This example aims to demonstrate our inability to fully grasp [exponential functions][wikg]. As [Albert Bartlett][barl] once said, "The greatest shortcoming of the human race is our inability to understand the exponential function." This little D3 animation is based on a paper by Dr Bartlett.
Our action hero, a pixelated version of [Chris Martenson][chrs], stands on a platform inside an empty 4000 litre water tank. At the very bottom of the tank lies a magic drop of water. Invisible to the eye now, it doubles in size every 10 seconds.
Although the growth rate is constant, for a long time we see no change. But there's a well known limit, the capacity of the tank. Once he realises that water is rising exponentially, poor pixellated Chris has no time left to react.
Our brains are wired to predict future behaviour based on past behaviour (see [here][psyc]). But what happens when something growths exponentially? For a long time, the numbers are so little in relation to the scale that we hardly see the ch
