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Talk13 min

The "adjacent possible" — and how it explains human innovation

Stuart Kauffman · TED

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About

From the astonishing evolutionary advances of the Cambrian explosion to our present-day computing revolution, the trend of dramatic growth after periods of stability can be explained through the theory of the "adjacent possible," says theoretical biologist Stuart Kauffman. Tracing the arc of human history through the tools and technologies we've invented, he explains the impact human ingenuity has had on the planet -- and calls for a shift towards more protection for all life on Earth.

The talk

  1. The "adjacent possible" — and how it explains human innovation 13 min · TED's player

Credits and licence

Institution
TED
Department
TED2023
Speaker
Stuart Kauffman
Year
2023
Level
For everyone
Language
English
Subjects
Mathematics, Physics, Biology, Earth and environment, Society and politics, History
Source
TED
Licence
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, as TED states it. Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions. TED's terms
Attribution
TED Talks are licensed by TED under Creative Commons BY-NC-ND 4.0 International and are shown here in TED's own player, as TED's usage policy asks.
Who can watch
TED gives no rating. Invisible Network shows it to Teens profiles and older, judged from what the source says about it. How courses are placed