Welcome to Complexity Explorables
This site is designed for people interested in complex systems and complex dynamical processes. Complexity Explorables hosts different collections of interactive illustrations of models for complex systems in physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, social sciences, neuroscience, epidemiology, network science and ecology.
Topics include pattern formation, synchronization, critical phenomena, chaotic dynamics, evolutionary dynamics, fractals, collective behavior, reaction-diffusion systems and more.
The main collection is Explorables. Each explorable contains one interactive component and describes a single system. The models are chosen in such a way that the key elements of a system’s behavior can be explored and explained without too much math (there are a few exceptions) and with as few words as possible.
The site also features Flongs (short for “foot longs”). These are mini tutorials on specific and paradigmatic complex systems that go a bit deeper, feature more interactive elements but usually require a bit more math.
If you want to use Explorables in teaching or presentations, we have a Slide section. A slide only contains an Explorables’ interactive element, without the text, and can easily be used as part of a presentation or lecture.
For a great summary, introduction and background information on complexity and complex systems I recommend the site “What is Complexity Science?” by Manlio De Domenico and Hiroki Sayama.
Almost all interactive visualizations are implemented in D3 (Data Driven Documents). All the Explorables should work on your laptop or desktop computer and on Chrome, Safari and Firefox browsers (not sure about IE).
Some of the Explorables may not work on mobile devices but hopefully the majority does.
If you have ideas about specific systems that display interesting behavior and are straightforward to explain and that you want to see implemented, please feel free to contact me using the contact form below. I’ll try my best to accomodate it.
Enjoy,
Dirk Brockmann