In 1980, Paul Ehrlich and Julian Simon bet $1,000 on a question with stakes that couldn't be higher: would the earth run out of resources to sustain a growing human population? They bet $200 on the price of five metals. If the price of a metal decreased or held steady over the next decade, Simon won. If the price increased, Ehrlich won. So, what happened? Soraya Field Fiorio investigates. [Directed by Avi Ofer, narrated by Alexandra Panzer, music by Salil Bhayani and cAMP Studio].

Soraya Field Fiorio: The infamous overpopulation bet: Simon vs. Ehrlich

The infamous overpopulation bet: Simon vs. Ehrlich

The 1980 bet between Ehrlich and Simon on metal prices unveiled human ingenuity's role in resource management and economic growth.

Contrary to Malthusian predictions, the decrease in metal prices despite population growth in the '80s challenged overpopulation fears.

Today's resource distribution inequity, not scarcity, is the hurdle. Sustainable tech, not population control, is seen as the solution.