Eh? All the press are confidently asserting that the 7 billionth child will be born today
I don't get how anyone can possibly know this. People are karking it and being born all the time. Are they still counting Jimmy Saville? Does anyone know how they calculate it? Surely its like trying to guess how many grains of sand are on a beach? Pure guess-work
But a useful peg to hang whatever campaign They want to launch next...
Accuracy = Zero (probably).
For all anyone really knows, it happened days ago.
But it's a nice whole number for a headline I suppose.
And it satisfies the human love/obsession with measuring and counting every little flipping thing.
Are they still counting Jimmy Saville?
Just spat some biscuit into my keyboard.
It's apparently surprisingly accurate - people have been keeping accurate birth/death/marriage records for centuries.
The error either way is about 56 million so it's (as usual) the press being utterly stupid in failing to understand statistics. The 7 billionth person may have been born last week or be born next week but when you're talking about 7 billion, being out by 56 million isn't that big a deal.
Sort of related, that commonly spouted "statistic" of there being more people alive now than have ever died is also bollox. Got to love it when the papers try to do science... 
...and don't forget, at least one of them is hora.
It's apparently surprisingly accurate - people have been keeping accurate birth/death/marriage records for centuries.
Have they?
...and don't forget, at least one of them is hora
So what is the growth percentage and doubling time now, does anyone know?
At the end of the day we are intelligent bugs.
If our planet imploded no one in the Universe would miss us.
In response to joolsburger: at least one expert doesn't think there will be another doubling time.
7 millionth born today, how do they know?
Cos Chuck Norris told 'em, after he delivered it, that's how!
And what crazy legs said, glad to see there is still the odd person who understands statistics, certainly the media don't as you rightly point out!
If our planet imploded no one in the Universe would miss us.
What about God? Surely she'd be a little bit miffed?
The seven billionth child was born in the Philippines. She got a cake and a voucher for some free shoes. 
What about God? Surely she'd be a little bit miffed?
Well he'd have to do another week's work again I'm sure, so considering he's had the last few hundred million years off I expect he would be a bit miffed to suddenly have to get off his arse for a week!
yeh they know how many are in the universe but not how many come in n out our country each year how does tht work
What about all the births in areas where there are no records? In areas that were covered in the Human Planet programmes.
Sort of related, that commonly spouted "statistic" of there being more people alive now than have ever died is also bollox. Got to love it when the papers try to do science...
Assuming approximately exponential growth with a positive % increase?
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