The Half-Life of Facts: Why Everything We Know Has an Expiration Date
Categories: Science & Math
Samuel Arbesman, a researcher in scientometrics, shows that knowledge changes in regular, measurable ways, much like radioactive decay. He explains how facts in medicine, science and everyday life are overturned, how errors spread and how new findings accumulate. Using examples from mathematics to dinosaur names, Arbesman argues that understanding these patterns can help us handle a world in which much of what we know will eventually change.
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- Shane Parrish: “Sam's also written two books that I love: The Half-Life of Facts and Overcomplicated.”