The acclaimed author of The Half-Life of Facts explains the challenges of overly complex technology. On July 8th, 2015, something weird happened. The NYSE computers went down and trading was suspended for several hours. The culprit wasn’t hackers or a rogue algorithm. It was just…a glitch. And it’s just the beginning. Technological complexity is no trivial matter. While a few hours of suspended trading may not have had lasting impact on the markets, imagine the damage that could result from a breakdown of our air traffic control systems, or earthquake warning systems. We need a new way to think about technology, and we need it fast. In Overcomplicated, complexity scientist Samuel Arbesman argues that we’ve reached a new era: a time when our technological systems have become too complex and interconnected for us to fully understand or predict. From our machines and software to our legal frameworks and urban infrastructure, Arbesman explores the forces that lead us to continue to make system...

About the Author

Samuel Arbesman is a complexity scientist whose work focuses on the nature of scientific and technological change. He is currently a Scientist in Residence at Lux Capital, a venture capital firm focused on big, daring ideas in science and technology. He is also a Senior Adjunct Fellow of the Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado and Resear...