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

Discover the invisible building blocks of creativity that have shaped civilization, from the 26 letters that connect Shakespeare to modern texting. Explore Jeff Bezos's vision of standardized APIs that transformed Amazon and unleashed innovation. Delve into how fundamental elements like mitochondria and Hox genes empower life itself, while systems like writing and money forged empires. Learn about the impact of standardization on trade and the exciting possibilities of CRISPR and space logistics. Uncover how these primitives can spark future breakthroughs!

Discover how Stone Age weapon innovations like the bow and arrow changed the course of human history. From humble stone tools to sophisticated hunting techniques, learn how these advancements enabled survival and social evolution. Explore how cooperation and technology led to humanity's dominance over megafauna and other hominids. The podcast delves into the consequences of these advancements, including rising interpersonal violence and the ongoing struggle to balance power with wisdom.

Dive into the world of systems thinking, where problems aren't random but woven into the fabric of our lives. Discover how feedback loops and leverage points can create significant change from small actions. Explore the importance of reframing crises into opportunities and the perils of measuring the wrong goals. Learn why adaptability and resilience are vital in the face of complex global challenges. Sam invites you to rethink the systems that govern us and embrace hope in designing a better future.

Explore the evolution of complex language during the cognitive revolution, transforming grunts into rich communication. Discover how gossip enabled larger group cooperation and how myths created collective identities. Delve into the paradox of human violence and compassion, alongside the social roles of shame. Envision the future of communication technology, from brain-computer interfaces to ethical implications, as humanity navigates the next frontier of thought-sharing. It's a captivating journey through our past and possible future.

Why do some ideas flourish while others fail? This podcast dives into the three biological laws that govern life and innovation. Explore how early cells competed for resources, leading to groundbreaking advancements like photosynthesis. Discover the role of natural selection in creating diversity and inequality. Learn the significance of reproduction for survival, and how historical forces like famine and war shape societies. Connect these concepts to understand why certain technologies and ideas succeed in our world.

Fire isn't just a tool; it's the core of human evolution. It shifted power dynamics, enabling early humans to fend off predators and explore new habitats. Cooking changed our anatomy, allowing us to evolve bigger brains while altering social structures around shared meals. The podcast draws parallels between fire's impact and the looming influence of AI, warning about dependency and loss of control. Ultimately, it presents fire as the original catalyst for humanity's progress, setting the stage for future innovations.

Innovations have huge impacts on humanity. But which ideas matter the most?Sam W. Harris builds out a system to rank world change and compare the impact of technology and inventions.It's easy to tell that the invention of Writing itself is more important than Velcro. But...Is Netflix more important than Baseball?Has TikTok changed the world as much as the Longbow?Was Steve Jobs more impactful than Henry VIII?History has opinions. It's time to sense check what matters to humanity and the future and what is just noise.Headlines are beyond useless when everything seems so important these days:This war will BREAK the economyIf you feed your toddler THIS, you don't deserve to be a parentA new iPhone update changes EVERYTHING...So it's time for a scale to measure global impact.The Innovation Richter Scale: A 1 to 10 rating system to rank anything you can think of; from a Gillete safety razor to the future of AINOTE - This episode expands on the Technological Richter Scale proposed by Nate Silver.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.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)ReferencesNate Silver - One The Edge (2024)Nate's book is about risk analysis and the future of AI. The final chapter proposes a Technological Richter Scale, with a page on how to use it.Zvi Mowshowitz - AI and the Technological Richter Scale (2025)A good summary of Nate's ideas, on how the scale applies to AI. Also quotes Nate's page guide for each level and argues a few changes.Chapters:00:00 Innovation Richter Scale01:47 Why create a Scale?03:47 Earthquake Metaphor06:16 Invention, Innovation, Technology06:56 Ranking Magnitude not Morality08:08 The Innovation Richter Scale - Level 1 - 1008:11 Level 1 - Shower thoughts08:29 Level 2 - Actioned Idea (In private)08:49 Level 3 - Public ideas (Not popular)10:17 Level 4 - Popular and commercial ideas11:08 Level 5 - Defining Brand12:38 Level 6 - Innovation of the year15:59 Level 7 - Innovation of the Decade18:19 Level 8 - Innovation of the Century21:29 Level 9 - Innovation of the Era23:53 Level 10 - Species Epoch28:31 Part 2 - Using the scale29:45 Weapons & Tools of Death - Brands, Categories and Concepts33:58 Politics & Population Impact - Local, Continental and Global38:00 Questions without answers38:38 Sports & Religion - Emotional Impact and Purpose41:01 Peter Thiel and Chess41:47 Religion and Personal Beliefs in interpreting the scale43:33 Roundup conclusions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Explore the slow pace of technological progress in human history, highlighted by the unchanged stone axe for centuries. Discover the barriers that stifled early innovation, from survival pressures to cultural resistance. Learn about the pivotal role of grandmothers in passing down knowledge and the unique marriage customs of isolated tribes. Delve into how geography and demography shaped innovation, contrasting development in Eurasia and the Americas. Finally, reflect on the importance of long-term thinking for future progress.

This engaging journey dives into the fascinating evolution of innovation from our earliest ancestors to modern tech marvels. It examines the interplay between history and change, highlighting key milestones that shaped our world. The host shares personal experiences that fuel curiosity and ambition, while emphasizing the importance of interdisciplinary thinking. Listeners are invited to reflect on how past advancements influence our present and future, igniting a spark for innovative breakthroughs.

What is the best way to tackle the question "How to change the world"? Learn about our plan to dissect the history innovation and peer into the future of technology.This show will dissect how the world really works and the impact of the biggest inventions that changed both the world and humanity for good. We'll also tell the stories of the greatest innovators from history and understand their mental models, mindsets and habits to help you build a guide for world change and innovation.In this promo, Host Sam Webster Harris explains in 2 minutes what we'll be doing on this show for the next 10 years or more.ABOUTHow to Change the World is an independent podcast on a mission to document the most important inventions in history in chronological order. We hope you join us for the ride to learn how the world changes and maybe pick up some idea on building the future of technology.It is written, recorded, re-recorded, rewritten and re-re-recorded entirely by Sam Webster Harris.(He also makes the music.)Find out more or contact the show - ChangeTheWorldPod.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.