Synchronization of clocks Later, Huygens announced his finding at a special session of the royal Society of London attributing this synchrony to tiny forces transmitted between the clocks by the wooden beam from which they were suspended In 1960s, Arthur Winfree, a (world-leading) theoretical biologist began to study coupled oscillators
Synchronization of Clocks • Later, Huygens announced his finding at a special session of the Royal Society of London, attributing this synchrony to tiny forces transmitted between the clocks by the wooden beam from which they were suspended. • In 1960s, Arthur Winfree, a (world-leading) theoretical biologist began to study coupled oscillators
A, Winfree's observations Arthur Winfree(1942-2002) The blinking of fireflies is one behavior that Winfree studied. As night falls on the jungles of Southeast Asia, fireflies begin to flicker, each following its own rhythm. But over the next hour or so, pockets of synchrony emerge and grow. Thousands of fireflies clustered around individual trees eventually flash as one, switching on and off every second or two to create a stunning entomological light show
A. Winfree’s observations • Arthur Winfree (1942-2002) • The blinking of fireflies is one behavior that Winfree studied. As night falls on the jungles of Southeast Asia, fireflies begin to flicker, each following its own rhythm. But over the next hour or so, pockets of synchrony emerge and grow. Thousands of fireflies clustered around individual trees eventually flash as one, switching on and off every second or two to create a stunning entomological light show
Sciences behind the Romantics
Sciences behind the Romantics……
Fireflies Synchronize their Flashes How does such synchrony come abd firefly has its own cycle of flashes reset when the fly sees a flash from flies become synchronized in this w gradually spreads until large groups oScIllating units communicate by ex prompt other units to alter their tim occurs if these coupling signals are overcome the initial variation in ind Below a threshold, anarchy prevail collective rhythm, ---Winfree
Fireflies Synchronize their Flashes • How does such synchrony come about? In this case, each firefly has its own cycle of flashes, but that rhythm can be reset when the fly sees a flash from a neighbour. Pairs of flies become synchronized in this way, and the effect gradually spreads until large groups are linked. In general, oscillating units communicate by exchanging signals that prompt other units to alter their timing. Synchronization occurs if these ‘coupling’ signals are influential enough to overcome the initial variation in individual frequencies. • “Below a threshold, anarchy prevails; above it, there is a collective rhythm,”--- Winfree
Synchronization is one of the most pervasive phenomena in the Universe More examples here!
Synchronization is one of the most pervasive phenomena in the Universe. More examples here!