Nothing to strive for? No, it's just less materialistic. The social economy of Star Trek revolves around self improvement and self fulfillment within society. There are multiple scenes in the various Star Trek series wherein the crew has to explain to some time traveler or newcomer that pursuit of knowledge is where…

It's a child's power and revenge fantasy. Aliens are incidental. He's absolutely perfect in every way, this Ender, but the adults/his peers just don't understand him and/or are all out to get him. And, in the end he is the besty best bestest. And, doubly ridiculous, he's totally innocent of all the bad things he does…

It's spelled "doula". I somehow doubt the expertise in this thread.

A big factor is that people live longer. When more of the people born survive and live to old age, the total number of people around year to year increases.

Not just that. Young women aren't actually in their reproductive prime. I always find that argument that young teens appeal to men because of evolution to be a hard sell as girls in that age range, 15-19, have double the rate of maternal death and the babies born to that age group are sicker and less likely to…

It's not true that fetuses are 50/50. The article cites a 2002 study that shows male fetuses are conceived more often than female fetuses. (107~150 male to 100 female) More male fetuses than female miscarry, however, resulting in only slightly more male births (105 to 100) and infant mortality is higher among male…