With the United Nations, CNN, the New York Times, and even NPR acknowledging that falling birth rates will cause public policy challenges if current trends continue, economists who have long ignored the problem are beginning to pay attention.

Responding to a post noting how fast South Korea’s population is set to fall if current birth rates don’t rebound, economist blogger Noah Smith posted, “Tell us what the effective fertility policy would be. Speak it. Speak the words, say it aloud.” The post has since been read almost 3 million times.