Exponential growth occurs when a population of something, such as a species or a technology, grows in proportion to its own size over time. This form of growth follows an exponential curve, meaning that the larger the population, the faster the rate of growth. Unlike linear growth which proceeds slowly in proportion to the size of the population, exponential growth can proceed quickly, becoming surprisingly large within a short amount of time. This is why it’s important to be aware of the potential for exponential growth when looking at issues such as population explosion, technological advances and climate change.

See also: collective intelligence, emergent property, nonlinear dynamics, systems thinking