The Roots of Progress

@rootsofprogress

The story of human progress—and how we can keep it going. Subscribe: Support:

Joined April 2017

Media

  1. I was interviewed on . In addition to the usual topics, we touched on my research process, and what someone can take away from progress studies if they are interested in contributing to human progress itself

  2. Spinning jenny with 100 spindles at Quarry Bank, a restored cotton mill in Manchester, England, originally built in 1784. This was first driven by a water wheel, later a steam engine. (Photo credit: Paul McLellan)

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  3. Quick concept sketch / wireframe of an electric power grid simulator, an “explorable explanation” (a la or ). What do you think, should I build it?

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  4. Replying to

    So I don't have a full answer but here's a striking chart (from ):

  5. In my photos of the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum in Vista, CA, I mentioned that I had no idea what this thing was. Redditor rmm4pi8 informs me that it's a “hit-and-miss engine”, a common stationary engine in the early 1900s!

  6. Laptop stickers going out soon to donors at the Lavoisier level and up (thanks )!

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  7. I did a interview with . This one got more philosophical than usual and covered more of human pre-history. It was fun:

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  8. Talk I gave on the history of iron & steel at the first SF progress studies meetup:

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  9. Replying to

    You can look at stats like GDP per unit energy. The inverse of this is called “energy intensity” and it's addressed on that same page, intensity is decreasing (meaning efficiency is increasing):

  10. Replying to and

    Education is improving globally, but that's probably more catch-up growth, e.g., literacy rates have improved dramatically. I'm not sure if there are measurable gains in quality of education. Again has the research:

  11. Replying to

    Health is absolutely improving. meta-entry here: . Good stuff on this in 's *Enlightenment Now* also. It's improving all around the world:

  12. Replying to

    Productivity has improved. We work less now—both on the job and in the home:

  13. Working on that one!

  14. A few highlights (see the post for more & commentary)

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  15. Up next: adventures in blacksmithing

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  16. Rousseau's Second Discourse “argued that the invention of any technology, by demonstrating that some are more gifted than others, promotes inequality and eventually tyranny” (via )

  17. Apropos of the charcoal post, here's someone actually making charcoal from scratch. Good illustration of the process

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