

How Innovation Works - Featuring: Matt Ridley
5 snips May 20, 2020
Matt Ridley, a renowned science writer and author of "How Innovation Works," dives into the history of innovation and its societal impacts. He discusses why certain places thrive in creativity while others lag behind. Ridley critiques the patent system for stifling innovation and advocates for embracing serendipity in discoveries. He contrasts the hands-on methods of the Wright brothers with more rigid approaches. Additionally, he humorously dives into the quirky history of nitrogen's role in agriculture and warfare, revealing hidden complexities in the world of innovation.
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Innovation vs. Invention
- Invention is creating a prototype, while innovation makes it affordable and available.
- Innovators often face more challenges than inventors, focusing on practical implementation.
Inventor Ego
- Inventors like Eli Whitney often focused on securing credit and patents.
- This pursuit sometimes overshadowed their actual inventions' impact.
Patent System's Impact
- Patents incentivize invention by granting monopolies, but evidence for their effectiveness is weak.
- Countries without strong patent systems, like 19th-century Switzerland and the Netherlands, still innovated.