TED-Ed: The infamous overpopulation bet: Simon vs. Ehrlich | Soraya Field Fiorio

In 1980, Paul Ehrlich and Julian Simon bet on whether Earth's resources could sustain a growing population. Ehrlich, drawing from Malthus, predicted resource scarcity and famine, while Simon believed human ingenuity would prevail. They wagered on metal prices as a proxy for resource scarcity. Over a decade, metal prices fell, making Simon the winner. Today, the focus has shifted from overpopulation to equitable resource distribution and sustainable practices.

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