Collective behaviour in networks and life-like matter

​​​Welcome to the EAAS workpackage 4! Here you will find short accessible descriptions of the scientific papers that have been published in the context of this EAAS workpackage. If something catches your interest, feel free to click the links to explore further!

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What is this workpackage about?

This workpackage explores how complex and “life-like” behaviour can emerge in systems such as networks and soft materials (like gels or biological tissues). Some materials can already show remarkable abilities: they can organize themselves, move on their own, or even process information in simple ways. However, we still don’t fully understand the rules that make this possible, and we lack a general framework to study and design such systems. Our goal is to uncover the basic principles behind these behaviours, such as coordination (synchronization), independence (autonomy), and forms of intelligence. Understanding these principles could help explain many other complex systems in nature, from the quantum world to the universe as a whole. It could also lead to new technologies, such as smart materials for robotics, advanced sensors, and more efficient ways of computing.