Alex Wright, The Deep History of the Information Age

Alex Wright

A Series of Information Explosions

As usual, microbes led the way. Bacteria have swarmed in intense networks for 3.5 billion years. Then a hierarchical form emerged with the first nucleated cells which were made up of an enclosed society of formerly independent organisms.

That’s the pattern for the evolution of information, Alex Wright said. Networks coalesce into heirarchies, which then form a new level of networks, which coalesce again, and so on…

Read the rest of Stewart Brand’s Summary

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter

More from Archives

What is the long now?

The Long Now Foundation is a nonprofit established in 01996 to foster long-term thinking. Our work encourages imagination at the timescale of civilization — the next and last 10,000 years — a timespan we call the long now.

Learn more

Join our newsletter for the latest in long-term thinking