How do extraordinarily complex emergent phenomena — like ants assembling themselves into living bridges, or tiny water and air molecules forming into swirling hurricanes — spontaneously arise from systems of much simpler elements? The answer often depends on a transition in the interplay between the elements that resembles a phase change. Read about this third episode of the new season of In Theory videos here: https://www.quantamagazine.org/how-complex-wholes-emerge-from-simple-parts-20181220
Directed by Emily Driscoll and animated by Lottie Kingslake for Quanta Magazine
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