Chaos and unpredictability are fundamental properties of many natural and social systems. The well-known term “butterfly effect” refers to the idea that small changes can trigger huge consequences. But is it really that simple? This article will guide you through the fascinating world of chaos, show its scientific basis, and at the same time debunk popular myths.
The historical birth of chaos theory: Edward Lorenz and his discovery
In 1961, meteorologist Edward Lorenz was working on computer weather forecasting models at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). When he entered the data into the model, one number was 0.506127. After a break, he decided to round this value to 0.506 and run the model again. When he returned, he found that the forecast result had changed dramatically. This small deviation caused a completely different weather scenario. Lorenz's discovery showed that in certain systems, a small change in initial conditions can lead to significant differences in the future. This phenomenon laid the foundation for chaos theory, which revolutionized the understanding of predictability.
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