The United Nations staff who studies world population data has identified this Monday, October 31^st, as the day the world’s 7 billionth baby will be born. Many people who have not been paying much attention to population growth think that the world has solved the population explosion that was causing much anxiety a few years ago. Not so. World population is still increasing at about the same rate as ever, doubling in the last 30 years. In 1974 (Nixon/Watergate era), there were only 4 billion people in the world. Population has grown by a billion every twelve years since. Barring any radical departure from the way people continue to produce offspring, our current population will double to 14 billion by the turn of the next century. Our grandchildren and great grandchildren will have to share their resources with twice the number we are sharing with today.

How unfortunate and sad that Ralph Steinman, M.D., died just three days before learning he was a Nobel Prize for Medicine winner. The Nobel Prize committee awarded this highest prestige honor before learning of Steinman’s death from pancreatic cancer. Although Nobel Prizes are not awarded posthumously, the committee appears to be willing to let the award stand under such unique circumstances. This high-interest news item certainly draws extra attention to immune system science, since Dr. Steinman’s award was for his work in revealing the critical role our body’s immune function plays in the healing process. One would expect world recognition for developing yet another drug, discovering a new virus, or inventing a new invasive surgery technique. But, adding medical credibility to the immune system? Many physicians, laboratory scientists, and medical educators must be shaking their heads.