The Big R-Book

♣1♣The Big Picture with Kondratiev and Kardashev

You have certainly heard the words: “data is the new oil,” and you probably wondered “are we indeed on the verge of a newera of innovation andwealth creation or …is this just hype andwill it blow over soon enough?”

Since our ancestors left the trees about 6 million years ago,we roamed theAfrican steppes and we evolved a more upright position and limbs better suited for walking than climbing. However, for about 4million years physiological changes did not include a larger brain. It is only in the last million years that we gradually evolved a more potent frontal lobe capable of abstract and logical thinking.

The first good evidence of abstract thinking is the Makapansgat pebble, a jasperite cobble – roughly 260 g and 5 by 8 cm – that by geological tear and wear shows a few holes and lines that vaguely resemble (to us) a human face. About 2.5 million years ago one of our australopithecine ancestors not only realized this resemblance but also deemed it interesting enough to pick up the pebble, keep it, and finally leave it in a cave miles from the river where it was found.

This development of abstract thinking that goes beyond vague resemblance was a major milestone. As history unfolded, it became clear that this was only the first of many steps that would lead us to the era of data and knowledge that we live in today. Many more steps towards more complex and abstract thinking, gene mutations and innovation would be needed.