Something You Should Know

Episode: The Promise and Peril of Disruptive Technology & How Being in Nature Changes You
Host: Mike Carruthers
Guests: Scott Anthony (Tuck School of Business), Mark Berman (Environmental Neuroscience Laboratory)
Date: September 18, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of "Something You Should Know" explores two fascinating themes: the double-edged sword of disruptive innovation in technology and business, and the surprising, science-backed benefits of spending time in nature. Host Mike Carruthers is joined by innovation expert Scott Anthony, author of Epic: 11 Innovations that Shaped Our Modern World, and environmental neuroscientist Mark Berman, author of Nature and the Science of How Nature Improves Cognitive, Physical, and Social Wellbeing.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

[03:57] Segment 1: Disrupting Disruption – Scott Anthony

What is Disruptive Innovation?

• Definition & Examples: Scott Anthony explains that disruptive innovation occurs when a new idea, product, or business model turns an industry upside down, making things simpler or cheaper, and often rendering old ways obsolete.
  • “Today you have autonomous vehicles, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, alternative proteins. Those are just the ones that begin with the letter A. This really is now a pervasive phenomena that is affecting everyone.” (Scott Anthony, 01:18)

Historical Disruptions as Lessons for Today

• The Printing Press: Before 1440, all books could fit on a wagon; afterwards, millions existed. The echo today: generative AI is fundamentally changing how knowledge is created and transmitted.
  • “The printing press changed the world. Artificial intelligence will change the world. And studying how the printing press worked helps us understand how artificial intelligence might play out as well.” (Scott Anthony, 06:48)

The Shadow of Disruption

• Winners & Losers: Every disruption benefits some and harms others. Example: Kodak invented digital tech but was undone by it.
  • “Disruptive change is a really powerful force. For good. But here's something important. It always casts a shadow.” (Scott Anthony, 08:46)

Acceleration and Ubiquity

• Disruption is accelerating—historically rare, now commonplace across all industries.
  • “This really is now a pervasive phenomena that is affecting everyone. It's happening faster, it's more widespread than it ever was before.” (Scott Anthony, 11:38)

Gunpowder, McDonald’s, and Julia Child

• Gunpowder: In 1453, Orban’s cannon ends the thousand-year reign of Constantinople’s walls. Resonates today: defenses for yesterday may be liabilities now.
  • “The defenses of Constantinople were built yesterday. They lasted until a disruptive technology changed everything.” (Scott Anthony, 13:38)
• McDonald’s: Standardized, simplified fast food; revolutionized via a new business model centered on real estate, not just burgers.
  • “McDonald's shows when you crack a business model, that's when you can really go and take over the world.” (Scott Anthony, 21:51)
• Julia Child: Brought French cooking to every U.S. kitchen, making something elite feel accessible.
  • “She made it more accessible and easier for a broader population to consume, to cook. That's the essence of disruptive innovation.” (Scott Anthony, 24:31)

The Humble Origins of Transformation

• The transistor: overlooked at first, now the foundation of the modern digital age.
  • “It was not in early computers or communications networks. It was in hearing aids. Because like many disruptive ideas, the transistor began its life imperfect.” (Scott Anthony, 27:31)

Pattern Recognition in Disruption

• Disruptions often follow a pattern: complicated and expensive becomes simple and affordable—leading to growth.
  • “You always bet on the disruptor, the person who's taking the complicated, making it simple, taking the expensive, making it affordable.” (Scott Anthony, 23:48)

[31:48] Segment 2: Nature and Your Brain – Mark Berman

Wide-Ranging Benefits of Nature: Cognitive & Physical

• Nature exposure—whether a walk or simply having a view—improves concentration, memory, and physical health.
  • “We find that people’s ability to focus and their attention and their short term memory all improve after brief walks in nature.” (Mark Berman, 31:55)
• Living among trees correlates with lower rates of stroke, diabetes, and heart disease.
• Views to nature speed recovery from surgery and reduce crime rates in housing complexes.

Why is Nature So Powerful?

• Our brains process nature more efficiently (curves, fractals, less mental effort required), reducing fatigue and restoring focus.
  • “You can just let your mind be automatically captured by the interesting stimulation in the natural environment. And we think that that is actually good for our brains.” (Mark Berman, 34:20)
• Even pictures or sounds of nature, or indoor plants, can deliver some benefits.

Is More Nature Always Better?

• Modest nature—such as an urban park—is beneficial; more immersive, biodiverse nature increases the effect.
  • “Even more modest nature, like a city park... people can still get benefits from that.” (Mark Berman, 40:02)
• Bringing nature indoors (plants, even artificial ones) lifts mood and comfort, but real nature is best.

Universality & Dosing

• Benefits are mostly universal if basic comfort and safety are present.
  • “If your basic needs are met... I think most people are going to get the benefit.” (Mark Berman, 42:05)
• Prescription: 10–30 minutes per day (as little as 10 minutes looking at nature images can help); 2 hours per week is often cited.
  • “Brief walks. Maybe a 20 to 30 minute walk can yield benefits. Other people have suggested that you might try to get about two hours a week of interactions with nature.” (Mark Berman, 43:35)

How Long Do Effects Last?

• Effects are often measured immediately after exposure; cumulative, longer-term benefits seen in repeated interactions.

Diminishing Returns?

• There is a point of diminishing returns—too much indoor greenery feels cluttered, and you get “the most bang for your buck” when mentally fatigued.
  • “People seem to really like [10–20%]... more than that, people found it to be too cluttered and kind of overwhelming.” (Mark Berman, 45:51)

Nature Changes What We Think About

• Nature inspires broader, more outward-focused, and even spiritual thinking; studies show park visitors write about deep life themes, spirituality, and connectedness.
  • “These walks in nature seemed to be changing the character of the thoughts that people were having, which we also thought was pretty interesting.” (Mark Berman, 49:04)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Disruption’s ‘Shadow’:

  • “Disruptive change... always casts a shadow. Sometimes that shadow is the company that goes and pushes the technology. They essentially put themselves out of business.” (Scott Anthony, 08:46)

• Humble Beginnings:

  • “What is so interesting is when the transistor was first announced... the New York Times put it on page 46. It took five years for the transistor to find a commercial home. It was not in early computers... It was in hearing aids.” (Scott Anthony, 27:31)

• On Julia Child’s Magic:

  • “She showed up as a fallible human. She showed up as somebody you could relate to. She didn’t have a voice that was made for media... somehow it all worked.” (Scott Anthony, 25:55)

• Nature’s Universal Impact:

  • “We find that people's ability to focus and their attention and their short term memory all improve after brief walks in nature.” (Mark Berman, 31:55)

• Fake vs Real Nature:

  • “Most people can tell the artificial nature from real nature... yet it still had an improvement for them on their mood, lowering their pain and making them feel more comfortable.” (Mark Berman, 48:24)

• Nature’s Influence on Thought:

  • “When people walked through the nature conservatory, they tended to think more about people around them... they felt more connected to the environment.” (Mark Berman, 49:04)

Timestamps for Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment / Topic | |-----------|----------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:57 | Introduction to the topic of disruptive innovation (Scott Anthony) | | 06:48 | The printing press—parallels to artificial intelligence | | 09:43 | The shadow of disruption: winners and losers | | 11:38 | Why disruption feels faster and more widespread now | | 13:38 | Gunpowder and the fall of Constantinople | | 19:00 | Experiencing modern disruption: Robo-taxis | | 19:51 | McDonald’s as a business disruptor | | 24:31 | Julia Child’s disruptive impact on cooking accessibility | | 27:31 | The transistor: humble origins, world-changing impact | | 31:48 | Nature’s health benefits—a scientific perspective (Mark Berman) | | 34:20 | How nature boosts the brain and well-being | | 40:02 | What counts as nature? Urban parks, plants, and beyond | | 43:35 | How much nature is enough? Prescription and cumulative benefits | | 45:51 | Diminishing returns: how much is too much nature? | | 49:04 | Nature changes what we think about (journals in parks study) |

Concluding Insight

This episode delivers a rich exploration of how innovation and nature—two forces that seem worlds apart—fundamentally shape not only our societies, industries, and economies, but also our minds, bodies, and thoughts. As Mike Carruthers and his guests reveal, understanding the patterns of technological change and prioritizing daily encounters with nature can both provide powerful levers for improving our quality of life.