MIT Computer Predicted Civilizational Collapse by 2040 in 1973

In 1973, an MIT computer program developed by computing pioneer Jay Forrester predicted that civilization would collapse by 2040. The model, one of the first global sustainability simulations, forecasted population growth, pollution, declining quality of life, and dwindling natural resources. Forrester's work informed the 1972 Club of Rome report 'Limits to Growth', which drew widespread attention. The predictions have largely been borne out, according to commentators. Forrester, who died in 2016 at age 98, stood by his conclusions. The Club of Rome, a group of industrialists and scientists, has long warned of these disasters. The model's graph from 1900 to 2060 shows quality of life declining sharply after 1940, reaching turn-of-the-century levels by 2020, while pollution rises. The article contrasts this scientific prediction with Isaac Newton's 1704 biblical prophecy of the world ending in 2060.