Existential angst and a wave of innovation

The book, The Sixth Wave: How to Succeed in a Resource Limited World, by James Bradfield Moody and Bianca Nogrady, points to the emergence of an exciting new wave of innovation.

There is a clear pattern in modern history of five waves of innovation. Beginning with the Industrial Revolution, each of these waves has transformed society, economies and industry. The fifth wave was communications technology, but its peak is over and a new wave of innovation is emerging driven by the need to sustain resources. China in particular, must ride the crest of this wave.

China was not at the forefront of the previous five waves of innovation. But its rapid economic growth of the past three decades has benefited from the technologies of these previous waves.