Why millennials aren’t buying homes, the growing global baby bust, and more top insights

During the week, the Daily Rundown brings you the day’s trending professional news. On the weekend, we try to keep you current on the big ideas that can help you see what’s coming. Read on and join the conversation.

A baby bust is spreading across the globe. Close to half of the world’s nations are not producing enough babies to sustain their current population levels, according to new research published in The Lancet. Between 1950 and 2017, the global fertility rate declined from 4.7 children per woman to 2.4. When the rate drops below 2.1, populations begin to shrink. The shift could pose significant social and economic challenges in the decades ahead, as the ranks of grandparents exceed that of grandchildren, BBC reports. ? Here’s what people are saying.

Underneath a housing problem, a generational conflict: Millennials are not buying homes at the rate their generational predecessors did at the same point in their lives. Some of this can be chalked up to the burdens of student debt and high rent. But author Randy Shaw tells CityLab that there’s another likely factor at play: Baby boomer property owners in desirable cities have successfully stymied new housing developments in their areas. And the limited supply has kept prices out of reach for many younger buyers. ? Here’s what people are saying.

The rise of “gait recognition” technology: Police officers in Beijing and Shanghai have begun to use surveillance tech that can identify a person based on the shape of their body and how they walk. The software, which was developed by Beijing-based Watrix, can identify an individual up to 165 feet away by analyzing the movement of a person’s silhouette. The move is part of a broader domestic surveillance effort in China, as it embraces security tech like facial recognition and plans to install an estimated 300 million cameras by 2020. ? Here’s what people are saying.

A nation of meditators? Yoga and meditation are now the two most popular alternative health practices in the U.S., Vox reports. 14.2% of adults meditated and 14.3% practiced yoga in 2017, up from just 4% and 9%, respectively, in 2012, according to the CDC. What’s behind the urge to chill out? Rising rates of stress, anxiety and chronic pain, for starters. The growth of studios, classes and apps, along with a growing body of research about the health benefits of such practices, is also fueling the shift. ? Here’s what people are saying.

The world’s biggest artificial brain: Researchers at the University of Manchester in the U.K. recently revealed the world’s largest neuromorphic computer, which has been designed to function like a human brain. The computer, which is called SpiNNaker (short for Spiking Neural Network Architecture), contains a million processing cores and 1,200 circuit boards and is able to simultaneously perform 200 quadrillion actions. Such a computer could function as a real-time model of the brain, helping medical researchers research potential treatments to neurological disorders like Parkinson’s. ? Here’s what people are saying.

One last idea:  Achieving any kind of mastery requires significant practice and dedicated effort. But, as Northeastern University’s Albert-Laszlo Barabasi writes, once you have reached that level, gaining recognition for your talents becomes more of a numbers game than anything else.

“If you want a starring role, you need to step up for audition after audition. You can’t always control whether you’re the first or last to take the stage, but ... you’re far more likely to score a preferred spot on the roster if you keep showing up.”

Want to get ahead at work? Looking for advice from the pros? Share your burning career questions in the comments with #YouAsked and we’ll get experts to weigh in.

— Scott Olster