The most recent episode of the Planet Money podcast discusses a new book by Yale historian Paul Sabin entitled The Bet: Paul Ehrlich, Julian Simon, and Our Gamble over Earth’s Future. In 1980, economist Julian Simon challenged biologist Paul Ehrlich to a bet. Ehrlich came to fame by writing The Population Bomb, which argued that unchecked population growth would led to the end of mankind. Economist Simon believed Ehrlich’s assertions were unfounded. The two devised a debate to test the proposition.

Here is a description of the podcast from the Planet Money website:
A famous biologist predicts overpopulation will lead to global catastrophe. He writes a bestselling book and goes on the Tonight Show to make his case.

An economist disagrees. He thinks the biologist isn’t accounting for how clever people can be, and how shortages can lead to new, more efficient ways of doing things.

So the economist, Julian Simon, challenges the biologist, Paul Ehrlich, to a very public, very acrimonious, decade-long bet. On today’s show: The story of that bet, and the ugly precedent it set.