Articles tagged with Complex Systems
Comprehensive exploration of living organisms, biological systems, and life processes across all scales from molecules to ecosystems. Encompasses cutting-edge research in biology, genetics, molecular biology, ecology, biochemistry, microbiology, botany, zoology, evolutionary biology, genomics, and biotechnology. Investigates cellular mechanisms, organism development, genetic inheritance, biodiversity conservation, metabolic processes, protein synthesis, DNA sequencing, CRISPR gene editing, stem cell research, and the fundamental principles governing all forms of life on Earth.
Comprehensive medical research, clinical studies, and healthcare sciences focused on disease prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Encompasses clinical medicine, public health, pharmacology, epidemiology, medical specialties, disease mechanisms, therapeutic interventions, healthcare innovation, precision medicine, telemedicine, medical devices, drug development, clinical trials, patient care, mental health, nutrition science, health policy, and the application of medical science to improve human health, wellbeing, and quality of life across diverse populations.
Comprehensive investigation of human society, behavior, relationships, and social structures through systematic research and analysis. Encompasses psychology, sociology, anthropology, economics, political science, linguistics, education, demography, communications, and social research methodologies. Examines human cognition, social interactions, cultural phenomena, economic systems, political institutions, language and communication, educational processes, population dynamics, and the complex social, cultural, economic, and political forces shaping human societies, communities, and civilizations throughout history and across the contemporary world.
Fundamental study of the non-living natural world, matter, energy, and physical phenomena governing the universe. Encompasses physics, chemistry, earth sciences, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, materials science, and the investigation of physical laws, chemical reactions, geological processes, climate systems, and planetary dynamics. Explores everything from subatomic particles and quantum mechanics to planetary systems and cosmic phenomena, including energy transformations, molecular interactions, elemental properties, weather patterns, tectonic activity, and the fundamental forces and principles underlying the physical nature of reality.
Practical application of scientific knowledge and engineering principles to solve real-world problems and develop innovative technologies. Encompasses all engineering disciplines, technology development, computer science, artificial intelligence, environmental sciences, agriculture, materials applications, energy systems, and industrial innovation. Bridges theoretical research with tangible solutions for infrastructure, manufacturing, computing, communications, transportation, construction, sustainable development, and emerging technologies that advance human capabilities, improve quality of life, and address societal challenges through scientific innovation and technological progress.
Study of the practice, culture, infrastructure, and social dimensions of science itself. Addresses how science is conducted, organized, communicated, and integrated into society. Encompasses research funding mechanisms, scientific publishing systems, peer review processes, academic ethics, science policy, research institutions, scientific collaboration networks, science education, career development, research programs, scientific methods, science communication, and the sociology of scientific discovery. Examines the human, institutional, and cultural aspects of scientific enterprise, knowledge production, and the translation of research into societal benefit.
Comprehensive study of the universe beyond Earth, encompassing celestial objects, cosmic phenomena, and space exploration. Includes astronomy, astrophysics, planetary science, cosmology, space physics, astrobiology, and space technology. Investigates stars, galaxies, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, black holes, nebulae, exoplanets, dark matter, dark energy, cosmic microwave background, stellar evolution, planetary formation, space weather, solar system dynamics, the search for extraterrestrial life, and humanity's efforts to explore, understand, and unlock the mysteries of the cosmos through observation, theory, and space missions.
Comprehensive examination of tools, techniques, methodologies, and approaches used across scientific disciplines to conduct research, collect data, and analyze results. Encompasses experimental procedures, analytical methods, measurement techniques, instrumentation, imaging technologies, spectroscopic methods, laboratory protocols, observational studies, statistical analysis, computational methods, data visualization, quality control, and methodological innovations. Addresses the practical techniques and theoretical frameworks enabling scientists to investigate phenomena, test hypotheses, gather evidence, ensure reproducibility, and generate reliable knowledge through systematic, rigorous investigation across all areas of scientific inquiry.
Study of abstract structures, patterns, quantities, relationships, and logical reasoning through pure and applied mathematical disciplines. Encompasses algebra, calculus, geometry, topology, number theory, analysis, discrete mathematics, mathematical logic, set theory, probability, statistics, and computational mathematics. Investigates mathematical structures, theorems, proofs, algorithms, functions, equations, and the rigorous logical frameworks underlying quantitative reasoning. Provides the foundational language and tools for all scientific fields, enabling precise description of natural phenomena, modeling of complex systems, and the development of technologies across physics, engineering, computer science, economics, and all quantitative sciences.
Researchers developed a new computational method using neural networks to simulate open quantum systems, predicting properties of large-scale quantum systems. This approach addresses the challenges of simulating intrinsically complex tasks with exponentially growing computational power.
A study by researchers at Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) reveals the importance of dynamic rewiring in swarm robotic systems for optimal collective response to changing environmental conditions. The team discovered a specific number of interactions required for effective collective operations.
Researchers are using real-time learning to create a unified theory on how to optimize microgrid capacity through DC distribution. The team aims to create optimal power profiles for power electronic converters in DC distribution networks.
A University of Sydney research team found that Angkor's massive population fall was caused by external climate stress and overloaded infrastructure. The study highlights the importance of building resilience into modern urban networks to mitigate catastrophic failures.
Researchers propose a new method to 'lazy grounding,' focusing on crucial tasks and ignoring irrelevant ones, to overcome memory limitations in solving complex problems. This approach enables faster solution-finding while maintaining accuracy.
Researchers from Chinese Academy of Sciences developed a 7-DOF haptic interface allowing for seven degrees of movement. The interface enables true haptic interaction and can be used in medical simulation, virtual assembly and remote manipulation tasks.
Researchers modelled molecular basis of learning in cerebellum, a brain region coordinating voluntary movements. The study reveals communication must occur in both directions across synapses to control learning, with an automatic off-switch allowing the system to return to its resting state.
Researchers at TU Wien demonstrate Poincaré recurrence in a multi-particle quantum system, studying collective quantities such as coherence lengths and correlation functions. This breakthrough reveals the long-sought phenomenon of quantum recurrence, where systems return to their initial state over time.
Researchers developed a novel probabilistic approach to mine big data, enabling the creation of an 'Optimal Information Network' (OIN) for assessing health outcomes in U.S. cities. The OIN identified poor and favorable health metrics, with some cities showing high variability over time.
Researchers developed a new theory identifying key individuals spreading news and viruses in epidemics by analyzing message transmission dynamics. The study predicts the influence of spreaders in networks, enabling efficient immunization strategies and identifying influential actors.
Physicists develop a time-efficient method for simulating complex systems by creating an ensemble of multiple runs with randomized initial conditions. This approach, called a swarm, reduces overall processing time while maintaining accuracy.
A researcher at the University of Kansas is working on developing a foundational mathematical framework to account for unstructured uncertainty in complex dynamic systems. The goal is to improve predictive accuracy in fields such as engineering, nature, and global climate change.
Researchers are learning how animals overcome environmental challenges through shared strategies, inspiring new designs for robots and flying vehicles. The study of complex physiological systems and the intersection of physics and organismal biology is a rapidly advancing field with promising applications.
A newly discovered ancient whale species offers insights into the evolution of filter feeding in whales. Researchers found that this transitional species used its large molars for filter feeding, suggesting a key step in the development of baleen.
Kim Sneppen, a professor at the University of Copenhagen, has been awarded a large ERC grant to explore diversity in biological systems using methods from physics and complex systems. His project aims to understand how diversity emerges and is maintained in complex biological systems.
Researchers mapped character relationships in Scottish epics and found close similarities to Irish texts, challenging the authenticity of Macpherson's works. The study also reveals distinct distance from classical Greek literature.
Researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid identified four basic personality types based on social dilemma responses from 541 volunteers. The study found that the Envious type is the most common, accounting for 30%, while Optimists and Pessimists make up 20% each.
Research by RMIT Professor Lewi Stone suggests that complex systems are likely to be fragile despite their diversity. The study revisited classic theories on stability in complex systems, finding that simplicity can govern the behavior of these networks. This challenges the long-held assumption that complexity leads to instability.
Researchers create a new method for generating truly random numbers using two weakly random sequences, offering higher levels of security for data encryption, electronic voting, and simulations. This breakthrough could improve cybersecurity and increase the accuracy of complex systems.
Researchers found that navigating transport networks in major cities can come perilously close to exceeding humans' cognitive powers, especially with multiple modes of transport and too many interconnections.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute have developed a novel theoretical method to simulate material properties, including the effects of photons. This approach treats particles and photons as a quantum fluid, allowing for accurate descriptions of electron-photon interactions.
A new study by the University of Miami uses the Weibull distribution to describe and predict illness severity across a population exposed to different chemicals. The correlated multiplicative model explains many types of results in various areas, leading to better predictions of human health risk.
A recent study on the 2012 Mw 7.8 Haida Gwaii and 2013 Mw 7.5 Craig earthquakes reveals a confirmed subduction zone in the Haida Gwaii area, complicating seismic hazard assessments for British Columbia and Alaska. The research also found that the mainshock altered stress fields in the rupture zone, leading to normal faulting behavior.
Scientists developed an extended Monte Carlo computational scheme to improve ionization rates and electron stripping, enabling the study of ionization dynamics on ultrafast timescales. This breakthrough enables ultrafast imaging of complex systems in 3D at near atomic resolution using XFEL pulses.
A novel ultrafast quantum chemical method called FMO-DFTB enables rapid simulations of complex molecular systems, achieving a huge improvement over traditional methods. The method has successfully evaluated large molecules including polypeptides, DNA segments, small proteins, and fullerite surfaces.
A new analysis method called fractal Fourier analysis breaks down complicated signals into well-understood building blocks, similar to conventional Fourier analysis. This approach could help scientists better understand natural phenomena like nerve impulses and brain waves.
Professor Robert Sinclair argues that simple numerical observations and rational numbers can illuminate complex scientific systems. He proposes a balance between deterministic and stochastic growth, finding relevance in nature's selective pressure for stochasticity.
The study reveals that biopolymer filaments undergo a transition from entangled spaghetti-like structures to aligned bow-shaped filaments when in flow, leading to dramatic shear-thinning behavior. This finding may aid the search for renewable alternatives and provide insights into biological processes such as cytoplasmic flow.
Researchers at Georgia Tech have discovered a way to jailbreak current generation iOS devices running iOS 7.1.2, showcasing the vulnerability of Apple's closed platform to exploitation. The study highlights the importance of patching all publicly disclosed threats to prevent potential attacks.
A team of scientists has developed a model that uses open data and network science to evaluate the logistics of disaster relief. The proposed tool can quantify the reachability of critical loci within a geographic area and assess the effects of infrastructure destruction scenarios.
Two brothers propose that all complex systems fall into just three basic categories, enabling control through understanding critical control points. This framework has implications for controlling economic systems, biological processes, and social networks.
Researchers used physical models to tackle the challenge of finding a suitable weekend for both parents in a recomposed family to see all their children at the same time. They found that minimizing energy in a material model is equivalent to maximizing parent-child time, and developed an algorithm to achieve this.
Scientists create a cost-efficient way to set up thousands of experiments simultaneously using tiny droplets. Their experiment shows that oscillations in the individual droplets differ strongly, with small drops displaying stronger variations than large ones.
Researchers have successfully demonstrated how complex theoretical physics can be transformed into a physical object using a 3D printer. They created an 8 cm3 object based on a mathematical model describing forest fires, which could be used to produce works of art or transform scientific discussions.
The researchers aim to design efficient and cost-effective bimetallic catalysts for clean hydrogen fuel production. The team will develop new mathematical tools to quantify uncertainty and sensitivity in these complex systems.
Helbing's research reveals that global networks can amplify vulnerability to disasters, making it difficult to predict and control complex systems. By redesigning these networks with real-time data, we can enhance transparency, adaptive control, and mitigate catastrophic failures.
Recent studies have revealed that systems on the verge of a critical transition often emit comparable warning signals. This phenomenon, known as Critical Slowing Down, allows for early recognition of such transitions.
Edmund Clarke, a pioneer in Model Checking, to receive the 2013 Einstein Professorship for strengthening exchanges between Western and Chinese scientists. The program enhances training of future generations of Chinese scientists through lectures, workshops, and interactions.
Researchers found long-range correlation between letters and words within texts, enabling conclusions about topic connections. Burstiness analysis also reveals representative words in passages.
Researchers' study shows that people prioritize personal cooperation over network reciprocity, contradicting previous studies. The study's findings suggest that decision-making in cooperative dilemmas depends solely on individual experiences, not social networks.
Two Brazilian physicists used statistical mechanics methods to study free market models, finding that wealth distribution follows a power law and concentrates among a few agents. New regulations, such as taxes giving poorer agents a higher probability of wealth gain, may help prevent wealth concentration and decrease inequalities.
The editorial highlights the lack of knowledge on human trafficking's scale and health implications, leading to inadequate protection systems and poor healthcare for trafficked persons. Many countries fail to meet their responsibilities towards Palermo Protocols, leaving victims without necessary support.
Researchers propose a new cross-disciplinary approach to analyze and prevent systemic failures in complex systems. Such catastrophes, including power blackouts and disasters, are often caused by fragility in complex systems due to nonlinear interactions among components.
Harvard University neurobiologists have created mice that can detect light using optogenetics, a breakthrough tool for understanding the neural basis of olfaction. The study reveals how the brain processes odors and sheds light on the temporal organization of sensory information.
A new study by Northwestern University researchers uses complex systems and computer modeling to better understand educational policies. The approach, which treats education as a complex system, has been applied to school choice and student tracking, revealing promising results in understanding policy implications.
Researchers will analyze and control coupled semiconductor laser systems using a rigorous mathematical approach to study collective behaviors in a highly-controlled environment. The team aims to contribute to understanding of collective behavior benefiting scientists across disciplines.
A mathematical analysis suggests that isolating terrorist network hubs is more effective than targeting the entire network. The study uses complex systems tools to analyze and model terrorist networks, finding that soft targets are not worth pursuing. Instead, focusing on the key hubs can lead to successful defeat.
Scientists at TUM create a versatile biophysical model system to investigate complex systems and their properties. They report finding that when density crosses a threshold, actin filaments begin to move collectively, resembling flocks of birds or shoals of fish.
Researchers discovered that different cells respond differently to stimuli, contradicting previous uniformity assumptions. The study used microfluidics to monitor individual cells' reactions and found nuanced variations in responses.
Researchers have identified fundamental rules that determine food-web stability, with diverse predator-prey links enhancing stability in high and intermediate trophic levels. Small ecosystems follow different rules than large ones, with strong interactions between species stabilizing smaller webs, but destabilizing larger ones.
Researchers develop computer model showing how diverse species can arise from arrangement of organisms across an area without physical barriers or natural selection. The study found that genetic distance increases over generations, leading to a rapid increase in species numbers until they reach a steady state.
Beijing Institute of Technology researchers developed a unique multi-living agent concept to analyze complex information systems under SRSC environment. They found that analyzing agents' livelihood can determine system behavior well or not.
Biochemist David Deamer explores the molecular self-assembly processes that led to the first protocells nearly 4 billion years ago. He proposes a combinatorial chemistry approach to understanding how life began, suggesting complex systems of molecules assembled on early Earth.
The Partition Decoupling Method (PDM) is a new mathematical tool that can unscramble the underlying structure of time-dependent, interrelated complex data. The researchers applied it to the equities market, revealing both known structures and patterns as well as new ones.
Researchers find that tree canopy-inspired branching design is more efficient than traditional models in controlling liquid flow. The study uses constructal theory to create 'smart' materials with self-healing and self-cooling properties.
The University of Washington is leading a $6.25M project to develop an electronic Sherlock Holmes system for complex data analysis in the military. The system will integrate various types of sensor data to predict behavior and make decisions, addressing the challenge of handling high degrees of complexity and uncertainty.
Researchers understand that a smooth decrease in stress at the end of a primary fault reduces the likelihood of an earthquake jumping to another fault. This study highlights the importance of slip gradient and rupture front acceleration in determining fault jump probability.
Ghrist's technique involves replacing a complex physical system with an abstract space for easier analysis. He can then use algebra and calculus to break down the abstract space into pieces, figure out their structure, and reassemble them to gain insight into the physical system.
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has developed a program to facilitate the development and sharing of security configuration checklists. The program provides guidelines for creating more effective checklists and includes an easy-to-use repository of existing checklists.
A new quantum computer architecture, proposed by NIST scientist Emanuel Knill, overcomes the fragility of qubits by using a pyramid-style hierarchy and teleportation to continuously double-check accuracy. This approach enables reliable computing even if individual logic operations make errors up to 3 percent of the time.