When will the last human be born? A new video explores the question

Kurzgesagt, German for "in a nutshell," is a Munich-based YouTube channel and design studio which is known for its wonderful animated videos that deliver advanced scientific concepts through the perspective of optimistic nihilism. In its latest video titled “The Last Human – A Glimpse Into the Far Future", you can see how they approach an existential quandary. The video begins with a complicated question: "When will the last human be born and how many people will there ever be?"

The question rings especially clear at a time humanity's fate seems awfully insecure. Many people believe the end of our species is near due to rapid climate change, political division, greed, and failings. "But humans always thought they lived in the end times," Kurzgesagt writes, in the description box. "Every generation assumes they’re important enough to witness the apocalypse and then life just goes on."

This is one of the reasons why humans are prone to short-term thinking and stops us from creating the best possible future for our species. The question becomes even more alarming when you think about the fact that we may be living in a critical period in human history, which births some unexpected moral implications regarding future generations. If you're curious to see how Kurzgesagt approaches this question, make sure you watch the video embedded above, and as always, enjoy.