The concept of the “small world” was famously investigated by Harvard psychologist Stanley Milgram in the 1950s. Milgram wanted to determine how many links it would take to connect any two people in the United States. He designed an experiment where participants in Kansas and Nebraska would attempt to send a letter to a distant … Read more
An article in Science magazine discussed how the behavior of ant colonies can be viewed as “computer algorithms,” with each ant running a simple program that enables the colony to perform complex tasks such as deciding when and where to move the nest. Unlike a central leader, ants operate autonomously, basing decisions on interactions with … Read more
What Is Life? How did life originate, and what exactly constitutes being alive? While the origin of life is still hotly debated, the question of defining life itself is equally contentious. There is no consensus among scientists or the public. Questions like “When does life begin?” or “What form could life take on other planets?” … Read more
The second law of thermodynamics states that entropy in an isolated system always increases. This principle resonates with our perception of history and our own experiences. Yet, life stands as a defiant counterexample, exhibiting increasing complexity. The crucial question is: who or what drives this complexity? Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection provides … Read more
What Is Information? Information is a widely used term referring to knowledge or facts, whether in newspapers, books, phone conversations, or digital communications. In complex systems, information pertains to the communication and processing of data. The precise definitions of information and computation were established in the 20th century, notably through a physics puzzle involving a … Read more
Complex systems are made up of many simple components interacting with one another without a central controller, yet they exhibit complex, organized behaviors. These systems are found in nature and society, including ant colonies, the human brain, the immune system, economies, and the World Wide Web. Ant Colonies: In ant colonies, each ant is a … Read more
In “Ultra-Processed People,” Chris Van Tulleken embarks on a compelling journey to uncover the pervasive influence of ultra-processed foods (UPF) on our health and society. As a medical doctor and researcher, Van Tulleken provides a unique perspective, combining scientific rigor with personal anecdotes and global observations. This review will delve into the key arguments made … Read more
In “Complexity: A Guided Tour,” Melanie Mitchell provides a comprehensive overview of the field of complex systems science, exploring its key concepts, historical development, and potential implications for our understanding of the world. The book’s central argument is that complex systems science offers a new way of thinking about complex phenomena that cannot be fully … Read more
“A surrogate activity is an activity that is directed toward an artificial goal that the individual pursues for the sake of the “fulfillment” that he gets from pursuing the goal, not because he needs to attain the goal itself. For instance, there is no practical motive for building enormous muscles, hitting a little ball into … Read more
The Age of Silicon is coming to an end, and a new era of computing is on the horizon. Quantum computers, which harness the peculiar properties of quantum mechanics, are poised to revolutionize the world in ways that were once thought impossible. Unlike traditional digital computers, which process information using bits (0s and 1s), quantum … Read more