5Walking on a Cloud
In a seminal piece of popular science, The Cosmic Connection, Carl Sagan postulated that one could measure the progress of any civilization by the scale of information it can access.1 In other words, a civilization's ability to solve critical challenges, such as reversing environmental degradation or eradicating disease, correlates with its capacity to harness useful knowledge. The capacity to put knowledge to work for the greater good, in turn, depends on the systems and structures that society advances for capturing, distributing, and exploiting the information it creates.
For the last two decades of the Internet age, we have witnessed an epic accumulation of digitized knowledge. For example, websites, online databases, digital libraries, and educational platforms have made an incredible amount of information available to anyone with an Internet connection. From academic research papers and scientific studies to historical archives and cultural artifacts, a wealth of knowledge is now just a few clicks away.
One of the most significant contributors to the accumulation of digitized knowledge is the growth of user-generated content. Platforms such as Wikipedia, online forums, and social media have allowed individuals from all walks of life to contribute their knowledge and experiences. This crowdsourcing of information has expanded the breadth and depth of available knowledge, offering diverse perspectives and insights.
The digitization of books, journals, ...
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