  The report considers the dynamics of the global population as the unique case
of the Socio-Economic Soft Matter system. This category was introduced for
complex systems dominated by mesoscale assemblies, emerging due to the inherent
tendency for local self-organization. The hypothesis is validated by studying
population growth evolution using universalistic scaling patterns developed in
Soft Matter science. It is supported by the innovative derivative-based and
distortions-sensitive analysis, showing the extended Malthus-type trend from 10
000 B till ca. the year 1200. Subsequently, the explicit evidence of the
powered exponential population rise pattern is shown, with the unique crossover
near 1970. Following this year, the population growth systematically slows down
compared to earlier trends. Population growth is confronted with global food
demand evolution, which changes and also follows an exponential pattern. The
rise of networking and innovations are indicated as the driving force leading
to the crossover from the Malthus-type exponential behavior to the powered
exponential one. It is supported by the analysis of the number of patents for
innovations. The authors introduced the derivative-based and
distortions-sensitive analysis for the optimal implementation of the powered
exponential function for describing dynamic data.
