Demographer Jennifer Sciubba joins WIRED to answer the internet’s questions about population and demographics. What is demography? What perspective can demographics provide about populations and societies? Do fertility rates really matter? Where do most people emigrate from when coming to the United States? And is immigration a net positive or negative? Answers to these questions and plenty more await on Population Support.
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Director: Lisandro Perez-Rey
Director of Photography: Charlie Jordan
Editor: Philip Anderson
Expert: Jennifer Sciubba
Line Producer: Joseph Buscemi
Associate Producer: Paul Gulyas; Brandon White
Production Manager: Peter Brunette
Casting Producer: Nicholas Sawyer
Camera Operator: Christopher Eustache
Sound Mixer: Michael Guggino
Production Assistant: Kalia Simms
Post Production Supervisor: Christian Olguin
Post Production Coordinator: Ian Bryant
Supervising Editor: Doug Larsen
Additional Editor: Jason Malizia
0:00 Population Support
0:14 All-time population stats
0:36 Adults to Kids ratio
1:27 The fastest growing minority in America
1:43 Red State/Blue State
2:46 Is immigration a net positive or negative?
3:38 Fertility rates
5:38 Are there just too many of us?
6:47 Thank you, Nick Cannon
8:06 g-g-g-g-GHOST towns
10:00 Where do immigrants to the US come from the most
11:09 Goodbye, Cali
12:08 As dense as it gets
12:21 Population boom
13:17 Oldest state in the nation
13:46 Millennials v Gen Z
14:26 HomerDrool.gif
15:03 What would happen if all illegal immigrants were deported?
15:52 Life expectancy factors
17:39 Lowest life expectancy
17:56 Highest life expectancy
18:26 People are living longer, but are they living healthier?
20:10 The most populous country on Earth
20:37 China’s One Child policy
22:38 Demographic changes of concern
23:11 ELI5 what is Demography
23:33 Which countries are growing fastest?
24:49 Migrant birthrate
26:00 How are illegal immigrants counted?
27:11 99.9% sure this is a joke
28:07 Mortality rates
29:14 Ukraine’s population
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Part of the sandwich generation here. My mom is over 50 with zero retirement savings and a mortgage. When she’s old it’s on me and my husband
I really wish she wouldn’t have used Japan as an example – it just perpetuates the myth that Japan has the lowest birth rate in the world. If you look at the data, you’ll see Japan doesn’t even crack the top 10 in lowest fertility rate, heck I don’t think they even crack the top 20. Japan, per the U.N’s recent demographic survey in 2024, has 1.27 babies per woman. For comparison, Canada has 1.30 babies per woman. Italy’s birth rate is much lower, at 1.20 babies per woman while Spain is 1.12. China’s is *significantly* worse at 1.00 babies per woman while South Korea is an eye-popping 0.72 babies per woman. I’m still unsure why people think Japan has the lowest birth rate, or why the myth persists. Their birthrate is low, true, but it’s not the society-ending crisis you see on youtube shorts or on Tiktok. Videos like these indirectly reinforce the preconception of Japan having a super low fertility rate.
Heck, I thought she is Nancy Pelosi.
10:30 Trump and the Republicons need to see this since they claim that illegal immigrants are rampant.
very good video
Wow, you’re full of sh$t on a couple of points.
But, overall…good job!
very educational. Keep it up.
You keep mentioning the 1960’s as a time when globally populations started to decline (I’m only at 7:21 min in, so you may mention this later) but I think the advent of vaccinations for childhood diseases (MMR, Polio) & tuberculosis etc caused ppl not to have lots of children (bc they knew/feared some would die). I just wonder if the lack of dying of those diseases made ppl more comfortable with only having 2 kids (bc you were more assured they wouldn’t die of those diseases).🤷🏼♀️
families ripped apart you say? she predicted it.
Nick Cannon is one person whose had tons of children. There are millions of couples who’d rather have cats.
Why did you gender specify the sandwhich generation to only women? I know many men in that scenario, maybe it just my twin but single fatherhood is on the rise here and I see more and more men and less women in this panini generation scenario, is that a recent trend or an outlier?
Hearing the answer to the immigrant question in November 2025 is wild. She’s a prophet.
But everything we see and watch tells us kids are evil and ruin your life. It’s no wonder the population can’t replace itself.
Governments should be able to support parents through childcare 😢
*The implication that only women bear the burden of the sandwich generation is curious to me.*
People left California because they are over taxed like crazy. Unfortunately it’s a state with poor leadership funding too many programs with diminishing returns. Also highest energy costs in the US. People are just priced out of California in general. Shame because it’s a beautiful state.
The “we will see many families ripped apart” comment made me sad bc I know that’s what people want
Good thing the Boomers saved all that money for a rainy day and didn’t leave behind any debt that smaller populations will have to maintain for the rest of their lives 🤔
24:54 Answer: because they’re mostly catholic.
The proper answer to the thumbnail question
Answer: YES