333
votes
Russian Dolls - How do they reproduce?
Through selective breeding and misplaced import laws, we only ever get to see Russian dolls that are "aesthetically pleasing".
In the wild, it is relatively common to get a "double-yolker" - that is, ...
- 3,375
213
votes
Accepted
If everyone in the world disappeared except 35 random people, how long would it take for one of them to realize they're not alone?
Assuming that it's purely random, let's consider where these people would probably be. Taking the percentage of the population each country represents, we get:
China: 18.2% = 6.37 people
India: 17.5% ...
- 1,713
204
votes
If everyone in the world disappeared except 35 random people, how long would it take for one of them to realize they're not alone?
It's HF radio, or nothing
The odds of anyone meeting again are almost exactly equal to the odds of at least two being either radio hams, or able to learn the skills from books.
The population ...
- 3,235
135
votes
Russian Dolls - How do they reproduce?
In the deepest, darkest, hidden places in the forest dwell the Queen Dolls.
Rarely seen, these creatures resemble a normal Russian Doll only at the tops of their vast, misshapen bodies - their lower ...
- 1,552
100
votes
Russian Dolls - How do they reproduce?
Actually, there is an organism on earth that is vaguely similar to the Russian dolls that you describe. The volvox:
Individual volvox cells, a kind of freshwater algae, reproduce in the conventional ...
- 1,127
76
votes
How poor does Elven fertility need to be in order to keep the ratio of humans to elves constant?
The different causes of death are the biggest issue here.
Humans will lose a lot of children to disease, elves don't seem to suffer from this
Humans lose fertility early then die fairly young, again ...
- 118k
74
votes
How big can a town get before everyone stops knowing everyone else?
The number you are looking for is not Dunbar's Number
Dunbar's number is about how many relationships you can maintain, but does not directly dictate the "sense" of knowing everyone. ...
- 105k
66
votes
How many people are necessary to maintain modern civilisation?
I'm going to respond to this with a framing challenge, because as it stands I think you're asking the wrong question.
The issue is that the modern industrial world is a product of population DENSITY ...
- 16.9k
62
votes
Accepted
How big can a town get before everyone stops knowing everyone else?
The number you are looking for is Dunbar's Number.
It is well-known for most primates, but only approximately for humans (between 150 and 250).
Humans of course have prodigious memory, and might be ...
- 12.6k
57
votes
If everyone in the world disappeared except 35 random people, how long would it take for one of them to realize they're not alone?
This is an interesting question.
Obviously, just walking about and hoping to meet someone is fruitless, the chances are just ridiculous. What you would want to do is communicate. Now we know how many ...
- 9,130
57
votes
Why would a country with high population suffer from low manpower?
"The events are set in a late renaissance like world, minus the gunpowder."
Fine. Let's take this as given, and let's assume that by "late Renaissance-like" we understand western European Renaissance,...
- 98k
56
votes
What would be a logical reason to explain space based families having more children than an earth based one
There's not a lot to do in space, so bored people in close quarters resort to what they always do, and have large families as a result. The small families that are the norm in today's developed world ...
- 9,750
56
votes
Elf-like race: What could prevent overpopulation?
Low natality rates.
They would live long, but procreating a child is a very rare event for all couples.
That should balance the lack of aging, if deaths due to other reasons are not too frequent.
- 301k
53
votes
If everyone in the world disappeared except 35 random people, how long would it take for one of them to realize they're not alone?
(This answer supposes that electricity and the internet survives for a day or two)
Either a couple of days, or many months, if ever.
CALLING OUT TO ALL SURVIVORS
Hello!
Everybody in the world has ...
- 3,519
53
votes
My Medieval kingdom has birth control, why is the population so high?
A Lack of Birth Control Wasn't the Cause of Large Families
As one commenter already pointed out, the reason people had large families in the Middle Ages wasn't because they couldn't avoid it; rather, ...
- 33.6k
49
votes
If everyone in the world disappeared except 35 random people, how long would it take for one of them to realize they're not alone?
I figured, since a lot of people are bringing up the Birthday Problem, I'd add a separate answer just for discussing it. Simply put for those not familiar with it, the idea is that based on ...
- 1,713
49
votes
In theory, could all mammals be wiped out by a single pathogen?
Yes, but not in the way you are thinking.
One way this could happen is if some killer fungus starts growing unchecked throughout the planet, on land and sea. By killing all plant life it would destroy ...
- 142k
43
votes
What would be a logical reason to explain space based families having more children than an earth based one
Attrition
Also one of the reasons rural medieval families were usually large ones. Because space stations represent the frontier, the most hazardous jobs and the workforce handling those jobs would ...
- 8,709
42
votes
Russian Dolls - How do they reproduce?
Regenerate the top part.
The splitting doesn't actually kills the doll - just its bottom half.
The bottom half becomes a nest for the little doll that was gestating on the inside of the "mother doll"...
- 9,115
39
votes
Accepted
What is the longest time Humanity could be sterilized for without causing extinction?
Assumption #1:
Somewhere between 40 and 50 years. Any girl babies just conceived before the Curse was thrown down will have somewhere between 40 and 50 years before menopause sets in and they will no ...
- 41.2k
39
votes
The nation without villages
An easy way to justify large cities-only settlements is to have specific requirements that can't be scaled down too easily.
One example would be to need a domed environment, easier to maintain in ...
- 17.5k
37
votes
Russian Dolls - How do they reproduce?
Budding and out-growing.
Budding: each outer doll, once in a while, produces a bud, which in this case is a tiny Russian doll. Once it detaches from the mother body, it starts living on its own.
Out-...
- 301k
36
votes
How could names plausibly change over several generations of humans living in a space station on another planet?
Living in a sealed environment requires everybody to be educated. You can't risk someone dumping lubricants in the toilet because that's an easy way to get rid of them, etc. Education means literacy, ...
- 120k
33
votes
What are some reasons for the population of a small, relatively unremarkable area to suddenly boom?
Villages tend to explode in population because...
Discovery of a local natural resource.
The town becomes a center of trade (multiple trade routes, change in resources elsewhere).
The town becomes ...
- 132k
32
votes
Is a population of people with eternal youth sustainable?
This idea that people with eternal youth would be constantly reproducing is not necessarily accurate; nor is the idea that producing any more than 2 children per couple going to result in population ...
- 54.2k
32
votes
Accepted
Elf-like race: What could prevent overpopulation?
Aging is not necessary to maintain their low population. No population can grow without limit, and in the animal kingdom, most animals die before they would otherwise die of extreme old age.
These ...
- 41.6k
31
votes
How to ensure stagnation of population figures without slaying inhabitants?
Just look at reality
If you have educated women and a good healthcare system such that kids make it to adulthood in one piece by and large, you won't need to worry much about overpopulation -- ...
- 11.4k
31
votes
Accepted
What problems would a truly gigantic fantasy city encounter?
Not Enough Roads
The city needs stuff (like food) brought in and stuff (like excrement) brought out. They build roads connecting the city to the not-city.
The line-square law says that a really big ...
- 66.3k
30
votes
Accepted
Max tech level for society of 200,000
1900s tech level.
If they keep the knowledge base, the main issue will be a lack of resources. They can't rely maintain complicated oil refineries, or get rare elements or materials. They can build ...
- 41.6k
29
votes
Why would people not settle an open plain?
Weather
Plains provide little to break winds. So your plains may be windswept regions. If your tech level is low, that makes building homes harder.
The winters might be too harsh. Especially if there ...
- 13.7k
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