Physics News

Probing for principles underlying flock patternsFor the casual observer it is fascinating to watch the orderly and seemingly choreographed motion of hundreds or even thousands of fish, birds or insects. However, the formation and the manifold motion patterns of such flocks raise numerous questions fundamental to the understanding of complex systems. A team of physicists from Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) and LMU Muenchen has developed a versatile biophysical model system that opens the door to studying these phenomena and their underlying principles. Using a combination of an experimental platform and theoretical models, more complex systems can now be described and their properties investigated. The Munich researchers report on their findings in the current issue of the renowned journal Nature."Everything flows and nothing abides," is a saying ascribed to the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. Large groups of individuals may show collective behavior where the individuals' actions appear to be c