How to Change the World: The History & Future of Innovation

• [~64,000BCE] - The Bow & Arrow: A Brief History of Stone Age Weapon Technologies and Their Impact on Humanity

  From Stone flakes to the Bow and Arrow. How Stone Age weapons innovation shaped humanity and triggered global extinction events. Three million years ago, we were semi-hairless apes hiding from lions. Today we're the apex predator of planet Earth.This episode traces the entire weapons journey through Ancient History; sharp rocks, hand axes, spears, atlatls, and bows and arrows.Learn how we became humans we know today as we outsourced biology to technology, trading muscle for tools, brute force for precision. We also changed socially as values of teamwork, trust and intelligence forged the mental models that would build civilization and transformed humanity forever.Key takeaways:Technology and humans co-evolved - every tool invention was matched by physical, intellectual, and social updatesMarginal advantages compound into existential differences over time - other hominids were wiped out as only sapiens remainedWisdom takes time to catch up with out powerDiscover how ancient innovation patterns still shape the future of technology today.ABOUTHow to Change the World is an independent podcast on a mission to document the entire history of innovation. One world-changing event at a time. In the process we are building out frameworks and mental models to think more coherently about global change.Learn more - ChangeTheWorldPod.comWritten, edited, recorded, and produced entirely by Sam Webster Harris.(He also makes the music...)Help from:Francisca Correia does the designs (available to hire)Jeremy Enns is our incredible podcast mentor (available to hire)BOOKSThe Human Story - Robin DunbarHow humans evolved away from apes and developed tools.Stone Tools in Human Evolution - John J. SheaHow our stone tools evolved over 3 millions years.CHAPTERS00:00 Magical Powers02:10 Introduction to Stone Age Weapons04:28 1 - THE OLDOWAN FLAKE (~3 MYA)07:07 Evolution feedback loop08:18 Human obsession with time saving09:08 Status flexing10:01 2 - ACHEULEAN HAND AXE (~1.7MYA)10:55 Why did we care about beauty?12:08 Status games13:00 Brain growth and imagination14:40 3 - SWEAT AND PERSISTENCE HUNTING (~1.5MYA)17:59 4 - HAFTED SPEARS (~500,000BC)20:52 Steps to make a Hafted Spear22:24 Co evolution of shoulder throwing23:37 Teamwork and language co-evolution24:47 Leadership qualities26:06 5 - ATLATL / SPEAR LAUNCHER (~100,000-50,000BC)28:40 How an Atlatl works30:12 Accuracy over strength30:30 Timeline of Atlatl development31:15 6 - BOW AND ARROW (~64,000BC)33:06 How to make a bow and arrow34:33 The First great invention?35:50 Yes my sister shot the headmaster...36:40 Hunting with archery38:55 Evolution compared to Neanderthals41:30 HUMANITY - THE GREAT FILTER42:18 Australian Extinction event43:34 Europe - Neanderthal Extinction44:46 The Conquest of America - Pleistocene Blitzkrieg46:11 The Rise of Human Conflict47:58 MODERN LESSONS AND FUTURE WEAPONS49:07 Algorithms51:58 Supply Chains52:55 Cognitive Warfare54:13 Teamwork56:02 ROUNDUP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• Systems Thinking: How to Dance with Chaos and Innovate in a Changing World

  This episode explores Systems Thinking, it's impact on innovation across history and how to use it as we build the future of technology. Most problems in the world aren't random accidents, they're built into the systems we live in. They drive the currents that change the world.Systems Thinking is a key idea in science, politics and business, but it knows no boundaries as systems show up everywhere. In every era of humanity we created new systems in politics, law, technology and economics to deal with the problems of the day. As new challenges arise in the 21st century, from the future of AI to global politics, it is up to humanity to build new systems to overcome them.Systems thinking invites us to discover the threads that bind our actions, cultures, and destinies into unexpected tapestries:Stop firefighting and get to the root cause.Search for leverage points where small acts create outsized impact.Reframe crisis from an isolated disaster to an interconnected opportunity.Fun fact - It's the UN's 80th birthday. Look out for other podcasters talking about sources of hope today.ABOUTHow to Change the World is an independent podcast on a mission to document the entire history of innovation. One world-changing event at a time. In the process we are building out frameworks and mental models to think more coherently about global change.Learn more - ChangeTheWorldPod.comWritten, edited, recorded, and produced entirely by Sam Webster Harris.(He also makes the music...)Help from:Francisca Correia does the designs (available to hire)Jeremy Enns is our incredible podcast mentor (available to hire)BOOKSThinking in Systems: A primer - Donella MeadowsA masterclass on all things systems. (Many graphs, don't get the audiobook)Systems Thinking Made Simple: New hope for solving wicked problems - Derek and Laura CabreraSimple rules for understanding and solving the most difficult problems in society.The Change World Order: Why nations succeed and fail - Ray DalioStudy of the cycles of world power over the last 500 years.Antifragile: Things that gain from disorder - Nassim N. TalebHow to think beyond resilience to build systems (and portfolios) that benefit from difficultyCHAPTERS00:00 Systems and Families01:43 Welcome03:47 What is a System?07:03 ACT 1 - 4 ELEMENTS OF A SYSTEM07:03 #1 Stocks and Flows08:32 #2 Feedback Loops10:21 #3 Delays11:32 #4 Boundaries13:02 ACT 2 - MANAGING SYSTEMS13:10 Leverage Points16:17 Butterfly Effect19:42 ACT 3 - PREVENTING COLLAPSE20:07 Resilience in systems21:52 Self-Organisation23:08 Hierarchies25:42 ACT 4 - LOOKING AT TODAY26:32 Beyond GDP29:11 Modern Political Systems30:45 Can the UN Change the World?32:12 Rewriting the Rules of a New Era33:59 Take Homes and References Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• [~70,000BCE] - Language: The Cognitive Revolution that gave us Words, Art, Religion, Shame and Execution

  How complex language evolved during the cognitive revolution, changing humanity and the world.Discover how language transformed from simple grunts and hand signals to complex communication, enabling us to cooperate, create cultures, invent stuff and build civilizations. We explore the evolution of human imagination, the role of gossip, the development of societal morals, and the paradoxical nature of human violence and compassion.Additionally, we discuss the future of communication technology and the potential mind-blowing implications of brain-computer interfaces. Packed with insights from anthropology, psychology, and neuroscience, this episode provides a comprehensive understanding of our past and a glimpse into our possible future.ABOUTHow to Change the World is an independent podcast documenting the entire history of innovation. One world-changing event at a time. In the process we are building out frameworks and mental models to think more coherently about global change and the future of technology.ChangeTheWorldPod.comWritten, edited, recorded, and produced by Sam Webster Harris.Help from:Designs - Francisca Correia (available to hire)Mentorship - Jeremy Enns (available to hire)REFERENCESRichard Wrangham: Ape society lessons in human cooperation and violence - The Goodness Paradox | Demonic MalesNicholas Shea: How we make and use concepts - Concepts as Plug and Play Devices | Concepts at the InterfaceSteven Mithen: Evolution of the brain and language - Prehistory of the Mind | The Language PuzzleYuval Noah Harari: Cognitive revolution and myths - SapiensChristopher Boehm: How morals shape society - Moral OriginsTim Urban: Future of brain computer interfaces - Neuralink and the Brains Magical FutureCHAPTERS00:00 The magic of co-operation02:26 Welcome05:09 The Compression problem08:50 ACT 1 - COGNITIVE BASIS OF LANGUAGE08:50 Biological history of languages13:46 The Interconnected Brain17:24 Complex words and stuff21:11 Teamwork22:08 ACT 2 - GOSSIP, MYTHS & RELIGION22:08 Gossip and the glue of society25:46 Myths and shared delusions30:40 Early Religions - Animism, art and penises33:37 ACT 3 - SELF-DOMESTICATION33:43 Shame and Blushing38:30 The Execution Hypothesis43:21 Reactive vs Proactive Violence46:55 Mealtimes Sharing and small town thinking52:12 ACT 4 - EVOLUTIONS OF LANGUAGE52:12 Language shifts55:59 Shame and Society58:49 ACT 5 - FUTURE OF COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY01:01:33 Brain Computer Interfaces01:07:38 Predicting the future01:09:47 WRAP UP Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• The Laws of Nature: 3 Rules from History for the Success of Any Organism, Idea, Or Technology

  Why do some ideas and technologies proliferate across history, whilst others die painfully?Innovations aren't just bound by the laws of Physics, but also the powerful laws of Nature and Biology.In the "Lessons of History", Will and Ariel Durant propose the 3 Laws of Biology. Extending on the work of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution with a lens of human history. They explain the rules that govern life on earth and how it applies to humanity. In this episode, Sam extends the concept whilst also explaining a brief history of life on Earth whilst he's at it.In it, you'll learn the fundamental rules of competition, selection and reproduction that govern the success of any organism, idea or technology.We'll exploreWhy did Julius Caesar care so much about fertility rates?Your secret past life as the most epic dinosaur, the SupersaurusWhat causes unbridled Capitalism or Communism to failIs equality even good thing? And if so what do we do about it...Come away with key mental models for understanding the future of innovation, technology and humanity.ABOUTHow to Change the World is an independent podcast on a mission to document the entire history of innovation. One world-changing event at a time. In the process we are building out frameworks and mental models to think more coherently about global change and the future of technology.Learn more and contact us - ChangeTheWorldPod.comWritten, edited, recorded, and produced entirely by Sam Webster Harris.(He also makes the music...)Help from:Designs - Francisca Correia (available to hire)Mentorship - Jeremy Enns (available to hire)REFERENCESThe Lessons of History - Will and Ariel DurantAn epic overview of the lessons these authors learnt in the process of writing their series, covering every era of humanity.Sapiens: A Brief History of Humanity - Yuval Noah HarariThis episode only used the first paragraph... But some of the topics of the history of life are also in the first chapter.Home Deus: A History of Tomorrow - Yuval Noah HarariThe first chapter has a great section about Famine, Disease, and War.CHAPTERS00:00 Is a hot dog a sandwich?00:28 The Beginning of the Universe01:10 The Story of Life on Earth01:34 Three Rules of Biology05:03 FIRST LAW: Life is Competition09:54 SECOND LAW: Life is Selection11:59 Inequality in Nature and Society13:47 Balancing Freedom and Equality16:48 THIRD LAW: Life Must Breed18:34 Human Progress, Fire and Agriculture19:10 Agricultural Revolution and Civilization19:48 Fertility and Population Dynamics: Japan vs. Nigeria21:12 Ideas and Religions: Survival of the Fittest22:49 Horsemen of Apocalypse: Famine, Disease, and War28:13 Modern Challenges and Fertility Trends30:20 Conclusion and Future Episodes Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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• [~1.8 Mya] - Fire: The Innovation that Forged Humanity and Sparked World Domination

  Do we really control fire? A curious fact about fire is that an individual human is completely dependent on it to survive. Furthermore, human society itself is built on fire and would collapse totally without itWhile you're patting yourself on the back for lighting that barbecue, fire has been pulling the strings for 2 million years, reshaping our anatomy, rewiring our brains, and dictating our social structures.The ultimate innovator, it transformed us from ape-like creatures with a neat standing trick into the cunning apex predator of the world. Along the way, it upended both ecosystems, gender roles, and how we use energy.Today, as we face the dawn of AI, we're seeing a similar pattern. Fire marked a huge leverage of energy that freed us up to think. AI uses energy to do our thinking for us, which frees us up for who knows what.Three takeaways:Transformative technologies change what we are, not just what we doDependency often disguises itself as control and masteryThe biggest innovations create irreversible psychological and social shiftsReady to understand how fire forged the human mind and what it might mean for the future of technology and humanity?ABOUTHow to Change the World is an independent podcast on a mission to document the entire history of innovation. One world-changing event at a time. In the process we are building out frameworks and mental models to think more coherently about global change.Learn more and contact us - ChangeTheWorldPod.comWritten, edited, recorded, and produced by Sam Webster Harris. (incl the music)Help from:Designs - Francisca Correia (available to hire)Mentorship - Jeremy Enns (available to hire)ReferencesCatching Fire: How Cooking Made Us Human - Richard WranghamA great overview of fire and human anthropology (apes etc...). I can highly recommend listening/watching some of interviews Richard Wrangham on other podcasts (Lex Friedman, Modern Wisdom, Jordan Peterson)The Pyrocene: How We Created An Age Of Fire - Stephen PyneSome good ideas on the different eras of human fire use: Cooking food -> Cooking land -> Cooking the planet.Fire: The Spark That Ignited Human Evolution - Frances BurtonThe insights on the importance of light helped.Chapters00:00 The Role of Fire in Civilization04:32 First Fire - 500 million years ago07:56 Humans and fire - ~2 million years ago10:08 Discovery of Fire12:21 Stadium of Grandmothers13:24 Fire's Influence on Human Biology15:55 Fire and Human Digestion18:15 Light and Campfires20:25 Mealtimes21:32 Human Birth Woes23:23 Why Only Humans Mastered Fire25:55 Fire, Social Structures & Gender Roles31:15 Adapting to the Information Age33:17 Fire's Role in Human Expansion - 70,000 years ago35:09 Terraforming with Fire38:27 The Industrial Revolution and Fossil Fuel42:00 The Race for Renewable Energy43:11 Today - Reflecting on our lessons44:28 AI: The Next Transformative Force48:04 Reflections on Fire and the Future49:06 Premium and Book resources Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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