Nexus: Small Worlds And The Groundbreaking Science Of Networks

As Chaos explained the science of disorder, Nexus reveals the new science of connection and the odd logic of six degrees of separation. This work presents the fundamental principles of the emerging field of small-worlds theory—the idea that a hidden pattern is the key to how networks interact and exchange information, whether that network is the information highway or the firing of neurons in the brain. Mathematicians, physicists, computer scientists, and social scientists are working to decipher this complex organizational system, which may yield a blueprint of dynamic interactions within our physical as well as social worlds. Highlighting groundbreaking research behind network theory, it demonstrates its practical applications to diverse problems—from the global economy to the spread of infectious disease and ecological damage.