Tom Standage is Deputy Editor of The Economist and Editor of its future-gazing annual, The World Ahead. He is also the author of seven history books, including “The Victorian Internet” (1998) and the New York Times bestsellers “A History of the World in 6 Glasses” (2005) and “An Edible History of Humanity” (2009).

Tom studied engineering and computer science at Oxford University and has written for other publications including the New York Times, the Guardian and Wired, taking a particular interest in technology's social and historical impact.