Information Spillover
#big-ideas #innovation
In 13th-century Venice, glassmaking was both a prized skill and a fire hazard. To protect the city's wooden structures from the furnaces' intense heat, the government exiled glassmakers to nearby Murano island in 1291. This decision inadvertently created an innovation hub, concentrating artisans in a small area and fostering what economists call =="information spillover."== The density of talent on Murano accelerated the flow of ideas, sparking a surge of creativity that would shape the future of glassmaking. Sometimes, isolation can lead to unexpected collaboration and innovation.