Ubiquity: The Science of History or Why the World is Simpler than we Think Book

First came James Gleick's Chaos, then Roger Lewin's Complexity, and now we have Mark Buchanan's fascinating new book Ubiquity. One of the most interesting discoveries made by complexity theorists is that some systems seem to exhibit rather curious but mathematically similar behaviours when poised in what has come to be known as the "critical state". A pile of sand in the moments before an avalanche occurs somewhere on its surface seems to be in such a state and the magnitudes of avalanches measured over a period of time can be described using a mathematical equation called a power function. A power function description in this particular context implies that the timing and magnitude of avalanches on the surface of the sand pile will be utterly unpredictable. This key insight into the behaviour of certain types of system forms the basis for the rest of the book. What if, for instance, the Earth's crust is in something approximating a critical state and earthquakes timings and magnitudes similar in distribution to avalanches on a sand pile? This would imply that earthquake prediction is virtually impossible, an important conclusion given that huge amounts of money continue to be spent in numerous countries around the world for this very purpose. And what if extinction in the fossil record, stock market fluctuations or tumultuous events in human history are also explicable in terms of critical state theory? If so, then we may be on the verge of "a new science of history". Are critical state theorists any nearer now to anything approaching a unification of knowledge? The jury is still out, but don't wait for a verdict that may be a long time coming--read the provocative Ubiquity and judge for yourself. --Chris LaversRead More