THRESHOLD

THE MODERN REVOLUTION

Over a mere 200,000 years, humans have developed a complex and versatile exchange network. Today we are 7 billion people interacting as one interconnected global community. This society is so powerful that it controls the fate of the entire biosphere. We have yet to experience the full implications of crossing this most recent threshold.

8
YEARS AGO
TODAY
600 500 400 300 200 100

5000
Years ago

YEARS AGO

1000
Years ago

S AGO

200

100

5000

4600

4200

3800

3400

3000

2600

2200

1800

1400

1000

900

800

700

THRESHOLD

THE MODERN REVOLUTION

INGREDIENTS
Globalization
Expansion in size, efficiency, and diversity of exchange networks

8
COMPLEXITY
A global society Rapid population growth Human control over energy and resources Increasing fragility
Threat of nuclear war, rapid extinctions, climate change, acidification of the oceans

GOLDILOCKS CONDITIONS
Interconnection of the four world zones
Through increasingly large and complex global exchange networks and competitive global markets

New energy resources

A fossil fuel revolution driven by innovative technologies

Increasing use of energy

Enabled by the abundance of new forms of cheap energy