Adjacent Possible

A newsletter from author Steven Johnson exploring where good ideas come from—and how to keep them from turning against us.

Top posts of the year

And their main takeaways

Writing With Your Second Brain

174 implied HN points • 23 Feb 24
🕹 Technology Writing AI Software Tools Research Digital Media
  1. Deep dive conversations about craft in writing and research are now more accessible through platforms like podcasts and YouTube.
  2. Software tools like NotebookLM and techniques shared by authors like Tiago Forte can revolutionize the way we organize research material and notes.
  3. Integration of tools like ReadWise's 'Export to Docs' feature can enhance the ability to work with research material and create a 'second brain' for storing important ideas.

The Controlled Explosion

150 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
💾 History Inventions Political violence Terrorism
  1. Stories about unintended consequences are captivating to readers.
  2. Innovation often leads to collaborative efforts, but sometimes is driven by a single individual.
  3. Technological advancements give more power to smaller groups, which could lead to increased political violence.

Birth Of A Science

126 implied HN points • 15 May 23
🔬 Science Research Health Aging
  1. Life expectancy has doubled in the past century due to reducing infant and child mortality, not old people living longer lives.
  2. Projected average life expectancy of 100 in the second half of this century is a positive development, but not a groundbreaking one.
  3. There is a debate in the scientific community about breaking the Calment boundary of 115 years and achieving life expectancies of 120 and beyond, requiring a paradigm shift in understanding aging.
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The Backlash

15 implied HN points • 03 Aug 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Life Extension Ethics Aging Science
  1. The post discusses the pursuit of radical life extension and questions its responsibility.
  2. The series explores the history of magic elixirs promising to extend life.
  3. Readers can access the full post archives with a 7-day free trial.

Biological Age

2 HN points • 13 Jun 23
🔬 Science Life Extension
  1. Part Three of Immortality explores the reasons behind aging and the concept of death as a life-changing force.
  2. Studies on extending the lives of worms could challenge our understanding of human aging and open up possibilities for life extension.
  3. Consider subscribing for a 7-day free trial to read more and access full post archives on Adjacent Possible.

Snakes and Singularities

1 HN point • 13 Mar 24
🔬 Science Evolution Cultural Evolution Biology Ecology Technology
  1. Snakes have evolved diverse traits through sudden phase shifts rather than incremental changes, expanding their adaptive possibilities significantly.
  2. Cultural and technological evolution also experience periods of sudden expansion and contraction of possibilities, akin to biological evolution's singularities.
  3. In addition to platform shifts, singularities in evolution can be driven by the emergence of single new traits leading to significant consequences in exploring new ecological niches.