention climat change, our mad scientist attitude towards everything, and the systematic conversion of limited natural assets into short term cash machines. Second, fertility is something we have been working on for some time now, and our mad, but smart, scientists are pretty good at it. Lastly, I even doubt that natural fertility will ever be a permanent problem. Nature has cycles to regular species population, and may impose on us some drastic mesure, but like all cycles, it goes back to where it was.

ccozan 8y ago
Well, look again. Humans are quite the only species capable of understanding at a higher level the reproduction and controlling it. So, yes, this plays a bigger role than environment, where humans can thrive in almost any conditions, if the technology is allowing it. No intrisic force makes a woman to have children and how many, just cultural and basic economy.
Nav_Panel 8y ago
Calhoun's "Beautiful Ones" study from the 1960s is the just-so story here. A rat environment is built, becomes overpopulated, and eventually the children stop breeding and the colony dies out. However, it's of dubious predictive value.
- Analemma_ 8y ago
  As much as the Internet loves the Rat Park study, it’s important to note that it has never replicated; several groups tried and failed. Until more information comes along, it should be considered another victim of the replication crisis and not taken too seriously.
grigjd3 8y ago
Might want to look into pandas. They're not quite just going extinct from a low birth rate, but that's definitely an issue for them.
simonsarris 8y ago
> Even the giant panda, before arriving to this situation, had seen their forests devasted by us. This only changes the question very slightly. If people in modern cultures are unmotivated to have [replacement rate] babies just like the pandas, what metaphorical forests of human experience have we already destroyed?

ccozan 8y ago

Well, look again. Humans are quite the only species capable of understanding at a higher level the reproduction and controlling it. So, yes, this plays a bigger role than environment, where humans can thrive in almost any conditions, if the technology is allowing it. No intrisic force makes a woman to have children and how many, just cultural and basic economy.

Nav_Panel 8y ago

Calhoun's "Beautiful Ones" study from the 1960s is the just-so story here. A rat environment is built, becomes overpopulated, and eventually the children stop breeding and the colony dies out. However, it's of dubious predictive value.

Analemma_ 8y ago
As much as the Internet loves the Rat Park study, it’s important to note that it has never replicated; several groups tried and failed. Until more information comes along, it should be considered another victim of the replication crisis and not taken too seriously.

grigjd3 8y ago

Might want to look into pandas. They're not quite just going extinct from a low birth rate, but that's definitely an issue for them.

simonsarris 8y ago

> Even the giant panda, before arriving to this situation, had seen their forests devasted by us. This only changes the question very slightly. If people in modern cultures are unmotivated to have [replacement rate] babies just like the pandas, what metaphorical forests of human experience have we already destroyed?