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Research Article

The evolutionary ecology of technological innovations

  1. Ricard V. Solée1,2,3,*,
  2. Sergi Valverde1,2,
  3. Marti Rosas Casals1,4,
  4. Stuart A. Kauffman3,
  5. Doyne Farmer3,
  6. Niles Eldredge5

Article first published online: 8 FEB 2013

DOI: 10.1002/cplx.21436

Issue

Complexity

Complexity

Volume 18, Issue 4, pages 15–27, March/April 2013

Additional Information

How to Cite

Solée, R. V., Valverde, S., Casals, M. R., Kauffman, S. A., Farmer, D. and Eldredge, N. (2013), The evolutionary ecology of technological innovations. Complexity, 18: 15–27. doi: 10.1002/cplx.21436

Author Information

  1. 1

    ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

  2. 2

    Institut de Biologia Evolutiva, CSIC-UPF, Passeig Maritim de la Barceloneta, 37, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

  3. 3

    Santa Fe Institute, 1399 Hyde Park Road, Santa Fe New Mexico 87501

  4. 4

    Sustainability Measurement and Modeling Lab, Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya-Barcelona Tech, EET-Campus Terrassa, 08222, Barcelona, Spain

  5. 5

    Division of Paleontology, American Museum of Natural History, New York 10024

*ICREA-Complex Systems Lab, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (GRIB), Dr Aiguader 80, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 13 MAR 2013
  2. Article first published online: 8 FEB 2013
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 19 DEC 2012
  4. Manuscript Received: 21 NOV 2012

Funded by

  • James McDonnell Foundation (RS). Grant Number: FIS2004-05422 (RS,SV)
  • Marcelino Botin Foundation (SV, RS)
  • TEKES Foundation of Finland (SK)
  • National Science Foundation (NSF). Grant Number: SBE0738187 (DF)
  • Santa Fe institute

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Keywords:

  • Technology;
  • evolution;
  • tinkering;
  • convergence;
  • information technology;
  • culturomics

Abstract

Technological evolution has been compared to biological evolution by many authors over the last two centuries. As a parallel experiment of innovation involving economic, historical, and social components, artifacts define a universe of evolving properties that displays episodes of diversification and extinction. Here, we critically review previous work comparing the two types of evolution. Like biological evolution, technological evolution is driven by descent with variation and selection, and includes tinkering, convergence, and contingency. At the same time, there are essential differences that make the two types of evolution quite distinct. Major distinctions are illustrated by current specific examples, including the evolution of cornets and the historical dynamics of information technologies. Due to their fast and rich development, the later provide a unique opportunity to study technological evolution at all scales with unprecedented resolution. Despite the presence of patterns suggesting convergent trends between man-made systems end biological ones, they provide examples of planned design that have no equivalent with natural evolution.

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