Fertility rates across the planet are dropping at an unprecedented rate, causing experts to raise serious concerns about the state of humanity in 2100. AirBnB has infuriated customers by asking them to donate to hosts of the short-term rental platform. Online protests have swept Iran and the world as citizens react to the country's recent decision to follow through with the execution of three young protestors. Join Ben Bowlin for more Strange News Daily, and share your stories on Twitter: #strangedaily.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Strange News Daily. It's a production of I Heart Media.
In a world full of bizarre events, unsolved mysteries, and
a billion stories from all corners of the globe, some
(00:22):
news gets lost in the shuffle. This is your gateway
to the stories on the fringe of the mainstream map.
These are your dispatches in the dark. I'm Ben Bolan,
and this is the Strange News Daily, our first story today.
(00:45):
Over recent decades, many experts have warned about the dangers
of overpopulation, but new research says that we may be
running into the opposite sort of problem. In coming years.
The world just maybe set for a massive decline in
population due to a global crash in childbirth. Falling fertility
(01:10):
rates mean that nearly every country on the planet could
have shrinking populations by the end of this century. Of
these countries, twenty three, including Spain and Japan, are expected
to see their populations decreased by half. In countries will
also age dramatically, with as many people turning eighty as
(01:31):
there are being born. So what's going on here? The
fertility rate, by which we mean the average number of
children a woman gives birth to, is falling. If that
number falls below about two point one, then the size
of a population also begins to fall back. In nineteen fifty,
(01:53):
women were having an average of four point seven children
in their lifetime. Researchers at the un Diversity Washington's Institute
for Health Metrics and Evaluation found that the global fertility
rate has dropped to two point four in seventeen, and
their study, which was recently published in The Lancet, projects
(02:14):
this trend will continue, with the fertility rate falling to
below one point seven by As a result of this,
the researchers expect the number of people on the planet
to peak somewhere at nine point seven billion people around
four and then fall down to eight point eight billion
(02:35):
by the end of this century. One of the researchers
behind the study, Professor Christopher Murray, says that's a pretty
big thing. Most of the world is transitioning into natural
population decline. Professor Murray continues saying, I think it's incredibly
hard to think this through and recognize how big a
thing this is. It's extraordinary will have to reorganize societies.
(02:59):
So why are these fertility rates falling? Well, it has
nothing to do with sperm counts, for instance, or other
biological factors that might immediately come to mind when we
discuss fertility. Instead, the researchers believe this decline is being
driven by more women in education and work, as well
(03:21):
as greater access to contraception. They argue that these factors
and others combine leading to women choosing to have fewer
children in general, so in many ways, these falling fertility
rates are a success story. The countries that will be
most affected include Japan and Italy. Japan's population is projected
(03:45):
to fall from a peak of one hundred and twenty
eight million in twenty seventeen to less than fifty three
million by twenty one hundred. Italy is going to see
an equally dramatic crash from sixty one million to twenty
eight million across the same span of time. Professor Murray
describes this as jaw dropping. So what about the most
(04:07):
populous nation in the world, China? The population of China
is expect to peak at one point four billion in
four years before dropping to nearly half that to seven
hundred and thirty two million by India then will become
the most populous nation. However, this will definitely be a
(04:27):
global issue, and at first glance, We might think this
is all pretty great news, especially for the environment. A
smaller population will result in less pollution and fewer instances
of deforestation. Professor Murray says this would be true except
for that inverted age structure. There are going to be
(04:51):
uniformly negative consequences in every nation across the world when
there are more old people than young people. Who will
pay tax in a massively aged world. Who will pay
for the healthcare needs of the elderly, Who will look
after elderly populations? Will people still be able to retire?
(05:12):
These are questions science doesn't have solid answers for just yet.
Professor Ibrahim Abu Bakar of the University College of London says,
to be successful, we need a fundamental rethink of global politics.
The distribution of working age populations will be crucial to
whether humanity prospers or withers. Our second story today, have you,
(05:47):
like millions of other people across the planet, ever used
air b and b if so you might still be
on their mailing list, and you may have even received
a strange message from the company. After COVID nineteen hit,
it obliterated the revenues of Airbnb across the planet an,
Airbnb started asking guests to chip in by sending what
(06:10):
they call kindness cards. These kindness cards could also include
cash donations to former host These hosts have seen billions
of dollars in revenue vanish over the past few months
as travel in general has ground to a halt due
to the coronavirus pandemic. This kindness cards approach seems to
(06:31):
be another effort to a squash the financial concerns of
host and this time they're just soliciting contributions from former
guests at Airbnb locations. Airbnb says of the proceeds from
these cards go directly to the host and their statement.
They described the kindness cards this way, saying, in the
(06:53):
spirit of rekindling connections, we developed a new feature that
allows guests to send virtual cards with messages of port
and encouragement to host who provided excellent hospitality. If they wish,
guests have the option to add a voluntary financial contribution.
However well intentioned this strategy may seem, it didn't have
(07:14):
the effect that Airbnb was hoping for. People on social media,
from Facebook to Twitter to Instagram harshly criticized Airbnb, pointing
out that they are also trying to save money amid
the pandemic, and they asked why it should be their
responsibility to support Airbnb host. The host, for their part,
(07:36):
have directed their anger at Airbnb. They say the company
implemented cancelation policies at the onset of the COVID nineteen pandemic,
and that these policies cost them even more money. For
their part, Airbnb said back in March that it would
spend two hundred and fifty million dollars to reimburse guests
for host cancelations that were related to coronavirus shutdowns. This
(07:59):
financial situation is especially dangerous for what are known as
mega host. Mega hosts own multiple properties that they put
on the Airbnb service. Some mega host have bought up
dozens of properties, and they've built essentially short term rental
empires that become their main source of income. According to
(08:22):
an analytics site called air d NA, about one third
of Airbnb properties are owned by hosts, who manage at
least twenty five separate properties. We currently have no report
on how many donations are actually coming through the kindness
card option here. Airbnb spokespeople have not immediately responded to
(08:45):
request for comments Our third story today takes place in
Iran and on the Internet, where a massive online protest
has caught global attention as a audience from all walks
(09:09):
of life protests the country's recent announcement that it will
uphold the death sentences of three young men who joined
anti government protests earlier in November twenty nine. Iran is
no stranger to executions. Just last year, the country put
two hundred and fifty one people to death, more than
(09:30):
any country other than China. In recent weeks, many Iranians
have been rattled and shaken by a series of executions
based on what they see as murky charges. Executions for
anything from drinking alcohol to political activism to spine for
foreign intelligence agencies like the c i A. This marks
(09:52):
a rare moment of solidarity in the country. Iranians of
varying political views are gathering around this single issue. Human
rights activists say it suggests that Iranians are seeking new
ways to be heard because the government is brutally crushed
street protests and other forms of traditional descent. Earlier this week,
(10:13):
the most tweeted hashtag within the country was hashtag don't
execute in Persian. Iranians all over the world joined this campaign.
The hashtag trended globally with nearly four point five million tweets.
A Mere Brashti, a digital researcher who focuses on online security,
says I've never seen a hashtag with this level of
(10:35):
participation from Iranians everywhere. The call to end executions also
generated tens of thousands of posts on other social media
platforms that are popular in the country. Think of things
like Telegram or Instagram. The three men who are the
subject of the protest are Amir Hossein Marati, Said Tom
(10:58):
Gid and Mohammad raj Be. These men, all in their twenties,
were part of a nationwide protest in November. People took
to the streets protesting hikes in gasoline prices. According to
rights organizations, Irani in security forces killed at least five
d protesters. Seven thousand other people were arrested. These three
(11:22):
men were charged with participation in vandalism and arson with
the intent to confront and engage in war with the
Islamic Republic of Iran. The men's lawyers wrote an open
letter saying that their clients had been forced to confess
under abert conditions. A phrase, which could imply torture. The
(11:43):
Supreme Court turned down an appeal and upheld the death sentences.
Earlier this week, as the protests picked up steam, politicians
took notice. Former Vice President Mohammad Ali Aptahi, a cleric,
warned in a tweet that the government should not be
stubborn in the face of such strong public opinion. Many
Iranians see a precedent here, saying that the government is
(12:06):
making an example of these three men to intimidate the
public and to preempt any future uprisings amid the widespread
discontent over the failing economy and the authority's handling of
the coronavirus pandemic. Roya Burromant, the executive director of the
Washington based Abderapman Borrowman Center, which advocates for increased human
(12:28):
rights in Iran, says that the society is boiling, so they,
meaning the Iranian government, are increasing the number of executions.
The message Borrowman's concludes was remember we can kill. That's
all for now. We've been asking you to chime in
with suggestions for stories you think your fellow listeners might enjoy.
(12:51):
To hit us with your best or worst jokes as well.
As your personal experience with COVID nineteen, the ongoing protests,
or anything else that's happening in your neck of the
Global woods. Let us know. Tag hashtag Strange daily on Twitter,
or reach out to me directly. I'm at Ben Bullin
HSW on Twitter or at Ben Bullin on Instagram. Thanks
(13:11):
as always to our super producer Dylan Fagan, our research
associates am T Garden, and most importantly, thanks to you.
I'm Ben Bully. We'll see you tomorrow. Until then, stay strange.
Strange News Daily. It's a production of I Heart Media.
In a world full of bizarre events, unsolved mysteries, and
a billion stories from all corners of the globe, some
(00:22):
news gets lost in the shuffle. This is your gateway
to the stories on the fringe of the mainstream map.
These are your dispatches in the dark. I'm Ben Bolan,
and this is the Strange News Daily, our first story today.
(00:45):
Over recent decades, many experts have warned about the dangers
of overpopulation, but new research says that we may be
running into the opposite sort of problem. In coming years.
The world just maybe set for a massive decline in
population due to a global crash in childbirth. Falling fertility
(01:10):
rates mean that nearly every country on the planet could
have shrinking populations by the end of this century. Of
these countries, twenty three, including Spain and Japan, are expected
to see their populations decreased by half. In countries will
also age dramatically, with as many people turning eighty as
(01:31):
there are being born. So what's going on here? The
fertility rate, by which we mean the average number of
children a woman gives birth to, is falling. If that
number falls below about two point one, then the size
of a population also begins to fall back. In nineteen fifty,
(01:53):
women were having an average of four point seven children
in their lifetime. Researchers at the un Diversity Washington's Institute
for Health Metrics and Evaluation found that the global fertility
rate has dropped to two point four in seventeen, and
their study, which was recently published in The Lancet, projects
(02:14):
this trend will continue, with the fertility rate falling to
below one point seven by As a result of this,
the researchers expect the number of people on the planet
to peak somewhere at nine point seven billion people around
four and then fall down to eight point eight billion
(02:35):
by the end of this century. One of the researchers
behind the study, Professor Christopher Murray, says that's a pretty
big thing. Most of the world is transitioning into natural
population decline. Professor Murray continues saying, I think it's incredibly
hard to think this through and recognize how big a
thing this is. It's extraordinary will have to reorganize societies.
(02:59):
So why are these fertility rates falling? Well, it has
nothing to do with sperm counts, for instance, or other
biological factors that might immediately come to mind when we
discuss fertility. Instead, the researchers believe this decline is being
driven by more women in education and work, as well
(03:21):
as greater access to contraception. They argue that these factors
and others combine leading to women choosing to have fewer
children in general, so in many ways, these falling fertility
rates are a success story. The countries that will be
most affected include Japan and Italy. Japan's population is projected
(03:45):
to fall from a peak of one hundred and twenty
eight million in twenty seventeen to less than fifty three
million by twenty one hundred. Italy is going to see
an equally dramatic crash from sixty one million to twenty
eight million across the same span of time. Professor Murray
describes this as jaw dropping. So what about the most
(04:07):
populous nation in the world, China? The population of China
is expect to peak at one point four billion in
four years before dropping to nearly half that to seven
hundred and thirty two million by India then will become
the most populous nation. However, this will definitely be a
(04:27):
global issue, and at first glance, We might think this
is all pretty great news, especially for the environment. A
smaller population will result in less pollution and fewer instances
of deforestation. Professor Murray says this would be true except
for that inverted age structure. There are going to be
(04:51):
uniformly negative consequences in every nation across the world when
there are more old people than young people. Who will
pay tax in a massively aged world. Who will pay
for the healthcare needs of the elderly, Who will look
after elderly populations? Will people still be able to retire?
(05:12):
These are questions science doesn't have solid answers for just yet.
Professor Ibrahim Abu Bakar of the University College of London says,
to be successful, we need a fundamental rethink of global politics.
The distribution of working age populations will be crucial to
whether humanity prospers or withers. Our second story today, have you,
(05:47):
like millions of other people across the planet, ever used
air b and b if so you might still be
on their mailing list, and you may have even received
a strange message from the company. After COVID nineteen hit,
it obliterated the revenues of Airbnb across the planet an,
Airbnb started asking guests to chip in by sending what
(06:10):
they call kindness cards. These kindness cards could also include
cash donations to former host These hosts have seen billions
of dollars in revenue vanish over the past few months
as travel in general has ground to a halt due
to the coronavirus pandemic. This kindness cards approach seems to
(06:31):
be another effort to a squash the financial concerns of
host and this time they're just soliciting contributions from former
guests at Airbnb locations. Airbnb says of the proceeds from
these cards go directly to the host and their statement.
They described the kindness cards this way, saying, in the
(06:53):
spirit of rekindling connections, we developed a new feature that
allows guests to send virtual cards with messages of port
and encouragement to host who provided excellent hospitality. If they wish,
guests have the option to add a voluntary financial contribution.
However well intentioned this strategy may seem, it didn't have
(07:14):
the effect that Airbnb was hoping for. People on social media,
from Facebook to Twitter to Instagram harshly criticized Airbnb, pointing
out that they are also trying to save money amid
the pandemic, and they asked why it should be their
responsibility to support Airbnb host. The host, for their part,
(07:36):
have directed their anger at Airbnb. They say the company
implemented cancelation policies at the onset of the COVID nineteen pandemic,
and that these policies cost them even more money. For
their part, Airbnb said back in March that it would
spend two hundred and fifty million dollars to reimburse guests
for host cancelations that were related to coronavirus shutdowns. This
(07:59):
financial situation is especially dangerous for what are known as
mega host. Mega hosts own multiple properties that they put
on the Airbnb service. Some mega host have bought up
dozens of properties, and they've built essentially short term rental
empires that become their main source of income. According to
(08:22):
an analytics site called air d NA, about one third
of Airbnb properties are owned by hosts, who manage at
least twenty five separate properties. We currently have no report
on how many donations are actually coming through the kindness
card option here. Airbnb spokespeople have not immediately responded to
(08:45):
request for comments Our third story today takes place in
Iran and on the Internet, where a massive online protest
has caught global attention as a audience from all walks
(09:09):
of life protests the country's recent announcement that it will
uphold the death sentences of three young men who joined
anti government protests earlier in November twenty nine. Iran is
no stranger to executions. Just last year, the country put
two hundred and fifty one people to death, more than
(09:30):
any country other than China. In recent weeks, many Iranians
have been rattled and shaken by a series of executions
based on what they see as murky charges. Executions for
anything from drinking alcohol to political activism to spine for
foreign intelligence agencies like the c i A. This marks
(09:52):
a rare moment of solidarity in the country. Iranians of
varying political views are gathering around this single issue. Human
rights activists say it suggests that Iranians are seeking new
ways to be heard because the government is brutally crushed
street protests and other forms of traditional descent. Earlier this week,
(10:13):
the most tweeted hashtag within the country was hashtag don't
execute in Persian. Iranians all over the world joined this campaign.
The hashtag trended globally with nearly four point five million tweets.
A Mere Brashti, a digital researcher who focuses on online security,
says I've never seen a hashtag with this level of
(10:35):
participation from Iranians everywhere. The call to end executions also
generated tens of thousands of posts on other social media
platforms that are popular in the country. Think of things
like Telegram or Instagram. The three men who are the
subject of the protest are Amir Hossein Marati, Said Tom
(10:58):
Gid and Mohammad raj Be. These men, all in their twenties,
were part of a nationwide protest in November. People took
to the streets protesting hikes in gasoline prices. According to
rights organizations, Irani in security forces killed at least five
d protesters. Seven thousand other people were arrested. These three
(11:22):
men were charged with participation in vandalism and arson with
the intent to confront and engage in war with the
Islamic Republic of Iran. The men's lawyers wrote an open
letter saying that their clients had been forced to confess
under abert conditions. A phrase, which could imply torture. The
(11:43):
Supreme Court turned down an appeal and upheld the death sentences.
Earlier this week, as the protests picked up steam, politicians
took notice. Former Vice President Mohammad Ali Aptahi, a cleric,
warned in a tweet that the government should not be
stubborn in the face of such strong public opinion. Many
Iranians see a precedent here, saying that the government is
(12:06):
making an example of these three men to intimidate the
public and to preempt any future uprisings amid the widespread
discontent over the failing economy and the authority's handling of
the coronavirus pandemic. Roya Burromant, the executive director of the
Washington based Abderapman Borrowman Center, which advocates for increased human
(12:28):
rights in Iran, says that the society is boiling, so they,
meaning the Iranian government, are increasing the number of executions.
The message Borrowman's concludes was remember we can kill. That's
all for now. We've been asking you to chime in
with suggestions for stories you think your fellow listeners might enjoy.
(12:51):
To hit us with your best or worst jokes as well.
As your personal experience with COVID nineteen, the ongoing protests,
or anything else that's happening in your neck of the
Global woods. Let us know. Tag hashtag Strange daily on Twitter,
or reach out to me directly. I'm at Ben Bullin
HSW on Twitter or at Ben Bullin on Instagram. Thanks
(13:11):
as always to our super producer Dylan Fagan, our research
associates am T Garden, and most importantly, thanks to you.
I'm Ben Bully. We'll see you tomorrow. Until then, stay strange.
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