Name: Puppies! Now that I’ve got your attention, complexity theory
Uploaded: 2014-01-30T16:01:49Z
Duration: 13 min 31 s
Description: Animal behavior isn't complicated, but it is complex. Nicolas Perony studies how individual animals -- be they Scottish Terriers, bats or meerkats -- follow simple rules that, collectively, create larger patterns of behavior. And how this complexity born of simplicity can help them adapt to new circumstances, as they arise.

Animal behavior isn't complicated, but it is complex. Nicolas Perony studies how individual animals -- be they Scottish Terriers, bats or meerkats -- follow simple rules that, collectively, create larger patterns of behavior. And how this complexity born of simplicity can help them adapt to new circumstances, as they arise.

Puppies! Now that I’ve got your attention, complexity theory

Animals like bats and meerkats achieve astonishing social feats by following just a few basic rules. A colony of bats with brains the size of peanuts maintains long-term friendships and reorganizes itself after a population crash, all without conscious coordination. When meerkats face modern dangers, their instinctive group tactics ensure survival. These stories show how small, simple acts can ripple outward, building resilient animal societies.