
Content about “ emergent behaviour
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The selfish herd

Maths in a crowd

Cellular automata
Find out how a square grid and some simple rules can generate complex patterns and life-like behaviour.

Caves, drugs and art

Melting spacetime

Is the Universe simple or complex?

Free, from top to bottom?

Classroom activity: the game of life
One of the amazing things about life is its sheer complexity. How can a bunch of mindless cells combine to form something as complex as the human brain, or as delicate, beautiful and highly organised as the patterns on a butterfly's wing? Maths has some surprising answers you can explore yourself with this interactive activity.

Baby robots feel the love

Outer space: Emergence

Matrix: Simulating the world Part I - Particle models
If you've ever watched a flock of birds flying at dusk, or a school of fish reacting to a predator, you'll have been amazed by their perfectly choreographed moves. Yet, complex as this behaviour may seem, it's not all that hard to model it on a computer. Lewis Dartnell presents a hands-on guide for creating your own simulations — no previous experience necessary.