Critically acclaimed science journalist, Mark Buchanan tells the
fascinating story of the discovery that there is a natural structure of
instability woven into the fabric of our world, which explains why
catastrophes-- both natural and human-- happen.
Scientists have recently discovered a new law of nature and its
footprints are virtually everywhere-- in the spread of forest fires,
mass extinctions, traffic jams, earthquakes, stock-market fluctuations,
the rise and fall of nations, and even trends in fashion, music and art.
Wherever we look, the world is modelled on a simple template: like a
steep pile of sand, it is poised on the brink of instability, with
avalanches-- in events, ideas or whatever-- following a universal
pattern of change. This remarkable discovery heralds what Mark Buchanan
calls the new science of 'ubiquity', a science whose secret lies in the
stuff of the everyday world. Combining literary flair with scientific
rigour, this enthralling book documents the coming revolution by telling
the story of the researchers' exploration of the law, their ingenious
work and unexpected insights.
Buchanan reveals that we are witnessing the emergence of an
extraordinarily powerful new field of science that will help us
comprehend the bewildering and unruly rhythms that dominate our lives
and may even lead to a true science of the dynamics of human culture and
history.
