India, Oct. 31 -- What if a scientific study published more than six decades ago had already put a date on humanity's supposed end? It might sound like something from a science-fiction movie, but a 1960 research paper has recently attracted attention for predicting that the world's population would approach infinity on November 13, 2026.

The prediction, which was made by physicist Heinz von Foerster and his colleagues, is certainly unusual. According to their mathematical calculations, the human population could continue growing at such an accelerating rate that it would eventually reach an impossible limit.

With November 2026 approaching, the old prediction has started circulating again, raising an interesting question: Should people a...