Complex systems

Support is growing for a decades-old physics idea suggesting that localized episodes of disordered brain activity help keep the overall system in healthy balance.

Scientific data sets are becoming more dynamic, requiring new mathematical techniques on par with the invention of calculus.

In an increasingly interconnected world, scientists are seeking safeguards against catastrophic cascades of failure like stock market crashes and widespread blackouts.

All complex correlated systems, from Arctic melt ponds to the Internet, appear to be governed by the same math as a random matrix.