Heinz von Foerster's 1960 population collapse prediction

A 1960 prediction published in the journal Science has resurfaced, claiming that humanity would face extinction by November 13, 2026. The theory, proposed by cybernetics professor Heinz von Foerster and two students, argued that accelerating human population growth would lead to a catastrophic collapse.

Unlike contemporary views that focused on food shortages, the researchers suggested that human cooperation would allow populations to grow at an unsustainable, accelerating rate. They used mathematical equations based on 2,000 years of historical data to project that global growth would blow up entirely by 2026.

While the claim gained significant media attention from outlets like Time and The New York Times, it also faced intense criticism. Some experts dismissed the work as “ridiculous” and “obviously absurd.” Despite the controversy, the mathematical model was featured in textbooks for decades and was even cited in a 1971 US Supreme Court case regarding population control.