Sync How Order Emerges From Chaos in the Universe, Nature, and Daily Life

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SyncHow Order Emerges From Chaos in the
Universe, Nature, and Daily Life
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Sync

• Chapter 1 Fireflies and the Inevitability of
  Sync (pg 11-39)
• Chapter 2 Brain Waves and Conditions for Sync
  (pg 40-69)
• Chapter 3 Sleep and the Daily Struggle for Sync
  (pg 70-102)

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Firefly

• 1915-1935 Science Published 20 Articles
• Some twenty years ago I saw, or thought I saw, a
  synchronal or simultaneous flash of fireflies. I
  could hardly believe my eyes, for such a thing to
  occur among insects is certainly contrary to all
  natural laws - Philip Laurent, 1917
• The apparent phenomenon was caused by the
  twitching or sudden lowering of my eyelids. The
  insects had nothing whatsoever to do with it -
  Philip Laurent, 1917
• If it is desired to get a body of men to sign or
  play together in perfect rhythm they not only
  must have a leader but must be trained to follow
  such a leader....Do these insects inherit a sense
  of rhythm more perfect than are own. - George
  Hudson, 1918

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The Proof

• 1954 Norbert Wiener, MIT, Brain Waves (pg 40-46)
• 1964 Art Winfree, Runners on a Track (pg 46-55)
• 1975 Yoshiki Kuramoto, Order Parameter (pg 55-59)
• 1975 Charlie Peskin, NYU, produces proof for two
  pulse-coupled oscillators (pg 14-19)
• 1989 author reads The Geometry of Biological Time
  by Art Winfree - the population of the problem
  awaits completion. (pg 19)

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The Proof

• Steven Strogatz and Rennie Mirollo develop proof
  for n-pulse-coupled oscillators (pg 19-30)
• Paul Matthews, MIT (pg 64-65)
• George Rowlands, University or Warwick (pg 64-65)
• Landau damping (pg 64-65)
• 1990s 100 papers written on pulse-coupled
  oscillators. (pg 30-31)
• 1995 David Welsh and Steve Reppert at
  Masschusetts General Hospital, Circadian
  Pacemaker (PG 65-69)

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The Proof

• 2001 The history of the Alpha Waves...

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Why Do Fireflies Sync

• Beacon Hypothesis
• Males synchronizes to attract females
• Synchronization appears to happen in densely
  wooded areas.
• Females can see the light through the trees
• You might get lucky
• Protection from Predators It's always safest to
  blend in with a crowd
• ...Competition, not cooperation

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An Aside...

• Where can one see synchronized fireflies?
• Thailand
• Africa
• Elkmont, TN Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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What Syncs

• Fireflies (pg 11-14, 30-35)
• Female menstrual cycles (pg 36-39)
• Sperm Swimming (pg 14)
• Brain Cells (Epilepsy) (pg 14)
• Lasers (pg 14)
• The Heart (pg 14-30)
• Cicadas (pg 35)
• Circadian Pacemaker (pg 65-69)

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Circadian Cycle

• About a day
• Control of Temperature/Hormones/etc
• Sleep Cycle can become Desynchronized from
  Circadian Cycle

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Circadian Cycle

• Michel Siffre (Midnight Cave)
• Jurgen Aschoff (Internal Desync)
• Elliot Weitzman Charles Czeisler (12 Subjects)
  Long Sleep High Temp...
• Curt Richer (Rats)
• Winfree Sleep duration predictable, but wake
  duration was not
• Mary Carskadon and William Dement 90 Minute
  Schedule 30 Sleep/60 Wake
• Forbidden Zone/Other Problems