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Physicist: Detroit will defy gravity

Saturday, June 28, 2014 - 03:43

Dr. Geoffrey West, a physicist and past president of the Santa Fe Institute tells Reuters Opinion Editor Jason Fields that his research into American cities shows them to be more resilient than one might suspect.

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Here's the thing that might actually be hope for I think there is -- why I stick my neck out and say the Detroit we'll come back and I'd be considered. Maybe I should senators who have publicly. But if -- a lot of body I would actually invested Detroit belong to I mean I think long to. Being a divine large sections of Detroit for -- or whatever it is you know Vietnamese metaphorically speaking. You're gonna be a -- -- moment. Innovation you say has this come faster and faster as we use up more and more resources so even those cities are more efficient at the place for human beings that live. I'm just wondering how long I mean how what's the her. Well mr. courses. Characters have a problem the problem. -- -- the park actually. Which intrigues me most. Mainly the fact. Such is all of the challenge. The 21 century in the hole for department phase of losses. Human being sort of -- socio economic human beings anyway. Twos have -- you felt about would fit about cities. And part of this work. That. We've been involved in the -- institute. Is trying to develop. Walk for -- of a -- of Friday's -- was -- like it actually is the science of -- community. More of those two would bring the quantity to predictive. Computational. -- framework to -- analogous to the physical sciences and how far can you take that if patrol. You also talked about how cities -- very hard to kill if not possible. You talked about how Russian for example -- was an atomic bomb people living erosion and its larger than it was when it hit two. So I wondered if how that applies to some place like Detroit. Yes which is you know the growth I mean populations. Plummeting there it's more it's becoming a bit and I ask actually my in laws -- -- no chances are you yet had the chance to go through Detroit. And I just. The empty spaces in the downtown Houston because I just wondering how that fits into. Roughly speaking if you give me the size of the cities and states. Do. Roughly everything about it that is measurable. Through sort of the 1890% level electable that's roads -- number patents its producers. And aggravated cases except. And doubling the size -- that. You tutor to the sensible patents for Jews mobile. Disease. My wages and so so business is now so business average for now Detroit. That fugitive. Before. This trash service -- that Detroit is now beginning to move away from business. Thought we have to also be very careful about what record Detroit the Detroit -- talking. That is to -- Is primarily. The old political. Detroit. That is Detroit. But does this mean there there's the short but with this which is much bigger. And what's going on in the periphery is actually -- positive flow high tech. Pharmaceutical industry. A lot of spindles and all book and so. So if you -- -- over Detroit. It actually isn't very bad. Doctor but your pursuit of pleasure does. It.