Car seats: The mystery of our depopulating planet

What if bulky children’s car safety seats are a clue to one of the biggest changes in human history – the reason people aren't having kids anymore? Ed Conway investigates.

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Across almost every continent, birth rates are falling. Countries that once worried about overpopulation are now confronting the opposite problem: a future with fewer children, ageing populations and shrinking workforces.

In this episode, Ed uses the child safety seat as a starting point for a much bigger investigation. Why are people having fewer children? What happens when populations start to shrink? And how have technology, changing social norms and modern life transformed the way we think about relationships, family and parenthood?

Do you have any thoughts about the episode or questions for Ed? Email us at stuffmatters@sky.uk and maybe we'll feature your message in an upcoming Q&A episode!

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In this episode we spoke with:

• Dean Spears, associate professor at the University of Texas and co-author of "After the Spike: The Risks of Global Depopulation and the Case for People"
• Alice Evans, visiting associate professor at Stanford University, senior lecturer at King's College and author of "The Great Gender Divergence" substack

The Stuff Matters series producer is Jake Otajovic. The production team includes assistant producer Valeria Rocca, specialist producer Aoife Yourell, and video producer Charlie Bell. Our bonus episodes are produced by Soila Apparicio. The editor is Philly Beaumont, and the commissioning editor is Paul Stanworth. Sound design and mixing by Luke Hatten. Original music for the series composed by Klong and Ed Conway.