How Innovation Works: and Why It Flourishes in Freedom

Innovation is the main event of the modern age, the reason we experience both dramatic improvements in our living standards and unsettling changes in our society. Forget short-term symptoms like Donald Trump and Brexit, it is innovation itself that explains them and that will itself shape the 21st century for good and ill. Yet innovation remains a mysterious process, poorly understood by policy makers and businessmen, hard to summon into existence to order, yet inevitable and inexorable when it does happen.

In his new book, How Innovation Works, Matt Ridley argues that we need to change the way we think about innovation, to see it as an incremental, bottom-up, fortuitous process that happens to society as a direct result of the human habit of exchange, rather than an orderly, top-down process developing according to a plan. Innovation is crucially different from invention, because it is the turning of inventions into things of practical and affordable use to people. It speeds up in some sectors and slows down in others. It is always a collective, collaborative phenomenon, not a matter of lonely genius. It is gradual, serendipitous, recombinant, inexorable, contagious, experimental and unpredictable. It happens mainly in just a few parts of the world at any one time. It still cannot be modelled properly by economists, but it can easily be discouraged by politicians. Far from there being too much innovation, we may be on the brink of an innovation famine.

Ridley derives these and other lessons, not with abstract argument, but from telling the lively stories of scores of innovations, how they started and why they succeeded or in some cases failed. He goes back millions of years and leaps forward into the near future. Some of the innovation stories he tells are about steam engines, jet engines, search engines, airships, coffee, potatoes, vaping, vaccines, cuisine, antibiotics, mosquito nets, turbines, propellers, fertilizer, zero, computers, dogs, farming, fire, genetic engineering, gene editing, container shipping, railways, cars, safety rules, wheeled suitcases, mobile phones, corrugated iron, powered flight, chlorinated water, toilets, vacuum cleaners, shale gas, the telegraph, radio, social media, block chain, the sharing economy, artificial intelligence, fake bomb detectors, phantom games consoles, fraudulent blood tests, faddish diets, hyperloop tubes, herbicides, copyright, and even a biological innovation: life itself. Shermer and Ridley discuss all this and:

• why the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics is the First Law of Life
• why the patent/intellectual property rights concept is antithetical to innovation
• why innovation is so much more important than invention
• why the Chinese system of innovation works even though it’s government is anti-freedom
• why musical innovation did not decline with the advent of Napster
• the difference between scientific discoveries and artistic/musical creations
• vaccine innovation in the era of COVID-19
• why innovations are postdictable but not predictable, and
• how the future may change after this pandemic.

Matt Ridley is the award-winning, bestselling author of several books, including The Rational Optimist: How Prosperity Evolves; Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters; and The Red Queen: Sex and the Evolution of Human Nature. His books have sold more than one million copies in thirty languages worldwide. He writes regularly for The Times(London) and The Wall Street Journal, and is a member of the House of Lords. He lives in England.

Watch or listen now

7 Unfavorable Exercise Habits That Need To Be Broken

If you’re not reaching your goals, experts say these situations could be the reason.

Wondering why you can’t quite hit that race goal you’ve been after (for a long time now) or sick of not seeing the results you’d like from that new strength training regime you started? It may not have anything to do with your weekly workout content or how many reps you're cranking out, but rather some unfavorable habits you might not even realize you’re guilty of doing.
Curious what behaviors you should change up? Here are some of sticky points that could be standing in the way of your results.

1). You Have Improper Exercise Form: Whether from a lack mindfulness (your mind isn’t on the movements you’re doing while you’re doing them), a lack of proper guidance, not asking for advice, or being new to the gym, many people don't realize the importance of good form when exercising. Its super important to master, especially with moves like squats and lunges. Exercising with poor form can be dangerous to your joints and muscles and can even scuttle the effect of your workout. Make sure you learn the right form from a certified instructor or expert from the get-go. Bad exercise habits can be more difficult to get rid of later in the game.

2). You Exercise On An Empty Stomach: While there’s some debate about whether or not you should work out without eating beforehand, it’s usually a good idea to fuel your body before you start exercising.  Fasted cardio—doing cardio on an empty stomach in the morning, is not the most sustainable thing, explains Jay Cardiello, a fitness expert and ISSA, and NSCA-certified strength and conditioning specialist.

He suggests getting in your carbs and protein, even if in a lighter form, before starting your workout. In addition to making you feel like do-do, when your blood sugar is too low, your body extracts glycogen from the muscle tissues once blood levels run out. What does that mean? You’ll start losing muscle instead of building it. Yikes. Low blood sugar can also cause dizziness and weakness during training which compromises your ability to stay in the game. Best to eat something nutritionally balanced before working out to skip all of those negative side effects.

3). You Live By Cardio: Yes, cardio can burn calories, but overdoing it can undermine your strength, cause muscle atrophy, sap your energy, impair your immunity, and even lead to fat-loss plateaus. Combine a strict diet plan with an overdose of cardio and it will take even more of a toll on your muscles. To maintain strength, Karina Baymiller, a USA powerlifting club coach and founder of Knox Strength & Performance suggests regular weekly strength training along with a 15-minute HIIT or other conditioning session week in addition to your cardio work.

4). You’re Either Always Starving, and/or Eating The Wrong Foods: Getting the proper number of calories and quantity of foods along with the proper qualityof foods in your nutritional mix can be tricky, but it’s essential. You need sufficient calories (and a mix of calories; your protein, carbs, and fat) to have the energy to drive your daily activities, your workouts, and your recovery. You need the right quality of foods to feel good, promote and preserve your health, and produce the fitness results you’re working so hard for. If you’re always starving, you’re likely not getting enough calories to keep you in good stead. It could also be the case that you’re eating the wrong types of foods (junk or empty-calorie foods) which lead to the same result. Either way, no bueno—eat healthy, eat smart, eat enough.

5). You’re Not Getting Enough Protein: Protein is essential to help your body recover from training and helps repair worked, sore muscles. A protein-rich diet helps to increase the fat metabolism in your body since you burn more calories while digesting protein as it takes longer to break down. Science backs it up: The body burns up to 30 percent of the calories consumed from protein during the digestion process, according to research reviewed by Precision Nutrition, so stock up in every meal—especially breakfast.

6). You Don’t Get Sufficient Sleep: Adequate sleep allows your muscles to recover. Without it, you can't exercise at full intensity and muscles feel sore from previous gym efforts because they couldn't repair themselves. Some experts believe that sleep is the most important thing for a better health and fitness. Not to mention, sleep helps mitigate stress. Proper stress management reduces cortisol levels which have an impact on other hormones such as testosterone and human growth hormone (HGH). You should aim to get 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night.

7). You Play The Blame Game: It’s easy to allow normal life events, such as work, traffic, a funky mood, the weather, a phone call interruption, or any number of other small-ish things to keep you away from your workouts. The blame game, ala “I couldn’t work out because abc, xyz” is ultimately a no-win strategy. If you consistently allow small bumps in the road to become major hurdles to your workouts, you’ll never take the right actions, thus never make ANY progress.

Here’s something interesting to know: Children who have active parents tend to be more active themselves, says Bernard Fuemmeler, Ph.D., associate director of cancer prevention and control at Virginia Commonwealth University. That’s good news if parents are good fitness examples, don’t make those excuses, and work out regularly. If parents don’t consider fitness to be important, make excuses, and don't put in an effort, children are prone to model that behavior. It’s on you to find a way to make fitness a regular part of your life (read: no excuses!) for both your health and the health of your loved ones.

Ultimate Price: The Value We Place on Life

How much is a human life worth? Individuals, families, companies, and governments routinely place a price on human life. The calculations that underlie these price tags are often buried in technical language, yet they influence our economy, laws, behaviors, policies, health, and safety. These price tags are often unfair, infused as they are with gender, racial, national, and cultural biases that often result in valuing the lives of the young more than the old, the rich more than the poor, whites more than blacks, Americans more than foreigners, and relatives more than strangers. This is critical since undervalued lives are left less-protected and more exposed to risk.

Howard Steven Friedman explains in simple terms how economists and data scientists at corporations, regulatory agencies, and insurance companies develop and use these price tags and points a spotlight at their logical flaws and limitations. He then forcefully argues against the rampant unfairness in the system. Readers will be enlightened, shocked, and, ultimately, empowered to confront the price tags we assign to human lives and understand why such calculations matter. Friedman and Shermer also discuss:

• the COVID-19 pandemic and the economic tradeoffs in the context of putting a price on human life
• how long should the economy be kept shut down in social isolation
• private vs. public calculations of the value of a human life
• the tradeoffs between conflicting moral values related to the value of human life (abortion, capital punishment, etc.)
• 9/11 and the calculations used to determine the value of each life lost
• calculating the devil we know (coal-related deaths) vs. the devil we don’t know (possible future nuclear-power related deaths)
• how the price of $10 million was determined for the current value of a human life
• organ sales as a form of human life valuation
• Should you have life insurance?
• When should you start collecting social security?
• why all lives should be treated equally in terms of statistical valuation, but why they are not.

Howard Steven Friedman, a leading statistician and health economist, is an expert in data science and applications of cost-benefit analysis. He teaches at Columbia University.

Watch or listen now

6 Clever Ways To Use Protein Powder (That Aren’t Shakes)

From BodyBuilding.com

Protein shakes and smoothies can be as much a part of the fit life as a closet bursting with spandex. For many of us, shakes are a non-negotiable daily ritual. Getting enough protein is critical for proper nutrition, keeping/building your immunity, building muscle, burning fat, and boosting recovery after strenuous workouts. While a powder that delivers 20-plus grams in one shot, shaken with water, is the straightest line between you and your daily protein goals, you don't have to live on shakes alone. After all, you do have teeth. There are plenty of other ways to use protein powder in healthy, energizing foods that will keep you, your health, and your muscles nourished and fueled throughout the day.

Use these protein hacks in your routine as a break from shakes. Just be cautious: Not all protein powders behave the same way when you bake and cook with them. Start with our suggestions or whatever you already have on hand, and then experiment to fine-tune your recipes.

1). Soups & Stews: "Collagen is the hottest type of protein powder on the market," says dietitian Natalie Rizzo, MS, RD, who recommends using it in savory dishes like soups and stews. What's great about collagen is that it's easy to toss in when you're cooking, and it doesn't compromise flavor. "It's virtually tasteless and even one small scoop can be a nice protein booster to thicken soups and sauces," Rizzo says. Just stir in the amount you like until you reach your preferred thickness, and you're set.

2. Chia Seed Pudding: If you're looking for a way to make your chia pudding thicker and creamier, add a scoop or two of whey protein powder. "For a simple recipe, combine 1 tablespoon of chia seeds with 1 cup of your favorite milk and 1 scoop of protein powder," Rizzo suggests. Let the mixture chill until it jells up from the chia seeds. Then add toppings, such as nuts, seeds, or fresh fruit.

3. Muffins: Generally, muffins don't contribute much to a healthy diet, but when there's some protein added to the mix, you get a much healthier treat. "If you want to add a protein boost to your muffins, you can substitute about 1/3 cup of flour with 1/3 cup of protein powder in most recipes," says Rizzo. She suggests using an unflavored variety for this type of baking, which won't affect the taste of the muffins.

4. Pancakes: "Pancakes are one of my favorite breakfast meals!" says dietitian Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CLT, CPT. "But as much as I love carbs first thing in the morning, without a dose of protein, I find myself getting hungry within an hour or two." Protein powder is the solution. "Simply add the powder into the mixing bowl when you add the flour, and combine with your traditional ingredients like milk, eggs, and baking powder," Shaw says. For pancakes, you may want to use a flavored protein powder. "I highly recommend pairing the flavor based on your choice of pancakes," Shaw says. "For instance, a more traditional pancake tastes great with a vanilla flavor while something more creative like carrot cake pancakes pairs well with a cinnamon roll flavored protein powder."

5. Energy Bites: Sure, you may have seen a thousand different recipes for energy bites on Pinterest, but the ones that really help satiate you are those that pack protein in the mix. "While nuts provide a plant-forward source of protein and healthy fat, used solo, one bite will typically have under 4 grams of protein, which leaves individuals eating more than perhaps they're comfortable with to meet their protein recs," says Shaw. "Instead, try mixing 1-2 scoops of chocolate or peanut butter protein into your bites. This will create a satisfying snack filled with protein."

6. Proats: If your cooking skills are at the toast-and-ramen level, we got you. "Proats," or "protein oats," is your entry-level protein recipe. Make oatmeal, stir in protein powder. Boom. Any protein powder will work here. Use a little extra water when you cook your oats, though, or it can turn out gluey.

The Idea of the Brain: The Past and Future of Neuroscience

For thousands of years, thinkers and scientists have tried to understand what the brain does. Yet, despite the astonishing discoveries of science, we still have only the vaguest idea of how the brain works. In The Idea of the Brain, scientist and historian Matthew Cobb traces how our conception of the brain has evolved over the centuries. Although it might seem to be a story of ever-increasing knowledge of biology, Cobb shows how our ideas about the brain have been shaped by each era’s most significant technologies. Today we might think the brain is like a supercomputer. In the past, it has been compared to a telegraph, a telephone exchange, or some kind of hydraulic system. What will we think the brain is like tomorrow, when new technology arises? The result is an essential read for anyone interested in the complex processes that drive science and the forces that have shaped our marvelous brains. Cobb and Shermer also discuss:

• panpsychism

• the hard problem of consciousness

• free will and determinism

• mind uploading

• near death experiences (NDEs) and other paranormal experiences

• quantum consciousness

• the history of neuroscience and how we got to where we are today

• brain mapping and localization

• why the new phrenology (brain localization and modules) is still wrong

• why neurons are not digital like computer chips, and why the brain is not like a computer, and

• why we’re still nowhere near understanding how the brain works.

Matthew Cobb is a professor in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Manchester, where he studies olfaction, insect behavior, and the history of science. He earned his PhD in psychology and genetics from the University of Sheffield. He is the author of five books: Life’s Greatest Secret, Generation, The Resistance, Eleven Days in August, and Smell: A Very Short Introduction. He lives in England.

Watch or listen now

9 Things That Happen To Your Body After You Lose Just 5 Pounds!

from the Eat this, Not That e-zine

Let's be real, losing weight can be challenging. Sometimes, it can feel like you don't see any results, no matter how hard you try. But, even if you don't see the fruits of your efforts in the mirror (yet!), subtle changes are starting to happen in your body—even if you just lose 5 pounds.

That's right, you don't need to lose a dramatic number of pounds for your body to start to transform. Here are 9 things that happen to your body when you start shedding fat. If you lose more than 5 pounds, you'll rack up the health benefits and see even more noticeable differences.

1). Your Fat Cells Shrink: To lose weight, you take in fewer calories than you expend. Where does your body get the extra energy it needs? Your fat cells. "As your body starts to pull energy from your fat cells to make up for the energy from the food you're not eating, your fat cells will shrink," says Dr. Mike Roussell, PhD. If you need more incentive to keep the weight off, Roussell says that rapidly regaining weight can hyper-inflate your fat cells. "They become bigger than they were before you lost weight," he says.

2). You’ll Help Get Your Blood Sugar In Check: Shedding a few pounds may improve your body's ability to dial into your blood sugar. "Eating less and exerting yourself more will lead to greater insulin sensitivity, which allows your body to better control and stabilize blood sugar levels," says Roussell. Keeping your blood sugar levels balanced can help you manage and avoid related health conditions and avoid hunger pains.

3). You’ll Tame Inflammation: While inflammation is part of your body's natural defense system, carrying extra weight can cause it to go into overdrive, leading to chronic health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. In a study published in Nutrition Research, researchers found that losing an average of just 6 pounds decreased inflammation by reducing the production of pro-inflammatory proteins. It also improved immune system function.

4). You’ll Have Less Achy Joints: It makes sense: the more you weigh, the more force you exert on your bones and joints when you move. Over time, that additional strain can lead to joint damage and osteoarthritis. Losing just 5 pounds of excess weight could mean 20 fewer pounds of pressure on your precious joints.

5). You’ll Decrease LDL Cholesterol: According to a study published in Cell Metabolism, dropping a few pounds was enough to decrease not only liver fat but also intra-abdominal fat. That's the unhealthy fat that clings to your organs and can trigger the release of molecules linked to a variety of health conditions. Reducing the amount of intra-abdominal fat may lower your risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

6). Your Heart Health Will Improve: Slimming down boosts HDL cholesterol—the one you want to be higher—and lowers triglycerides, decreasing your risk for heart disease. In a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, overweight and obese women who lost weight over a two-year period dropped their total cholesterol levels, regardless of the number of pounds dropped.

7). You’ll Sleep Better: Who couldn't use some more quality sleep? One study from the University of Pennsylvania found that even a small amount of weight loss can improve sleep. That means you'll have more energy and a better mood, too!

8). Your Blood Pressure Will Likely Drop: When you're carrying around extra weight, your heart has to work harder to pump blood, which can mean higher blood pressure. Lowering the number of the scale can drop systolic and diastolic blood pressure in people who are overweight or obese and had Type 2 diabetes, according to a study published in Diabetes Care.

9). Your Mood Will Likely Improve: Losing five pounds may make you feel happier, even if it's just the kick-off to your weight loss journey. One review of published research found that people experienced positive mental health benefits, such as higher measures of self-esteem, when they shed a few pounds. Even if you aren't seeing drastic results on the scale just yet, lifestyle changes like eating better and moving more can have countless positive impacts on both your mental and physical health.

The Power Worshippers: Inside the Dangerous Rise of Religious Nationalism

For too long the Religious Right has masqueraded as a social movement preoccupied with a number of cultural issues, such as abortion and same-sex marriage. But in her deeply reported investigation, Katherine Stewart reveals a disturbing truth: America’s Religious Right has evolved into a Christian nationalist movement. It seeks to gain political power and to impose its vision on all of society. It isn’t fighting a culture war, it is waging a political war on the norms and institutions of American democracy. Stewart shows that the real power of the movement lies in a dense network of think tanks, advocacy groups, and pastoral organizations, embedded in a rapidly expanding community of international alliances with likeminded, anti-democratic religious nationalists around the world, including Russia. She follows the money behind the movement and traces much of it to a group of super-wealthy, ultraconservative donors and family foundations. The Christian nationalist movement is far more organized and better funded than most people realize. It seeks to control all aspects of government and society. Its successes have been stunning, and its influence now extends to every aspect of American life, from the White House to state capitols, from our schools to our hospitals. Shermer and Stewart also discuss:

• how the Moral Majority of the Reagan era 1980s morphed into the Christian nationalists of today
• why 81% of white evangelicals voted for Trump, one of the least religious presidents in U.S. history
• follow the money: where these many Christian nationalist organizations get their funding
• Betsy DeVos, big money, and school vouchers: what’s really going on with so-called “school choice”
• how conservatives use pastors to “get out the vote”
• When did Jesus become a conservative?
• Christian nationalists and the poor
• Christian nationalists and homosexuality
• how Christian nationalists made abortion a modern political cause
• how conservatives like Barry Goldwater used to support a woman’s right to an abortion
• why conservatives are actually in favor of big government…when it suits their ideological and religious agendas (military, police, prisons, courts, immigration, corporate welfare, etc.)
• Who’s next? Mike Pence, Ted Cruz? The future of democracy in an age of Christian nationalism.

Katherine Stewart’s work has appeared in The New York Times, Washington Post, American Prospect, The Atlantic and other publications. She is the author of The Good News Club, an investigation of the religious right and public education.

Watch or listen now

Woke Gone Wild

BY FRANK S. ROBINSON

A regime-imposed ideology, tolerating no dissent, enforced by a surveillance state and thought police, with transgressors punished. Welcome to Nineteen Eighty-Four. China? Yes. But increasingly such illiberalism has infiltrated America’s “liberal” universities. If nothing else, surely liberalism means promoting human liberty, with freedom of thought and expression essential. Yet over the past decade college campuses have seen the rise of speech codes, speakers disinvited or shouted down, professors offending against the approved catechism forced to apologize, submit to re-education, or even to resign. And an obsession with “diversity” while suppressing the kind that should matter most—diversity of viewpoint.

Documenting these disturbing trends is Robert Boyers, who has taught in academia for half a century, currently at Skidmore. He’s the longtime editor of Salmagundi, Skidmore’s quarterly magazine of politics, culture, literature and the arts, and he is very much a man of the left. His 2019 book, The Tyranny of Virtue: Identity, The Academy, and the Hunt for Political Heresies, calls out the perversion of liberal ideals he sees in American universities—political correctness metastasizing into a rigid party line that brooks no dissent, while plunging down rabbit holes of absurdism. The book is full of horror stories from the author’s own experience. Contradictions and ironies abound. The reader enters a hall of mirrors.

The book’s main theme is dismay at the suppression of argument, with key issues deemed settled beyond dispute, no discussion allowed. How to justify this? Postmodernism promoted the idea that argument itself is suspect because nothing is really true and reason cannot surmount that. Hence a refusal to countenance debate. And while postmodernism encouraged a fetish for nonjudgmentalism, in academia this strangely transmogrified into a judgmentalism of the harshest sort—against any deviation from the canonical ideology.

Boyers relates a cautionary tale of how his own younger self once swallowed an apologia by Herbert Marcuse that freedom of speech must yield to an enlightened minority whose virtue entitles it to suppress divergent views deemed harmful. Fortunately, Boyers himself ultimately gagged on this bilge. Unfortunately, such intellectual arrogance is at the heart of today’s academic culture.

If the PC catechism is really as manifestly correct as its woke minions seem to think, then how is it threatened by debate? Maybe they fear they’ve built a house of cards that cannot withstand scrutiny, so scrutiny is barred. […]

Read the complete review