Hacker News Comments on "How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World" Amazon Repository

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Hacker News Comments on
How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World

Steven Johnson · 3 HN comments

HN Books has aggregated all Hacker News stories and comments that mention "How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World" by Steven Johnson.

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Amazon Summary

From the New York Times –bestselling author of Where Good Ideas Come From and Unexpected Life, a new look at the power and legacy of great ideas. In this illustrated history, Steven Johnson explores the history of innovation over centuries, tracing facets of modern life (refrigeration, clocks, and eyeglass lenses, to name a few) from their creation by hobbyists, amateurs, and entrepreneurs to their unintended historical consequences. Filled with surprising stories of accidental genius and brilliant mistakes—from the French publisher who invented the phonograph before Edison but forgot to include playback, to the Hollywood movie star who helped invent the technology behind Wi-Fi and Bluetooth—How We Got to Now investigates the secret history behind the everyday objects of contemporary life. In his trademark style, Johnson examines unexpected connections between seemingly unrelated fields: how the invention of air-conditioning enabled the largest migration of human beings in the history of the species—to cities such as Dubai or Phoenix, which would otherwise be virtually uninhabitable; how pendulum clocks helped trigger the industrial revolution; and how clean water made it possible to manufacture computer chips. Accompanied by a major six-part television series on PBS, How We Got to Now is the story of collaborative networks building the modern world, written in the provocative, informative, and engaging style that has earned Johnson fans around the globe.

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Hacker News Stories and Comments

All the comments and stories posted to Hacker News that reference this book.

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Feb 10, 2020 · callmeed on Ask HN: What’s the most important modern simple invention?

I recommend reading How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World
https://www.amazon.com/How-We-Got-Now-Innovations/dp/1594633...

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Jun 06, 2017 · callmeed on The far-reaching effects of air conditioning

If you like this story, I recommend reading How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World. Its a quick read and very interesting. And, yes, "cold" is one of the six.
https://www.amazon.com/How-We-Got-Now-Innovations/dp/1594633...

⬐ fuckemem
"cold" is quite broad though. That would cover refrigeration/ freezing which would be a much bigger impact than air con.

⬐ thaumasiotes
Refrigeration allows you to preserve any kind of food and eat it at any time of year. It allows food to be shipped in to remote locations, which is important.
Air conditioning directly lets people live where they otherwise couldn't; it doesn't seem obvious that refrigeration is larger-impact.

⬐ callmeed
The chapter covers both. And they impact everything from food to politics.

⬐ tormeh
They're literally the same thing. Only difference is how big the fridge is and how much power you dedicate.

⬐ fuckemem
With the title "The far-reaching effects of air conditioning" I didn't immediately think "Yup ... that's handy: frozen peas" even though the technology underlying them is the same.

⬐ LeoPanthera
The book is based on a PBS/BBC TV show which is also excellent. It's on the Amazon, Google, and Microsoft video stores, and questionably legal copies are also on YouTube.

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Feb 06, 2017 · henrik_w on Understanding the economic significance of the light bulb

This reminded me of the book "How We Got To Now" by Steven Johnson. Really interesting book on how development in certain fields enabled other innovations ("adjacent possible"). Really well written and super interesting book! Also, bonus points for the last chapter on Ada Lovelace, and what a visionary she was in terms of what a computer could do.
https://www.amazon.com/How-We-Got-Now-Innovations/dp/1594633...

Hacker News Comments on How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World

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Hacker News Comments on
How We Got to Now: Six Innovations That Made the Modern World