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Exponential Growth Arithmetic, Population and Energy, Dr. Albert A. Bartlett

Hiroob · lecture · Watch on YouTube

University lectures & coursesPure mathematicsEnvironment, agriculture & food systems

What it is

A recording of physicist Albert Bartlett's well-known lecture on the arithmetic of exponential growth, applied to population and energy use. He argues that steady percentage growth in a finite world cannot continue and sneaks up suddenly.

Why Hacker News recommends it

Treated as the classic lecture on why people misjudge exponential growth, and pulled out in threads on compound growth, epidemics, crypto and resource limits.

  • 5 people recommended it
  • 5 different months
  • 1 strong recommendations
  • first 2019, last 2021

What HN commenters said

  1. “The point is well illustrated in the talk, I highly recommend it.”

    Illustrates how exponential growth sneaks up until the last moment.

    pink_surfer, 2020-01 · Strong recommendation · in “The Future Is Grim”

  2. “A requisite response to those who mention compound growth (interest) and the fallacy of it "never" ending”

    Answers the fallacy that compound growth never ends.

    maerF0x0, 2019-12 · Recommendation · in “What Is the Most Valuable Thing You Can Learn in One Hour?”

  3. “I've always liked the lecture "Exponential Growth, Population and Energy" by Dr. Albert Bartlett.”

    Lecture on exponential growth, population and energy.

    voxadam, 2020-03 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: What happens next after a successful lockdown?”

  4. “Have you seen this guy talk about our inability to understand the exponential function?”

    Bartlett on humanity's inability to grasp the exponential function

    knorker, 2021-06 · Recommendation · in “It's time for us in the tech world to speak out about cryptocurrency”

  5. “Check this one out”

    Long-form lecture on exponential growth arithmetic, population and energy

    belfalas, 2021-12 · Recommendation · in “Ask HN: Long-form info-dense videos on YouTube you would recommend to anyone?”

Excerpts from Hacker News comments, linked to the originals. Summaries and labels were written by a language model from those comments.

Topics: albert bartlett, population, energy, sustainability, compound growth

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