Why did mammals, grasses and some other groups of organisms explode in diversity only after millions of years? The evolutionary biologist Andreas Wagner plumbs the secrets of those “sleeping beauties.”
https://www.quantamagazine.org/andreas-wagner-pursues-the-secrets-to-evolutionary-success-20230815/
Søren Nors Nielsen, Felix Müller
Entropy 2023, 25(9), 1288
Streamed live on 24 Aug 2023
Vijay Balasubramanian University of Pennsylvania, SFI
The human brain consists of a 100 billion neurons connected by a 100 trillion synapses. In its computational function, each neuron is a simple electrical device. In this sense it is no different, in its conceptual essence, from a transistor or a diode in a silicon microchip, converting input signals into ephemeral voltage pulses that transmit to other neurons. And yet, the collective effect of these tiny electrical flutterings creates the intelligent mind, with its astonishing capacity for perception and action, memory and imagination, affection and indifference. In the words of Ramon y Cajal (1854-1932), a founding figure of neuroscience, neurons are “the mysterious butterflies of the soul, whose beating of wings may one day reveal to us the secrets of the mind.” In this talk, Vijay Balasubramanian will explore current ideas about how this transmutation occurs.
Learn more at https://santafe.edu Follow us on social media: https://twitter.com/sfisciencehttps://instagram.com/sfisciencehttps://facebook.com/santafeinstitutehttps://facebook.com/groups/santafein…https://linkedin.com/company/santafei… Subscribe to SFI’s official podcasts: https://complexity.simplecast.comhttps://aliencrashsite.org
If we want to understand complex constructions, such as ourselves, assembly theory says we must account for the entire history of how such entities came to be.
A New Idea for How to Assemble Life
If we want to understand complex constructions, such as ourselves, assembly theory says we must account for the entire history of how such entities came to be.
Assembly theory explains why, given seemingly infinite combinatorial possibilities, we only observe a certain subset of objects in our universe.
A New Theory for the Assembly of Life in the Universe | Quanta Magazine
https://www.quantamagazine.org/a-new-theory-for-the-assembly-of-life-in-the-universe-20230504/
The reckless, infinite scope of web browsersMarch 18, 2020 on Drew DeVault’s blog
The reckless, infinite scope of web browsers
https://drewdevault.com/2020/03/18/Reckless-limitless-scope.html
Brought to my attention by this tweet:
https://x.com/iavins/status/1705621562676908397
with this excerpt:
SEP 22, 2023
Note the red timers above the platforms…Credit: УНІАН
I have been hunting a white whale for more than a year.
Nearly exactly one year ago, a tweet went viral for noting Kyiv Metro cut back its headways to a train every 2-3 minutes during peak hours and every 6-7 minutes off-peak due to the Russian invasion. Every 6-7 minutes during rush hours would be an unfathomable dream for U.S. and Canadian passenger rail systems. How was this possible, in Kyiv of all places?
Continues in source:
https://www.substack-bahn.net/p/kyiv-metro-vs-the-world-an-exploration
A series elevating the voices of women systems thinkers to explore how systems thinkers can work together to make the world a better place.
By System of Systems Thinkers
Tuesday, September 26 · 6 – 7:30pm BST
Online
Contact the organizer to request a refund.
Eventbrite’s fee is nonrefundable.
Sociologist Zeynep Tufekci and other scientists have pointed to “asystemic thinking” — or the inability to think about complex systems and their dynamics — as one of the reasons America experienced costly delays that allowed the COVID virus to spread uncurbed for weeks. Why don’t we see more systems thinking? What are some practical ideas making systems thinking actionable for a greater number of people?
In this session, Linda Booth Sweeney and Somava Saha will explore these questions, and also:
About Linda Booth Sweeney
As an education innovator, author and strategist for healthy socio-ecological systems change, Dr. Linda Booth Sweeney is internationally recognized for her efforts to make systems thinking actionable by a wide range of audiences. In her Systems Leadership Labs, Linda creates experiences for leaders to think differently, and to experiment with language, inner stance, visualization tools and knowledge architecture that better mirrors the complexity they are navigating.
She has made significant contributions to promoting the use of metaphors like the bathtub model to enhance public comprehension of critical issues such as climate change. She is co-author of The Systems Thinking Playbook, The Climate Change Playbook, and numerous other books and journal articles. Linda is currently developing Curious about Connections Conversations (CCC), a research-based facilitation method for use by families, teachers and professionals in a variety of settings. Linda is also an award-winning children’s book author. Her next book, Apart Together, is a gentle introduction to systems thinking for children and will be published by Balzer & Bray in October 2023.
About Somava Saha
Somava Saha, MD, MS (aka Soma Stout) has dedicated her career to improving health, wellbeing and equity through the development of thriving people, organizations and communities. She has worked as a primary care internist and pediatrician in the safety net and a global public health practitioner for over 20 years. She has witnessed and demonstrated sustainable transformation in human and community flourishing around the world.
Currently, Soma serves as President and CEO of Well-being and Equity in the World (WE in the World), as well as Executive Lead of the Well Being In the Nation (WIN) Network, which work together to advance inter-generational well-being and equity. Over the last five years, as Vice President at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement, Dr. Saha founded and led the 100 Million Healthier Lives (100MLives) initiative, which brought together 1850+ partners in 30+ countries reaching more than 500 million people to improve health, wellbeing and equity. She and her team at WE in the World continue to advance and scale the frameworks, tools, and outcomes from this initiative as a core implementation partner in 100MLives.
This series will take place throughout the second half of 2023, so please stay tuned for additional event announcements.
Please support the work of Women in Systems Thinking through a donation when joining the series. However, we do have scholarships available for the whole series and we encourage you to reach out to us at systemofsystemsthinkers@gmail.com if you are in a position where it is not possible for you to donate.
We are feeling powerfully called to remind ourselves of women’s wisdom in this moment and to attempt to model our aspiration of inviting systems thinkers to work together. We invite you join us.
We would also like to thank our wonderful partners and encourage you to learn more about the meaningful work and contributions they make to the field of systems thinking on a daily basis.
Systems Thinking in Action – Laying the Foundations Tickets, Tue, Sep 26, 2023 at 10:00 AM | Eventbrite
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/systems-thinking-in-action-laying-the-foundations-tickets-713604037887
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