Uncyclopedia:Featured articles/September 13

The birth of babies is the most important factor contributing to the increase of populations around the world. The world population has experienced continuous growth since the end of the Black Death around the year 1400; the highest rates of growth—increases above 1.8% per year—were seen briefly during the 1950s, then for a longer period during the 1960s and 1970s. Annual births have reduced to 140 million since their peak at 173 million in the late 1990s, and are expected to remain constant, while deaths number 57 million per year and are expected to increase to 90 million per year by 2050. Current projections show a steady decline in the population growth rate, with the population expected to reach between 8 and 10.5 billion between the year 2040 and 2050.

The rapid increase in human population over the course of the 20th century raises concern about whether Earth is experiencing overpopulation. The scientific consensus is that the current population expansion and accompanying increase in usage of resources are linked to threats to the ecosystem, such as rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide, global warming, and pollution. (Full article...)