[9rx]

To be fair, we really have no idea how many people are on Earth today. Eight billion is our best estimate, but we also recognize that many of the sources used are undercounted to some degree. What's hard to determine to what degree that might be. A somewhat recent article in Popular Mechanics [https://www.popularmechanics.com/science/environment/a642223...] suggests that recent data may indicate that the estimates are way off... But who knows?

Granted, any discrepancy is probably not on the order of reaching 16 billion. An additional billion uncounted would be incredibly surprising. But also, the accounts don't necessarily equate to people still on this earth and maybe don't equate to people at all. Robots have been known to create accounts too.

[yzydserd]

A co-author of the study you refer to was recently on the UK BBC podcast More or Less, debunking much of the press coverage of his study, specifically the headline of vast global underestimation. Rather, the study found rural distribution estimates may be inaccurate, not total population.

Link to the 9 minute episode https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0lgv5vf