A new study shows the number of children being born around the world is expected to drop dramatically by the end of this century.
In 1950, each woman was having an average of 4.7 children. By 2017, the average was 2.4 children per woman. But fast forward to 2100, and the average is expected to decline to only 1.7 children per woman.
Researchers from the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation say falling fertility rates means that nearly every country will eventually see shrinking populations. For example, Japan's population is projected to drop from 128 million to less than 53 million by 2100...
"Changing population size and age structure might have profound economic, social, and geopolitical impacts in many countries," the authors of the study wrote.
But why are we seeing fertility rates falling???
Researchers say it's driven by more women in the workplace, as well as greater access to contraception.
Read the full report on BBC News.