The Innovation Show

The Half-Life of Facts with Samuel Arbesman: Why Knowledge Keeps Changing


Listen Later

Facts change — and that's a good thing.

In this episode, Samuel Arbesman, complexity scientist and author of The Half-Life of Facts, joins Aidan McCullen to explore how what we know — and believe to be true — constantly evolves.

Together, they unpack how facts have a "half-life," why collaboration matters in a changing world, and how exponential knowledge growth reshapes science, strategy, and society.

In this episode:

  • Why facts and truths decay over time

  • How science self-corrects — from the Brontosaurus myth to the spinach iron story

  • The concept of "meso-facts" — slowly changing knowledge

  • How exponential growth drives innovation and discovery

  • Why curiosity, humility, and adaptability are essential for leaders

📚 Guest: Samuel Arbesman — author of The Half-Life of Facts, Overcomplicated, and The Magic of Code.

🌐 https://arbesman.net | https://arbesman.substack.com

🎙️ Hosted by Aidan McCullen — international keynote speaker on change, transformation, and innovation, author of Undisruptable, and host of The Innovation Show.

💼 Brought to you by Kyndryl – helping leaders harness the power of technology for smarter decisions and faster innovation.

👉 https://www.kyndryl.com/ie/en/institute

📘 Connect with Aidan McCullen:

🌐 https://theinnovationshow.io

📰 Substack: https://thethursdaythought.substack.com

📕 Book: Undisruptable

🎤 Speaking: https://aidanmccullen.com

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

The Innovation ShowBy The Innovation Show

  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9
  • 4.9

4.9

54 ratings


More shows like The Innovation Show

View all
Investing Insights by Morningstar

Investing Insights

518 Listeners

The Knowledge Project by Shane Parrish

The Knowledge Project

2,672 Listeners

The a16z Show by Andreessen Horowitz

The a16z Show

1,105 Listeners

HBR IdeaCast by Harvard Business Review

HBR IdeaCast

154 Listeners

Founders by David Senra

Founders

2,221 Listeners

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett by DOAC

The Diary Of A CEO with Steven Bartlett

8,876 Listeners

Worklife with Molly Graham by TED

Worklife with Molly Graham

9,167 Listeners

Inside the Strategy Room by McKinsey & Company

Inside the Strategy Room

176 Listeners

The Long View by Morningstar

The Long View

934 Listeners

The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway by Vox Media Podcast Network

The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

5,610 Listeners

A Bit of Optimism by Simon Sinek

A Bit of Optimism

2,230 Listeners

Huberman Lab by Scicomm Media

Huberman Lab

29,272 Listeners

The Mel Robbins Podcast by Mel Robbins

The Mel Robbins Podcast

20,222 Listeners

HBR On Leadership by Harvard Business Review

HBR On Leadership

170 Listeners

David Senra by Scicomm Media

David Senra

229 Listeners