Scale cover art

Scale

The Universal Laws of Life and Death in Organisms, Cities and Companies

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Scale

By: Geoffrey West
Narrated by: Bruce Mann
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About this listen

Geoffrey West's research centres on a quest to find unifying principles and patterns connecting everything, from cells and ecosystems to cities, social networks and businesses.

Scale addresses big, urgent questions about global sustainability, population explosion, urbanization, ageing, cancer, human life spans and the increasing pace of life but also encourages us to question the world around us.

Why can we live for 120 years but not for a thousand? Why does the pace of life continually increase? Why do mice live for just two or three years and elephants for up to 75? Why do companies behave like mice, and are they all destined to die? Do cities, companies and human beings have natural, predetermined life spans? Are we just a fascinating experiment in natural selection that is ultimately doomed to fail? And what is the origin of the magic number four that seems to determine much of physiology and life history from birth to death?

©2017 Geoffrey West (P)2017 Penguin Random House Biological Sciences Biology Business Development Business Development & Entrepreneurship Science Sociology Urban Business Sustainability Ecosystem Capitalism

Critic Reviews

"An absolutely riveting read...groundbreaking." (Marcus du Sautoy)
"This book will expand your thinking from three dimensions to four." (Nassim Nicholas Taleb)
" Scale is a firework display of popular science." (Niall Ferguson)
"This is an important and original book, of immense scope." (Lord Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal)
All stars
Most relevant  
Fairly good book on the topic although a bit long winded. Has some interesting insights.

Quite a good book

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Appreciated West's dedication to grounding his theories in a framework, in contrast to much oversimplistic popular science. West explains existing knowledge and beckons us to consider new ones, turning to sustainability at the end of the book as something of a call to action for polymaths.

The narration was typical of such non fiction: in my opinion too dry.

Comprehensive and thought provoking for quants

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Deep insights into the patterns and beautiful simplicity of life, the universe and everything. Mr West elegantly and accessibly reveals the simplicity hiding beneath the vast complexity both within and without us. Congratulations on such a extensive feat of imagination, intellect and collaboration. A richly enjoyable, informative and entertaining journey; So good, I’ll read it twice! ;)

Insightful, elegant and enthralling

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amaxing insights into the complex world around us.

also asks big questions of society and where we are going and if it is sustainable.

definitely recommend everyone read this book!

Fantastic book, real insights and big questions

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So long winded and delivered in a painfully haughty manner. He likes physicists and drawing a line through data, all so we can save the world of course. The biology insights were almost interesting but the analysis on cities and companies was almost impossible to endure.

Excruciatingly boring

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In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.