Paper: Scale-free networks are rare (Broido and Clauset, 2019) | Nature

A new study challenges one of the most celebrated and controversial ideas in network science. (See comments for reflections on the controversy)

Source: Scant Evidence of Power Laws Found in Real-World Networks | Quanta Magazine

Are scale-free networks rare or universal? Important or not? We present the recent research about degree distributions of networks. This is a controversial topic, but, we argue, with some adjustments of the terminology, it does not have to be.

Source: Rare and everywhere: Perspectives on scale-free networks, Petter Holme (2019) | Nature

Discussion and links: Scale-free networks are rare

A study’s failure to find scale-free networks where decades of research has documented their existence offers a cautionary tale on using search criteria that fails elementary tests.

Source: Love is All You Need – Albert-László Barabási responds