7 Billion People on Earth

This year, the world population is projected to hit 7 billion. In a hut in Sudan or a high-tech hospital in New York, a baby will be born that ticks the counter over to that scary big number. Scientists are calling our time the "Anthropocene era" - the age of people. But who are these 7 billion people? With a landmark this big, you know the media will be trying to find an answer.

National Geographic Magazine is devoting this year's coverage to the growing population. Their website features photo galleries, videos, and articles covering the population explosion. One video that went viral not too long along delves into just how big a number 7 billion is.

French photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand takes a less numeric, more personal look at our population - though since his project began several years ago it's called "6 Billion Others" not 7 billion. The website description reads:

5,000 interviews were filmed in 75 countries by 6 directors who went in search of the Others. From a Brazilian fisherman to a Chinese shopkeeper, from a German performer to an Afghan farmer, all answered the same questions about their fears, dreams, ordeals, hopes: What have you learnt from your parents? What do you want to pass on to your children? What difficult circumstances have you been through? What does love mean to you? Forty or so questions that help us to find out what separates and what unites us. These portraits of humanity today are accessible on this website.

Since Arthus-Bertrand posted his 5,000 interviews, many more have been uploaded by internet users. The portraits are fascinating, funny, and very moving.

Filmmakers Ridley Scott and Kevin MacDonald have put together a somewhat simliar project, asking people over the world to film a part of their life on July 24. 2010. Editors pared down the footage into a 90 minute feature length film that premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival. The film should be released in theaters later in the year, but their YouTube channel features trailers and interviews with some of the amateur filmmakers who contributed their days to the movie. My favorite clip is the teaser featuring a young casteller in Catalonia.

Do these projects really give us an insight into our population? Who knows - but it's interesting to watch.