噪声与多样性可增强稳定性

Random noise can break symmetries and enhance the stability of collective behaviors Raissa M. D’Souza1,2 Fascinating collective behaviors arise when a large group of simple elements interact (1), such as the synchronized flashing of fireflies and flocking of birds. The prevailing theoretical expectation is that such behaviors are most stable when the individual elements are very similar (with near-identical parameters such as traits) (2, 3). This contrasts with many real-world examples (4, 5). Fireflies that act as noisy, irregular oscillators still flash synchronously in colonies. Electric power grids are intentionally designed with mixed power sources and mismatching response times to promote stability (3, 6). However, analyzing the stability of heterogeneous complex systems is challenging. …