Matt Ridley draws from historical examples and emerging technologies to unravel the mystery of innovation, presenting theories that often contrast conventional wisdom.

Many companies and governments would love to bottle innovation, but no one truly knows how to replicate it, let alone understand it.

Contrary to the idea that we can foster innovation through structure, innovation typically happens serendipitously in free-thinking places.

Matt Ridley is the bestselling author of The Rational Optimist and a former scientist and journalist.

In How Innovation Works, Ridley presents the theory that innovation is a much more fortuitous and collaborative process than we often think.

To prove his thesis, Ridley explores examples from history, including the work of famous innovators like Thomas Edison and Guglielmo Marconi and innovations in energy, transportation, and technology.