Re: [Phys-l] H. Sapiens

["Dr. Keith S. Taber" <kst24@cam.ac.uk>]

Good question: I recall reading/hearing somewhere that 10% of all 
human beings are alive today - but I don't recall how that was 
derived.

And then similarly I've heard 90% of all scientists that ever lived 
are alive today.

(I suspect there's material for some very poor joke in combining 
those two - along the lines "...and the other 10% are human beings.")

Keith


> I'd like to reprise the population topic briefly (for a change of pace).
>
> Folks seem to have a pretty good set of data that is being fit to
> exponential form.
> I'm reminded of Al Bartlett's many talks and must ask a question.
>
> Based on this exponential curve - about what percentage of the TOTAL
> historical Homo Sapiens population is currently alive?
>
> This shouldn't be a terribly difficult % to come up with.
>
> thanks for indulging me.

--
Dr. Keith S. Taber

http://www.educ.cam.ac.uk/staff/taber.html
http://people.pwf.cam.ac.uk/kst24/

Author: Progressing Science Education - Constructing the Scientific 
Research Programme into the Contingent Nature of Learning Science 
(Springer: 2009)

University Senior Lecturer in Science Education

Science Education Centre
University of Cambridge Faculty of Education
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