Dynamics of networks is a research area focused on the temporal evolution of networked systems, examining how node and edge states and topologies change over time and how these changes influence collective behavior. It integrates concepts from nonlinear dynamics, statistical physics, control theory, and graph theory to study processes such as synchronization, spreading phenomena, adaptive rewiring, and coevolution of structure and function. Researchers analyze stability, phase transitions, attractors, and transient behaviors in networks ranging from biological and neural systems to technological and social infrastructures, often using differential equations, stochastic processes, and computational simulations to characterize dynamical regimes and emergent phenomena.
Neurons, the uber-connected nerve cells that act as a main switchboard for the brain, are central to some incredibly complicated processes. They make it possible to think, walk, speak, and breathe. They even have built-in ...
General Physics
May 18, 2026
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125
Have you ever wondered how a fly manages to dodge you in a split second? Scientists have long been fascinated by the lightning-fast reflexes that help flies escape danger almost instantly. But despite decades of research, ...
Plants & Animals
May 13, 2026
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19
Sticking with the same people might feel safe and comfortable. But a new Northwestern University study suggests it can actually trap new ideas and behaviors inside tight echo chambers. By contrast, the research, published ...
General Physics
Apr 27, 2026
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41
When humans are moving as a crowd, their movements tend to be highly coordinated, similarly to the collective motions of bird flocks or other groups of animals. These group behaviors can limit collisions in dynamic environments, ...
At first glance, the world of ants may seem far removed from our everyday lives. Yet, on closer inspection, they often face surprisingly similar challenges. They live in complex societies where the functioning of a colony ...
Plants & Animals
Apr 14, 2026
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13
Isolating the first spark of life on Earth is a matter of biology, geology, and chemistry—but it's also an amazing math problem. At least, that's how Varun Varanasi viewed it when he was a Yale undergraduate. The question, ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Apr 13, 2026
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30
A research team led by Potsdam-based bioinformatician Prof. Dr. Zoran Nikoloski has developed a computational approach and an accompanying tool that enables the detailed analysis and reconstruction of actin filamentous structures ...
Plants & Animals
Mar 30, 2026
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4
A recent study published in Physical Review Letters reveals that many widely used signatures of criticality in brain data may be statistical artifacts. They propose a more robust framework that, when applied to whole-brain ...
What do brains and the stock market have in common? While this might sound like a set-up for a joke, new research from U-M researchers reveals that the behaviors of brains and economies during crises can be explained using ...
General Physics
Nov 3, 2025
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84
Networks are systems comprised of two or more connected devices, biological organisms or other components, which typically share information with each other. Understanding how information moves between these connected components, ...
