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posted by LaminatorX on Friday February 21 2014, @03:00AM   Printer-friendly
from the totally-getting-snipped-for-my-birthday-this-year dept.

robingHood writes:

"New Scientist Magazine reports on findings that suggest that delaying fatherhood may increase the risk of fathering children with disorders such as Apert syndrome, Autism and Schizophrenia. The article reports that 'although there is a big increase in risk for many disorders, it's a big increase in a very small risk. A 40-year-old is about 50 per cent more likely to father an autistic child than a 20-year-old is, for instance, but the overall risk is only about 1 per cent to start with.' In other words: time to start mating before those tadpoles turn into toads."

 
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  • (Score: 4, Informative) by iNaya on Friday February 21 2014, @07:16AM

    by iNaya (176) on Friday February 21 2014, @07:16AM (#4142)

    >> we're growing our population exponentially
    That is no longer true. Population growth rates globally, and especially in Western countries have been dropping for years. In some countries, such as Japan, Russia, and Germany, it is negative.

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  • (Score: 5, Insightful) by FatPhil on Friday February 21 2014, @11:06AM

    by FatPhil (863) <{pc-soylent} {at} {asdf.fi}> on Friday February 21 2014, @11:06AM (#4219) Homepage

    -1 misleading.

    For every child that's not been born in Japan, Russia, and Germany, a dozen have been born in India, Indonesia, Nigeria, or even China[*]

    Population growth rates globally have been dropping, indeed, but whilst that rate remains above zero, even by the tiniest fraction, we've *still got exponential growth*.

    The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function. (google that)

    [* That dozen figure is completely pulled from arse, it's probably enormously higher, probably three figures, I'm just playing it safe.]

    --
    Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
    • (Score: 1) by iNaya on Friday February 21 2014, @11:13AM

      by iNaya (176) on Friday February 21 2014, @11:13AM (#4227)

      Imagine this equation:
      y = 2x

      As x (time), increases, y (population) increases. In this function the growth rate of y is ALWAYS above zero and constantly decreasing. This is a linear function, not an exponential one.

      • (Score: 1) by FatPhil on Friday February 21 2014, @11:19AM

        by FatPhil (863) <{pc-soylent} {at} {asdf.fi}> on Friday February 21 2014, @11:19AM (#4231) Homepage

        Nope, that growth rate tends to 0.

        --
        Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
        • (Score: 1) by FatPhil on Friday February 21 2014, @11:21AM

          by FatPhil (863) <{pc-soylent} {at} {asdf.fi}> on Friday February 21 2014, @11:21AM (#4233) Homepage

          Oh, and did I mention that the greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.

          --
          Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
          • (Score: 2) by mcgrew on Friday February 21 2014, @08:10PM

            by mcgrew (701) <publish@mcgrewbooks.com> on Friday February 21 2014, @08:10PM (#4517) Homepage Journal

            Oh, and did I mention that the greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function.

            Do you know of any other species that is better at it? Any other species that can do math at all?

            --
            A man legally forbidden from possessing a firearm is in charge of America's nuclear arsenal. Have a nice day.
            • (Score: 2) by FatPhil on Saturday February 22 2014, @12:20PM

              by FatPhil (863) <{pc-soylent} {at} {asdf.fi}> on Saturday February 22 2014, @12:20PM (#4793) Homepage

              Out of the species that have developed birth control - all of them apart from the humans.

              --
              Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
        • (Score: 3, Insightful) by iNaya on Friday February 21 2014, @11:24AM

          by iNaya (176) on Friday February 21 2014, @11:24AM (#4237)

          You are correct. The growth rate tends towards zero.

          It also always stays above zero. And it is also not exponential.