Speed vs Efficiency explores the fundamental tradeoffs between how quickly a system operates and how much energy it consumes. Examining everything from microscopic biological processes to large-scale technological systems, the book reveals that optimizing a system requires balancing these competing demands. For example, natural selection has shaped biological systems to balance speed and energy use, much like engineers optimize technological systems for performance relative to energy consumption. The book integrates concepts from thermodynamics, information theory, and evolutionary biology to provide a multidisciplinary perspective. It begins by laying out the physical limits on rate processes, then transitions to analyzing biological systems, and finally examines technological systems. This approach highlights the surprising similarities between natural and human-engineered solutions when constrained by rate-efficiency tradeoffs. Ultimately, the book provides a framework for analyzing these tradeoffs across diverse domains. The chapters progress from introducing core concepts to specific examples in biology, technology, and information transfer, culminating in a unified perspective on rate-efficiency tradeoffs and optimization strategies. The insights offered can inform the development of more energy-efficient algorithms and sustainable industrial processes.
