Mathematical model projects population limit for November 2026

A 1960 scientific study published in the journal Science has resurfaced on social media, drawing attention to the date of November 13, 2026. The study, titled ‘Doomsday: Friday, 13 November, A. D. 2026’, was authored by Heinz von Foerster, Patricia M. Mora, and Lawrence W. Amiot.

Using a mathematical model to project global population growth, the researchers observed that the time required for the population to double was progressively decreasing. Their equation projected that if this accelerating growth continued without limits, the population would tend toward infinity by November 13, 2026.

However, the study was intended as a warning regarding uncontrolled demographic growth rather than a literal prediction of the end of the world. The mathematical limit reached in the model did not account for subsequent real-world shifts, such as declining birth rates driven by increased access to education, economic changes, and smaller family sizes, which have caused actual population trends to diverge from the 1960 projection.