![]() In turn, cells emerge from the interaction of many of these macromolecules – resulting in cell biology. In chemistry, many atoms combine to form macromolecules with structures that emerge from the secondary interaction of the atoms, which determines their function in molecular biology. Sand ripples are an example of emergence. On a much larger scale, the structure of the universe emerges from the gravitational attraction of stars. Similarly, phenomena such as superconductivity and superfluidity emerge from the cooperative flow of electrons and atoms, respectively, at temperatures close to absolute zero (-273C). In physics, magnetism of everyday materials emerges from the spontaneous alignment of the magnetic moment of billions of electrons. As elegantly stated by the German scientist and engineer Jochen Fromm: In fact one can argue that the richness of the world around us emerges from the complex behaviour of many interacting components. It pervades all areas of science and is a manifestation of other complex interacting systems in our daily lives, such as stock markets, the connectivity of the internet, and traffic flow. The idea of emergence, though, isn’t confined to biological systems. From simple interactions leading to self-organisation, ant colonies have demonstrated the ability to collectively solve geometric problems, such as optimising their foraging route to and from food resources. In turn, each ant produces chemical signals, providing a stimulus that other ants respond to. ![]() This behaviour emerges from the reaction of individual ants to simple chemical stimuli – from larvae, other ants, intruders, food and waste. ![]() In the absence of centralised decision making, ant colonies exhibit complex, problem solving behaviour.
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