Emily Merchant, an associate professor specializing in demography, and Julia Black, a tech reporter focused on pronatalism, dive into the controversial topic of population growth. They discuss how figures like Elon Musk and JD Vance advocate for increased birth rates to 'save civilization.' The conversation unearths the historical fears surrounding overpopulation, the intersection of eugenics with modern pronatalism, and the implications for societal structure. Julia shares insights from NatalCon, revealing the disturbing ties between this movement and nationalist ideologies.