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Random physics helps model individual ant motion

A study by OIST researchers has developed a physics-based model to reproduce and predict individual ant movement. The model uses stochastic, or random, modeling to analyze video recordings of ants exploring laboratory environments, allowing for the derivation of predictions about their behavior in new environments.

SourceOkinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) Graduate University·JournalPLOS Computational Biology·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 6, 2026

New theoretical model sheds light on ovarian aging, offering path toward advances in women’s health

Researchers at Rice University developed a mathematical model that sheds light on ovarian aging and menopause timing. The study reveals synchronized and predictable patterns of follicle depletion, accelerating during midlife, which helps explain why menopause typically occurs at similar ages for most women.

SourceRice University·JournalThe Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters·DateAug 28, 2025

How aging clocks tick

Scientists have discovered that aging clocks measure stochastic changes in cells, rather than damage accumulation. This finding suggests that aging can be predicted using the variation in cellular processes.

SourceUniversity of Cologne·JournalNature Aging·TypeData/statistical analysis·DateMay 9, 2024

Ice-ray patterns: A rediscovery of past design for the future

A study discovers that traditional Chinese ice-ray lattice designs can provide unique stiffness and strength under asymmetric loads, offering an alternative to conventional gridshells. The research also explores the potential of integrating complex geometry into facade design and micro-scale material design.

SourceXi'an Jiaotong-Liverpool University·JournalFrontiers of Architectural Research·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 20, 2024

You didn’t see it coming: the spontaneous nature of turbulence

Researchers have discovered that a tiny disturbance in a fluid system can amplify into large-scale patterns of randomness, making it difficult to predict turbulent flows. This phenomenon, known as spontaneous stochasticity, occurs regardless of the initial disturbance and has implications for weather forecasting and astrophysics.

SourceUniversity of California - San Diego·JournalPhysical Review Letters·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateMar 12, 2024

Like beads on a chain

A team of researchers developed a computational simulation that explains key mechanism of DNA segregation, providing new insights into the distribution of genetic information during bacterial cell division. The study reveals fundamental biochemical principles relevant to synthetic biology and medical applications.

SourceMax-Planck-Gesellschaft·JournalNature Communications·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateAug 14, 2023

Beyond the average cell

Researchers from Washington University in St. Louis and Purdue University used single-cell data to develop a new framework for understanding the relationship between cell growth, DNA replication, and division in bacteria. They found that individual cells can exquisitely coordinate these processes, despite the 'noisiness' of each process.

SourceWashington University in St. Louis·JournalPLOS Genetics·TypeComputational simulation/modeling·DateJan 9, 2023

Mapping the evolution of materials

Lehigh University researchers are developing a model to understand the impact of grain growth on material properties. The project aims to create new materials informatics methods, innovative stochastic differential equations, and models of grain growth to improve material performance and reliability.

Are large earthquakes linked across the globe?

A new study by USGS researchers Tom Parsons and Eric Geist analyzed the timing of world's largest earthquakes over 100 years, finding intervals between quakes similar to those expected from a random process. This suggests that global great earthquakes are occurring at random, rather than triggering each other.

SourceSeismological Society of America·JournalBulletin of the Seismological Society of America·DateAug 2, 2012

2012 Clay Research Fellows

Ivan Corwin, a recent Ph.D. from NYU, and Jack Thorne, a Harvard University PhD candidate, were selected for their research achievements in probability, algebraic number theory, and representation theory. They will receive funding for one to five years to support their mathematical research.

Does online dating really work?

A new study by Northwestern University researchers found that ineffective algorithms and profiles hinder online dating. In contrast, mobile dating enables potential partners to meet face-to-face quickly, which is crucial for finding compatibility.

SourceNorthwestern University·JournalPsychological Science in the Public Interest·DateFeb 6, 2012

Random noise helps make signals clearer

A new model shows that stochastic resonance occurs when the potential has sufficiently steep walls, but breaks down otherwise. This phenomenon could contribute to improving image resolution and understanding of biological systems.

SourceSpringer·JournalThe European Physical Journal B·DateDec 6, 2011

United we stand; divided we fall

Researchers observed paracrine signaling in Bacillus subtilis, a novel mechanism for maintaining two differentiated cell populations within a bacterial community. This discovery opens doors to developing strategies to reverse differentiation in antibiotic persister cells.

SourceCold Spring Harbor Laboratory·JournalGenes & Development·DateJul 14, 2009