We avoided that early catastrophe by using fertilisers sourced from mined phosphates. We have about 300 years reserves at current consumption rates. If we doubl

We avoided that early catastrophe by using fertilisers sourced from mined phosphates. We have about 300 years reserves at current consumption rates. If we double our consumption, we halve the reserve longevity. No amount of genetic engineering cleverness is going to address the need for onoohsates. Just because we avoided the early catastrophe doesn’t mean Malthus was wrong. At some point in the future we need to focus on farming ocean plants that recover the minerals we have been leaching into the oceans for the last few hundred years. Once we can close the loop on phosphates we can start talking about post-industrial-revolution population levels being sustainable.