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

- 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](https://www.ted.com/talks/stuart_kauffman_the_adjacent_possible_and_how_it_explains_human_innovation)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

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.

## Lectures

1. [The "adjacent possible" — and how it explains human innovation](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/stuart_kauffman_the_adjacent_possible_and_how_it_explains_human_innovation/cfbbd2326330), 13 min (TED's player)