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Innovation Getting Slower?

Posted by Zonk on from the no-thinking-zone dept.

Daniel Dvorkin writes "A New Scientist article details the claims of Jonathan Huebner, a Naval Air Warfare Center physicist, that the rate of technological innovation is actually decreasing, not increasing exponentially as some people believe. Huebner says that there are now fewer 'important technological developments per billion people' than at any time since the 17th century! I'm far from convinced, but it's an interesting and thought-provoking article." From the article: "He says the rate of technological innovation reached a peak a century ago and has been declining ever since. And like the lookout on the Titanic who spotted the fateful iceberg, Huebner sees the end of innovation looming dead ahead."

7 of 512 comments (clear)

  1. I Blame by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Microsoft

  2. Slashdot by SuperJason · · Score: 5, Funny

    Personally, I blame slashdot. I could be inventing some crazy shit if I didn't have to check this site every 5 minutes.

  3. To Fix It by DanielMarkham · · Score: 5, Funny

    The death of innovation is due to apathy.
    I was going to invent a solution to the problem, but who cares?

    1. Re:To Fix It by slashflood · · Score: 5, Funny


      There is a fine line between (Score:5, Funny) and (Score:5, Insightful).

  4. USPTO by Asmodean · · Score: 5, Funny

    Innovation has been patented.

    --
    It's a good thing the world sucks or we'd all fall off.
  5. Re:Yay for Truth! by RandomCoil · · Score: 4, Funny
    20 years ago we had a very hazy idea of how virii worked.

    Perhaps in another 20 years, we'll all learn what the plural form of "virus" is.

    But otherwise, you have some good points.
  6. Re:I Blame regulators by Pollardito · · Score: 3, Funny

    we may be getting fewer innovations, but the quality of them is clearly on the rise