The Role of Crowds in Innovation
Super interesting article over at LiveScience that outlines the role of population density in innovation:
The researchers ran computer simulations of different population densities, grouping humans into subpopulations that migrated. The model revealed that at a certain subpopulation density there was an accumulation of ideas and skills. To figure out whether this phenomenon of skill-sharing was real, the team used genetic data to estimate population sizes in different regions at different times. Sure enough, when the critical population density was reached or there was a certain degree of migration between subgroups there was also archaeological evidence of modern human behavior.
It’s especially interesting to think about in terms of what drives evolution. Last year I referenced a paper I had read about how humans evolved because of tools, rather than evolved and then were able to use them. Could these large groups actually have driven human brain development?
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I suspect it also factors into what drives intolerant behaviors, e.g., racism. Just guessing that the smaller the population, the more likely it’s homogeneous and therefore, more limited in world view/life experience. This begs the question of if/how the internet has/will change that? Will likeminded communities limit their exposure to other likeminds online, or venture out and seriously consider other viewpoints? Somebody must be studying this, though from the scientific perspective, it may be too soon to tell.