IS EUROPE DISAPPEARING?

If Europeans don’t watch out — actually, do more than just watch out — there will be a lot fewer of them by the end of this century.

A team of Vienna-based researchers reported in the journal Science last week that the continent reached a demographic watershed in 2000. After decades of delayed childbearing and smaller families, Europe is now in “negative population momentum.”

“Over the coming decades,” they added, the trend “will challenge social security and health systems, may hinder productivity gains, and could affect global competitiveness and economic growth.”

Is this the result of European social-welfare schemes? Take it away, Mickey Kaus!