I’ve seen some of the same estimates. I settled on 2K because that’s what is estimated to have survived the To a supervolcano. Or rather the non-African population that survived.
Homosapiens in Africa actually did quite well comparatively.
Humanity is the only species capable of the arrogance required to believe we deserve to endure. Our survival instincts are ultimately self-defeating because we refuse to evolve socially. Instead we make wars and loot resources, rinse and repeat.
Humanity will be just another dead branch on the tree of life
Humans are pretty resilient. Adaptable to any climate, even the mess of a climate we created.
Now, I’m not saying that all 8 billion of us will survive.
What I’m saying is, the minimum viable genetic population for humans is about 2000 individuals.
When food runs out for even a portion of those 8 billion, results are gonna be nasty.
It’s hard to talk about climate initiatives when 1/3 of the planet is shooting eatch other. In worst case with nukes.
“There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy”
Yep, there will always be humans as long as there is literally anything we can hunt/forage and eat.
If that will resemble what we perceive as civilisation is another question entirely.
How much can you forage in the bush’s of human civilization? Not much grows in abandoned cites.
Nature reclaims cities pretty quickly though.
Even now cities cover a tiny fraction of the surface, and they’re already full of squirrels, rats, and pigeons.
I thought it was 500. I think I even read that 50 might be enough by some estimates.
50 if you’re carefully planning breeding.
2000 for a good chance to persist long-time under normal breeding conditions
I’ve seen some of the same estimates. I settled on 2K because that’s what is estimated to have survived the To a supervolcano. Or rather the non-African population that survived.
Homosapiens in Africa actually did quite well comparatively.
Right. We survived the ice age with stone age tech.
Not saying that this makes any of this OK but resilience is absolutely one of humanities highest spec traits.
Humanity is the only species capable of the arrogance required to believe we deserve to endure. Our survival instincts are ultimately self-defeating because we refuse to evolve socially. Instead we make wars and loot resources, rinse and repeat.
at least its self-pruning