A graph with time on the Y axis ... a.k.a why make things simple when you can instead confuse 80% of your readership with a simple mirror trick.
Additionally the quote below it:
> Mathematicians have been getting closer to their goal of reaching exponent two — meaning multiplying a pair of n-by-n matrices in only n2 steps — but will they ever reach it?
seems particularly odd when the height of those steps is irrelevant in the graphic - if the entire graph was just a flat plane going from n^3 to n^2 it would signify the "best" or at least fastest innovation, the "steppedness" of it and especially steep steps, indicate lags in progress rather than great leaps.
Please take your snark elsewhere.
We all create a mental model of time at some point in our life, and then stick to it - often without ever talking about it to anyone.
But the representations vary substantially between people. Many people might have a timeline where the past is on the left and the future is on the right - maybe along the reading direction. But for some, future expands to the left. For others, future expands in front of them while the past is behind them (quite inconvenient).
It can make for a great party conversation to explore each others‘ timelines.
If there are parties, that is.