90% of All the Scientists That Ever Lived Are Alive Today
The following paper was written and submitted by Eric Gastfriend. The information he presents is helpful to keep in mind as we consider the speed with which technologies are advancing today.
This simple statistic captures the power of the exponential growth in science that has been taking place over the past century. It is attributable to Derek de Solla Price, the father of scientometrics (i.e., the science of studying science), in his 1961 book Science Since Babylon. If science is growing exponentially, then the major technological advancements and upheavals of the past 200 years are only the tip of the iceberg. The implications of exponential growth are notoriously difficult for us humans to wrap our minds around. Legend has it th… Continue Reading (9 minute read)