'End of the World' Is 12 Days Away, According to 1960 Study Resurfacing Online

A 1960 scientific study that claimed humanity's population would 'approach infinity' on 13 November 2026 has resurfaced online just days before that date, sparking fresh debate on population growth and how we interpret old research.

A Threads post shared an image of the paper, titled 'Doomsday: Friday, 13 November, A.D. 2026', with the caption: 'Everyone: prepare for the end of the world! You have a week left.' The post had attracted more than 650 likes and over 130 shares.

What Did the 1960s Study Actually Predict?

The paper was published in the journal Science on 4 November 1960, by researchers Heinz von Foerster, Patricia M. Mora and Lawrence W. Amiot.

Its full title included the statement: 'At this date human population will approach infinity if it grows as it has grown in the last two millennia.'

The researchers examined historical population trends and developed a mathematical model based on how the global population growth rate had changed over time.

Their calculations suggested that continued growth along the same trajectory would lead to a mathematical singularity on 13 November 2026.

A mathematical singularity is a point where the model stops producing a finite value. Based on the assumption that historical growth trends would continue unchanged, the calculation highlighted the potential consequences of unchecked population growth, rather than predicting that Earth would physically end or humanity would suddenly become extinct.

'Doomsday' Goes Viral: How Threads Users Reacted

In a follow-up post, the user clarified that they were surprised so many people had taken the prediction seriously.

Other users also responded with humour and disbelief.

One commenter argued that nobody truly knows when the world will end except God, comparing the prediction with previous warnings of the apocalypse that never came to pass.

Another joked about the date, suggesting that Doomsday would actually arrive on 18 December 2026.

A different user criticised the latest prediction as fearmongering, pointing to previous supposed end-of-world dates, including 2012 and 27 October.

However, not all reactions dismissed the underlying issue. One commenter suggested that unchecked population growth could have serious consequences, while acknowledging that predicting an exact date was difficult.

Why the 2026 'Doomsday' Date Doesn't Add Up

The prediction depended on historical population growth patterns continuing into the future. However, global population trends eventually moved away from the trajectory outlined in the study.

In an analysis published by The Conversation in October, historian Alan MacEachern explained that the model appeared remarkably accurate for decades before actual population figures began falling behind its projections around 1993.

Declining birth rates and slowing population growth contributed to the difference. The global birth rate is now less than half what it was in 1960, according to the analysis.

The study's projections were based on a mathematical extrapolation of past trends, rather than a forecast accounting for future changes in fertility and population growth. As these factors changed, the assumptions behind the model became increasingly disconnected from actual population patterns.

This shift eventually undermined the model's projections as population growth began to slow.

The 13 November date therefore represents the outcome of a mathematical projection based on historical trends, rather than a scientifically established deadline for the end of humanity.