New Scientist Tech: Wireless worms will follow influenza’s example
It probably comes as a surprise to many people as to how closely real-life flu is related to its digital counterpart, or rather, the other way round. After all, wireless worms are just mere exploit codes running on devices capable of communicating with other devices. Devices […]

In response to several blog posts earlier on this semester, describing our course’s broad application to biological networks (such as this one, this one, and this one) I highlight that Piers J Ingram, Michael PH Stump and Jaroslav Stark published research in 2006 demonstrating that network effects in biology are not only often poorly understood, but in their example […]

What do zebras fleeing a lion and emailing patterns after the Enron scandal was exposed have in common? Networks! Network theory can be used to identify exactly when a lion comes into the vicinity if a herd of zebras. Their pattern of reaction can be predicted from the specific way that the zebras interact with […]

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/berman/P4S3.htm

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/game-evolutionary/
Evolutionary game theory brings a mathematical tool to analyze the concept of evolution and survival of the fittest. The websites above question the rigidity of game theory when applied to the biological or cultural side of evolution. Using the prisoner’s dilemma as a model for behavior implies that there is an intrinsic selfishness in […]

How did we go from a strong housing market and the low interest rates to $200 billion total loss in financial institutions? Why is it that “bubbles” repeatedly form in the economy and inevitably burst?

Image taken from CagleCartoons.com 
Whether the system you are looking at is a financial network of banks or an ecosystem of organisms, there are similarities […]

The investigation of networks is not only applicable to the human population, but also to animal populations. The emergence of distinct groups within populations of wild animals is used to distinguish new species. The in-class example of isolated groups of the human population not connected to any “giant component” is precisely analogous to Darwin’s […]

Why do certain songs sound so good? Why are there simple tunes that are so catchy? How can we tell immediately that some sounds just don’t go well together? Of course, there are many factors that contribute to how music is interpreted by human ears, but much can be understood by seeing the networks behind […]

Manufacturers of consumer electronics are developing great devices with new features at an alarming rate.  Unfortunately, advances in battery technology are struggling to keep up with these new power hungry gadgets.  Streaming video, 3d graphics, and wireless data connections can all drain a device’s battery in a few short hours.  Some electrical engineers are taking […]

The Office of Population Research at Princeton University explores historic, present and future trends in population growth, decline and control, which in turn has consequences for network structure and interaction, economic viability, social mobility, governmental regulation and environmental capacity. One of the most famous experiments conducted in this field is the Princeton European Fertility […]

Last Call: Analog Cell Phone Service Disappearing:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,142119-c,cellphones/article.html
When one thinks of networks one usually thinks of a large cellular network. On February 18 analog cell phone service will be shut down permanently. AT&T and Verizon, the “biggest U.S. mobile operators” decided that there will be no more analog service offered […]