1960 study predicted doomsday next month—Scientists set the record straight

An old study published in November 1960 predicted that human population would reach its breaking point and self-annihilate on November 13, 2026.

The study titled “Doomsday: Friday, 13 November, A.D. 2026” was published by Heinz von Foerster and two students. The prediction caused panic among people who feared that humanity would be condemned to death and against the backdrop of population growing at unprecedented rate, the Earth would run out of space to accommodate them.

However, the scientists found a flaw in their prediction. As per researchers, global birth rates are now significantly lower, about half of the 1960 rate, and population growth began falling behind forecasts around 1993, rendering the prediction based on outdated figures.

The recent numbers in population growth have made the 1960 study obsolete, making November 13, 2026 an ordinary day instead of a doomsday.

Professor MacEachern assures everyone that November 13 will be an ordinary day and we will not be "squeezed to death."

He also presented a “stage magician” theory. As Foerster was a stage magician, MacEachern suggests the paper was a clever trick, using rigorous science wrapped in an absurd, attention-grabbing title and conclusion to highlight a serious matter.

“Borrowing the classic language of stagecraft, an effective illusion relies on three parts: the setup, the extraordinary turn and the final reveal that returns the situation to normal,” Professor MacEachern explained.

Moreover, the study ignored fundamental laws of nature including planet's "carrying capacity" and incorrectly assumed that technological progress would cause humans to reproduce faster without taking into account that modernization and education have actually led to declining birth rates.