Interesting

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Link to tweet

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

1. I know that the typical estimate of how many humans have ever lived

is about 100 million.

Every once in a while you'll see something that claims that currently more people are alive than have ever lived before. I want to strangle those who say that. It shows a profound lack of understanding of math and numbers.

[Ilsa]

4. You mean 100 billion? nt

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. Duh.

Head smack. I got it wrong, didn't I?

Yes, 100 billion. Thank you for the correction.

[Ptah]

5. There are over 300 million people in the United States now.

I know that the typical estimate of how many humans have ever lived is about 100 million.

Every once in a while you'll see something that claims that currently more people are alive than have ever lived before. I want to strangle those who say that. It shows a profound lack of understanding of math and numbers.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

9. Billion, million, what's the difference?

I'm being ironic, because you are absolutely right and I was wrong. I actually do know the difference between million and billion, and perhaps were I to do a better job of proofreading my posts this wouldn't have happened.

[NJCher]

11. At least you admit it when you make a mistake

We unfortunately have some dumbasses around here who post the most ridiculous stupid crap. You’d think they never were given a public education.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

12. I hope I always admit when I make a mistake.

And I make lots of them. In this case it was a careless typo, but there is a huge difference between 100 million and 100 billion, and someone who might have thought 100 million was the correct number would have been vastly misled. I honestly appreciate the correction of my error.

[Demovictory9]

13. "that currently more people are alive than have ever lived before" I've heard that, took it as truth

[Mr.Bill]

2. I think I remember reading maybe in the 60s or 70s

that 90% of the scientists who ever lived were currently alive.

[Ptah]

6. Full image:

[Rustynaerduwell]

10. In 1968 Arthur C. Clarke wrote in the book 2001: a space odyssey

"Behind every man now alive stand thirty ghosts, for that is the ratio by which the dead outnumber the living. Since the dawn of time, roughly a hundred billion human beings have walked the planet Earth".

The greatest irony is that exponential growth is what's going to destroy us.