If the world seems a little more crowded than when you were younger - you're right. According to the United Nations, the global population reached 7-billion people this week. But what does that mean for you and me in our little corner of the world?
The United States has the 3rd highest population with nearly 350-million people. But that doesn't mean everyone should run out to stock up on food and fuel worried they'll run out - it's still a billion less people than 2nd ranked India.
Just because there are more of us now than a century ago isn't necessarily a cause for panic. For decades Richard Measell has watched the world's population soar. Since 1960 it gained a billion people nearly every 12 years.
So should that concern us? What about the supply of natural resources? Food and energy costs? Or pollution?
"I sort of dismiss a lot of the doomsday projections that are out there," said Measell, an assistant professor of economics at St. Mary's College.
He says even though the number of people on the planet is 5-billion more than a century ago - many more have an improved quality of life.
"For the most part, despite the fact we've had a growing world population, people on average have been better off," said Measell.
He attributes the advances mankind has made in the past century to the world's ability to sustain its ever increasing inhabitants.
The United Nations projects that by the end of this century the population could be as high as 14-billion or actually go down to less than 6-billion. Either way, Measell believes the human race will be able to adapt to meet its needs.
"Based upon what the past has been we're confident technology and human ingenuity will be able to provide for what the future will be," said Measell.
According to the US Census Bureau the world is not as crowded as the United Nations thinks. The bureau's World Population Clock puts the number of people on Earth 27.5 million short of 7-billion. It estimates the Day of 7 Billion will be in March of 2012.
