Steven Strogatz: How things in nature tend to sync up

http://www.ted.com Mathematician Steven Strogatz shows how flocks of creatures (like birds, fireflies and fish) manage to synchronize and act as a unit -- when no one's giving orders. The powerful tendency extends into the realm of objects, too.
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[HuckleberrySlim]

I like that fourth rule, its simple. easy to remember

[PMeekums]

@oathme420

no energy can't be created or destroyed, but matter can be made from energy and when destroyed it gives off energy, none is lost in the creation or destruction hence energy can't be created or destroyed

[mauroprovatos]

i really dislike the anthropomorphic hints

[sujaysukumar123]

Amazing!!!!!

[PMeekums]

@oathme420 I'm guessing by 4 states of matter you mean gas, liquid, solid and plasma, all 4 of which are do exist on earth not 3, and have you studied science? time and time again the idea of something controlling say matter, creation and everything has been proved false, so you can't say "for us to think that there is NOT something else at force here is ludicrius" and then believe yourself a man of science as well.

[oathme420]

@PMeekums like i said before to our knowledge it cant be created it changes forms...the 4 states of matter 3 existing on this planet and the laws governing them. matter is energy, have you studied science?

[LordSingularity]

Awesome,really nonlinear dynamics is at the heart of natural objects

[deadstroke86]

This man talking about syncronization wrote the standard text book for chaotic behaviour. Heh.

[oathme420]

energy cant be created or destroyed it can only change forms...matter can not be created or destroyed it can only change forms...for us to think that there is NOT something else at force here is ludicrius....simpling saying there are things that happen as a result of natural force that is more than we can comprehend.  Look at Royal Rife, and I hope thats the right spelling....life is all about living, survival and the change of energy is a heavy hand to bear, throu any means...

[keserak]

@sunrisewalker

Absurd. The value of the parts of a human are assigned by a human, and the value of a complete human is assigned by a human. Thus, whether or not something is greater than "the sum of its parts" is ultimately an arbitrary human determination -- nature cannot grant meaning or value. If you think you're only worth the carbon in your body, that's your hangup, not a statement of fact, and others can come to other (more reasonable) conclusions.

Nature doesn't care. It can't.