The Shortest History Of Innovation (from The Wheel To Gene Editing, Ai, And Beyond - How New Ideas Shape Our World)

By (author) Leigh, Andrew
Short description/annotation:
From the bestselling author of How Economics Shape Our World, a brisk history of how innovation is cultivated and its influence on everything from art to AI
Description:
Scientists, economists, and historians are always looking into the past in order make informed decisions about how to improve our future. Though our modern-day innovations are often mind-boggling (gene editing and fabricated ecosystems come to mind), they would not exist without their predecessors—someone had to invent the wheel. In The Shortest History of Innovation, bestselling author Andrew Leigh tells the story of human innovation by identifying three of its most essential driving forces: tinkering, teams, and trade. Unveiling the surprising linchpins behind the everyday innovations that we take for granted, Leigh takes a closer look at the myriad ways ideas are developed, the forces that suppress them, and how they travel and evolve across borders and disciplines.  From technologies and tools to art and feats of engineering, innovation is everywhere. Drawing on his background as an economist and his experience as a decision-maker in Australia’s House of Representatives, Leigh revisits history with fresh eyes and deftly connects it to the rapid innovation taking place today. The result is a lively, compact look at the engines powering progress.
Table of contents:
Mold Juice and Mythmaking Axes, Aqueducts, and Sapphic Love Algebra, Gunpowder, and the Plough Perspective, Clocks, and the Printing Press Telescopes, Microscopes, and Intellectual Property Steam, Vaccination, and the Piano Steel, Plastic, and Electricity Physics, Automobiles, and Flight Wars, Labs, and Moonshots Biotech, Computers, and AI Beyond Eureka Acknowledgments Image Credits Notes Index
Review quote:
"Dazzling, surprising and always entertaining, our Nonfiction Book of the Month is a celebration of invention, from tools and technologies to fresh approaches in art and architecture."
Review quote:
"With a lively and engaging narrative, the book is peppered with Eureka examples, as well as charming, corny jokes."
Biographical note:
Andrew Leigh received his PhD from Harvard University and was a professor of economics at the Australian National University. He has served as an MP in the Australian House of Representatives since 2010, where he is Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury. His numerous previous books include How Economics Explains the World: A Short History of Humanity and Randomistas: How Radical Researchers Changed Our World.