Bradd Libby

a man in a cave

The Pattern of Disruption

The first in a new series about how the ‘pattern of disruption’ explains how our societies and economies change and evolve, and where they might be heading. It’s often assumed that ‘disruption’ is a uniquely modern phenomenon. But it’s not. Technology disruptions can be found at the heart of major societal and civilizational upheavals going …

The Pattern of Disruption Read More »

How Kevin Bacon Can Save the Planet and Regenerate the Earth

Decision-makers at the COP26 UN climate summit might do well to remind themselves of a game called ‘Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon’. Because only by understanding the interconnection of the world’s problems can we recognize how they can be rapidly solved by addressing them systemically at the root. Invented in the 1990s by three college …

How Kevin Bacon Can Save the Planet and Regenerate the Earth Read More »

To Save the Rainforests, Stop Doing the Things That Are Destroying Them

Many scientists now believe that the Amazon is close to a tipping point, after which it would become a savanna rather than a rainforest. Instead of pulling greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere, it will start pumping them into the atmosphere, leading so-called flying rivers – bands of moisture in the air that bring rainfall …

To Save the Rainforests, Stop Doing the Things That Are Destroying Them Read More »

Air pollution endangers billions, but a handful of technologies can make air clean again this decade

You would probably not willingly drink contaminated water or eat rotten food. But every day billions of people breathe polluted air and do not stop to think twice about it. That’s why air pollution is slashing the lives of billions of people around the world by up to six years, according to a recent study …

Air pollution endangers billions, but a handful of technologies can make air clean again this decade Read More »

Despite Growing Extinction Risk, This is How Whales Could Flourish Like Never Before

North Atlantic right whales face an increasing risk of extinction due to climate change. According to a new study by scientists at Cornell University, warming oceans have driven the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale population from its traditional and protected habitat in the Gulf of Maine into cooler waters of the Gulf of St. …

Despite Growing Extinction Risk, This is How Whales Could Flourish Like Never Before Read More »

Precision Fermentation and the Disruption of the Palm Oil Industry

How do chocolate goodies keep their sheen and creamy texture, even while sitting on store shelves? Increasingly, the answer is palm oil (and palm kernel oil), the world’s most widely consumed vegetable oil[1]. In our report Rethinking Food and Agriculture 2020-2030, we discuss how precision fermentation (PF) is rapidly improving in cost and capabilities so …

Precision Fermentation and the Disruption of the Palm Oil Industry Read More »