What is emergence, after all?
https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/5/2/pgag010/8429832.
In this perspective paper, I clarify the scientific meaning of emergence as a measurable and physically grounded phenomenon. Through concrete examples, such as temperature, magnetism, and herd immunity in social networks, I review how collective behavior can arise from local interactions that are constrained by global boundaries. By refining the concept of emergence, it is possible to gain a clearer and more grounded understanding of complex systems. My goal is to show that emergence, when properly framed, offers not mysticism, but rather insight.
Science is compatible with a form of pluralism that affirms the reality of higher-level causal powers. The word “emergence” is widely used in the field of complex systems. While vague or mystical references to emergence may sound compelling, selling complexity science by mystifying emergence and invoking some spiritual dimensions is a great disservice.
https://academic.oup.com/pnasnexus/article/5/2/pgag010/8429832.
In this perspective paper, I clarify the scientific meaning of emergence as a measurable and physically grounded phenomenon. Through concrete examples, such as temperature, magnetism, and herd immunity in social networks, I review how collective behavior can arise from local interactions that are constrained by global boundaries. By refining the concept of emergence, it is possible to gain a clearer and more grounded understanding of complex systems. My goal is to show that emergence, when properly framed, offers not mysticism, but rather insight.
Science is compatible with a form of pluralism that affirms the reality of higher-level causal powers. The word “emergence” is widely used in the field of complex systems. While vague or mystical references to emergence may sound compelling, selling complexity science by mystifying emergence and invoking some spiritual dimensions is a great disservice.
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Spin Glass Concepts in Computer Science, Statistics, and Learning
Spin glass theory studies the structure of sublevel sets and minima (or near-minima) of certain classes of random functions in high dimension. Near-minima of random functions also play an important role in high-dimensional statistics and statistical learning, where minimizing the empirical risk (which is a random function of the model parameters) is the method of choice for learning a statistical model from noisy data. Finally, near-minima of random functions are obviously central to average-case analysis of optimization algorithms. Computer science, statistics, and machine learning naturally lead to questions that are traditionally not addressed within physics and mathematical physics. I will try to explain how ideas from spin glass theory have seeded recent developments in these fields.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.23326
Spin glass theory studies the structure of sublevel sets and minima (or near-minima) of certain classes of random functions in high dimension. Near-minima of random functions also play an important role in high-dimensional statistics and statistical learning, where minimizing the empirical risk (which is a random function of the model parameters) is the method of choice for learning a statistical model from noisy data. Finally, near-minima of random functions are obviously central to average-case analysis of optimization algorithms. Computer science, statistics, and machine learning naturally lead to questions that are traditionally not addressed within physics and mathematical physics. I will try to explain how ideas from spin glass theory have seeded recent developments in these fields.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2602.23326
arXiv.org
Spin Glass Concepts in Computer Science, Statistics, and Learning
Spin glass theory studies the structure of sublevel sets and minima (or near-minima) of certain classes of random functions in high dimension. Near-minima of random functions also play an...
Network Modeling and Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Correlations in Multivariate Time Series
https://vimeo.com/1170388794
https://vimeo.com/1170388794
Vimeo
Network Modeling and Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Correlations in Multivariate Time Series
Binghamton Center of Complex Systems (CoCo) Seminar March 4, 2026 Amanda Goodrick (Mathematics and Statistics, Slippery Rock University) "Network Modeling and Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Correlations in Multivariate Time Series"
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3rd European Summer Program in Infectious Disease Analysis and Modelling (ESPIDAM)
Time: June 22-26, 2026
Location: Stockholm University, Sweden
Registration: Is now open. Early bird registration to March 31. Registration closes May 31.
Suitable participants: PhD students, PostDocs, Public Health scientists and others interested
Structure: The summer program consists of 8 course modules, 4 the first half week and 4 the second half week. Participants can register to one or two modules.
More information: www.su.se/math/espidam
Time: June 22-26, 2026
Location: Stockholm University, Sweden
Registration: Is now open. Early bird registration to March 31. Registration closes May 31.
Suitable participants: PhD students, PostDocs, Public Health scientists and others interested
Structure: The summer program consists of 8 course modules, 4 the first half week and 4 the second half week. Participants can register to one or two modules.
More information: www.su.se/math/espidam
Nicole’s guide to writing research statements
https://quantumfrontiers.com/2025/08/10/nicoles-guide-to-writing-research-statements/
https://quantumfrontiers.com/2025/08/10/nicoles-guide-to-writing-research-statements/
Quantum Frontiers
Nicole’s guide to writing research statements
Sunflowers are blooming, stores are trumpeting back-to-school sales, and professors are scrambling to chart out the courses they planned to develop in July. If you’re applying for an academic job t…
Stochastic_processes_and_statistical_methods_in_mathematical_biology.pdf
85.6 KB
#PhD student in Mathematical Statistics
https://su.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:911059/type:job/where:4/apply:1
The Department of Mathematics of Stockholm University is hiring a PhD student to work on stochastic processes and/or statistical methods in mathematical biology
https://su.varbi.com/en/what:job/jobID:911059/type:job/where:4/apply:1
The Department of Mathematics of Stockholm University is hiring a PhD student to work on stochastic processes and/or statistical methods in mathematical biology
The Master's programme Complex Systems and Policy (CS&P) offers a unique approach to future-focused policymaking.
https://www.uva.nl/en/programmes/masters/complex-systems-and-policy/complex-systems-and-policy.html?cb
https://www.uva.nl/en/programmes/masters/complex-systems-and-policy/complex-systems-and-policy.html?cb
University of Amsterdam
Master's Complex Systems and Policy
The Master's programme Complex Systems and Policy (CS&P) aims to equip you with the tools to navigate and address complex societal challenges about health and sustainability and cooperate with different stakeholders.
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Dennett's Real Patterns in Science and Nature | Freely available
https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-edited-volume/6112/Dennett-s-Real-Patterns-in-Science-and-Nature
https://direct.mit.edu/books/oa-edited-volume/6112/Dennett-s-Real-Patterns-in-Science-and-Nature
MIT Press
Dennett's Real Patterns in Science and Nature
How the concept of a pattern, as understood in information science and applied in contemporary AI, can address deep questions in science and philosophy.The
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Message passing and cyclicity transition
Message passing, also known as belief propagation, is a versatile framework for analyzing models defined on graphs. Its most prototypical application is percolation; yet, the interpretation of the message passing formulation of percolation remains elusive. We show that the message passing solutions commonly associated with the probability of belonging to the giant component actually identify reachability from cycles. This interpretation generally applies to bond and site percolation on any directed or undirected networks. Our findings highlight the distinction between transition in cyclicity and the emergence of the giant component.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.01201
Message passing, also known as belief propagation, is a versatile framework for analyzing models defined on graphs. Its most prototypical application is percolation; yet, the interpretation of the message passing formulation of percolation remains elusive. We show that the message passing solutions commonly associated with the probability of belonging to the giant component actually identify reachability from cycles. This interpretation generally applies to bond and site percolation on any directed or undirected networks. Our findings highlight the distinction between transition in cyclicity and the emergence of the giant component.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2604.01201
arXiv.org
Message passing and cyclicity transition
Message passing, also known as belief propagation, is a versatile framework for analyzing models defined on graphs. Its most prototypical application is percolation; yet, the interpretation of the...
Theoretical computer science notes from Epsilon Camp for exceptional 11- and 12-year-olds
by Scott Aaronson
https://www.scottaaronson.com/tcs.pdf
Lecture 1: Bits
Lecture 2: Gates
Lecture 3: Finite Automata
Lecture 4: Turing Machines
Lecture 5: Big Numbers
Lecture 6: Complexity, or Number of Operations
Lecture 7: Polynomial vs. Exponential
Lecture 8: The P vs. NP Problem
Lecture 9: NP-completeness
Lecture 10: Foundations of Cryptography
Lecture 11: Public-Key Cryptography and Quantum Computing
by Scott Aaronson
https://www.scottaaronson.com/tcs.pdf
Lecture 1: Bits
Lecture 2: Gates
Lecture 3: Finite Automata
Lecture 4: Turing Machines
Lecture 5: Big Numbers
Lecture 6: Complexity, or Number of Operations
Lecture 7: Polynomial vs. Exponential
Lecture 8: The P vs. NP Problem
Lecture 9: NP-completeness
Lecture 10: Foundations of Cryptography
Lecture 11: Public-Key Cryptography and Quantum Computing
Why Do We Tell Ourselves Scary Stories About AI? | Quanta Magazine
https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-do-we-tell-ourselves-scary-stories-about-ai-20260410/
https://www.quantamagazine.org/why-do-we-tell-ourselves-scary-stories-about-ai-20260410/
Quanta Magazine
Why Do We Tell Ourselves Scary Stories About AI?
Our tales of AI developing the will to survive, commandeer resources, and manipulate people say more about us than they do about language models.
ICTP Hands-On Research in Complex Systems School
The School provides early stage researchers with interactive experiences of hands-on research involving table-top experiments with computer data acquisition and modeling. Participants will also take part in professional development of improved scientific communication in English.
https://indico.ictp.it/event/11156/
The School provides early stage researchers with interactive experiences of hands-on research involving table-top experiments with computer data acquisition and modeling. Participants will also take part in professional development of improved scientific communication in English.
https://indico.ictp.it/event/11156/
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CS2Nordics - The Nordic Conference on Computational Social Science
September 21-22, 2026, Copenhagen, Denmark
https://nosocss.org/conference.html
September 21-22, 2026, Copenhagen, Denmark
https://nosocss.org/conference.html
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Interdisciplinary #PhD offer in Marseille, starting Oct. 2026, on "Collective Problem Solving in Guinea Baboons: From Dyadic Interactions to Group Dynamics"
https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/Doctorant/UMR7077-NICCLA-001/Default.aspx?lang=EN
https://emploi.cnrs.fr/Offres/Doctorant/UMR7077-NICCLA-001/Default.aspx?lang=EN
#PhD position in Responsible AI/Computational Social Science at Politecnico di Milano
📍 Milan 🇮🇹
🔗 bit.ly/4dUbC4i
📍 Milan 🇮🇹
🔗 bit.ly/4dUbC4i
Network Science Summer School
July 13th — 17th, 2026
Utrecht University 🇳🇱
https://net-science.github.io/
July 13th — 17th, 2026
Utrecht University 🇳🇱
https://net-science.github.io/
Physics-based models outperform AI weather forecasts of record-breaking extremes
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aec1433
https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aec1433
Science Advances
Physics-based models outperform AI weather forecasts of record-breaking extremes
Physics-based models still outperform artificial intelligence-based weather models in forecasting record-breaking extreme events.
Informal connections outweigh coauthorship ties in academic impact
The term “invisible college” refers to communication networks that help scientists exchange information and advance knowledge. These networks create social capital, granting access to resources like new ideas and support. Measuring those intangible exchanges is an empirical challenge. Here we approximate these ties through the analysis of the “thank you” notes appended to journal articles. Our findings show that scholars disconnected from this layer of academic social capital have lower publication impact. We also show that informal ties provide support not captured by coauthorship ties, which reflect a more rigid form of collaboration. Documenting how informal structures of support operate can help leverage collective resources in the pursuit of shared intellectual goals.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2511050123
The term “invisible college” refers to communication networks that help scientists exchange information and advance knowledge. These networks create social capital, granting access to resources like new ideas and support. Measuring those intangible exchanges is an empirical challenge. Here we approximate these ties through the analysis of the “thank you” notes appended to journal articles. Our findings show that scholars disconnected from this layer of academic social capital have lower publication impact. We also show that informal ties provide support not captured by coauthorship ties, which reflect a more rigid form of collaboration. Documenting how informal structures of support operate can help leverage collective resources in the pursuit of shared intellectual goals.
https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2511050123
PNAS
Informal connections outweigh coauthorship ties in academic impact | PNAS
Past work has documented the importance of formal collaboration, particularly coauthorship,
in increasing research productivity and innovation. How...
in increasing research productivity and innovation. How...
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