Oops, Scientists May Have Severely Miscalculated How Many Humans Are on Earth
AOL.com • • world
Key Points:
- A study by researchers at Aalto University suggests that global population estimates, currently around 8.2 billion, may significantly underrepresent rural populations by 53% to 84% based on data from 300 rural dam projects in 35 countries between 1975 and 2010.
- The study used precise population counts from dam relocation projects, which require accurate compensation records, combined with satellite imagery to assess rural population discrepancies compared to widely used datasets like WorldPop and LandScan.
- Underreporting rural populations could have serious implications for resource allocation and policy decisions, as many countries face challenges in conducting accurate censuses in remote areas.
- However, some experts remain skeptical, arguing that such a large undercount of billions of people contradicts
