This Physicist Predicted A 2026 Population Doomsday In 1960, And The Date Is Uncomfortably Specific

The end of the world has been predicted more times than anyone can reasonably count. There have been prophecies, ancient calendars, religious predictions, and plenty of internet theories, but one particular doomsday date is unusual because it came from a mathematical model published in the scientific journal Science.

And now that the date is getting closer, the prediction has resurfaced online. According to a 1960 paper by physicist Heinz von Foerster and his colleagues Patricia Mora and Lawrence Amiot, humanity could theoretically reach a population “infinity” on November 13, 2026.

In 1960, Heinz von Foerster and his colleagues published a mathematical model predicting that unchecked population growth could push humanity toward a point of no return