http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16870579

"The population of the planet reached seven billion in October, according to the United Nations. But what's the figure for all those who have lived before us?"

From what I've read between 60 billion and 110 billion, but it just depends when you decide to start estimating the figures. If you decide to count all species of the genus Homo I'd imagine the figure is a lot higher.

Rome Existed wrote:From what I've read between 60 billion and 110 billion, but it just depends when you decide to start estimating the figures. If you decide to count all species of the genus Homo I'd imagine the figure is a lot higher.

It would obviously be higher, but I'm pretty sure it'd be a drop in the bucket. The Homo genus has never been as successful as it is today. At most, it'd probably add about 1-2% to the total, I think.

Apparenlty without farming and the like the carrying capacity of the Earth for humans is about 16 million or so. Probably varied throughout prehistoric time with ice ages and the like.

Over time that'd add up to a huge number. Remember, we only hit 1 billion people what, less than 200 years ago? About 1000 years ago the Earth's population was only about 300m or so I believe.

Rome Existed wrote:Apparenlty without farming and the like the carrying capacity of the Earth for humans is about 16 million or so. Probably varied throughout prehistoric time with ice ages and the like.

Over time that'd add up to a huge number. Remember, we only hit 1 billion people what, less than 200 years ago? About 1000 years ago the Earth's population was only about 300m or so I believe.

I wish people were more aware of these numbers. When I tell Thai friends that 100 years ago the population of Thailand was only 6 million or so, no one ever believes me!

Rome Existed wrote:Apparenlty without farming and the like the carrying capacity of the Earth for humans is about 16 million or so. Probably varied throughout prehistoric time with ice ages and the like.

Over time that'd add up to a huge number. Remember, we only hit 1 billion people what, less than 200 years ago? About 1000 years ago the Earth's population was only about 300m or so I believe.

In those times, life spans also were shorter, so in a century with about 300m at any time, the total number during such a century would be a lot greater.

When you think of all those billions who have ever existed, and then you subtract the ones that were born before the arrival of various messiahs, bearded and be-sandaled holy men, sons of god and the like, and then subtract all the ones who lived at a place geographically remote from the influence of said visionaries and saviors of all mankind, and it took centuries before they even had the chance to hear the good news, then it looks like there's many billions of people who never even had a chance to accept the one true faith (take your pick of 'one true faiths'), and will never be allowed into the presence of god.
It hardly seems fair, does it?
But then again, it is religion, so seeing as it's all made up anyways, there's nothing to get excited about.
Whew, that's lucky.

Yeah, I checked this once upon a time, and it seemed to be somewhat of a "consensus" that there have been around 130 billion (sorry - more like 110 - bad memory...) people through the ages when I checked it (I used it against a religious doctrine of some, that says most of those who have ever lived will be resurrected to live on a future, God-governed paradise earth).

It's quite mind blowing to think that there were 'only' about 2,5 billion people on the planet as late as in 1950!

So we can estimate that of everyone who has ever lived about 6% are alive right now.

When I first read the title, I read "Do the dead remember the living?" Oh, oh, I thought...

Must pay a visit to Specsavers or get a new brain or something...

Well, the Mormons are busily initiating the dead they can track into their bonkers cult venerable religion. Don't know what they do about the unnamed, unknown and un-species-specific though...

Agrippina wrote:What about the homo-whatevers that preceded us, are they doomed to hell too?

There was probably an Australopithecine Jesus around to offer them the choice between eternal obedience or eternal torture...

...or just common sense?

Agrippina wrote:Do you think the Neanderthals had priests and gods.

I have no idea.

AFAICT there is some evidence of ceremonial activities:

Evidence for a likely 50,000-year-old Neanderthal burial ground that includes the remains of at least three individuals has been unearthed in Spain, according to a Quaternary International paper.

The deceased appear to have been intentionally buried, with each Neanderthal's arms folded such that the hands were close to the head. Remains of other Neanderthals have been found in this position, suggesting that it held meaning.

Neanderthals therefore may have conducted burials and possessed symbolic thought before modern humans had these abilities. The site, Sima de las Palomas in Murcia, Southeast Spain, may also be the first known Neanderthal burial ground of Mediterranean Europe.

http://news.discovery.com/history/neand ... 10420.html

But if there were a hundred billion dead people - where are they all?

Agrippina wrote:Do you think the Neanderthals had priests and gods.

I would hazard a guess that they had elders - living beyond 40 was probably something of a novelty, and would have held superstitious meaning. I would guess that the elders explained the meaning of life to the tribe and made decisions concerning morality.

j.mills wrote:But if there were a hundred billion dead people - where are they all?

In your bathroom watching you shower.