Tootfinder

How many more is different?
Jacob Calvert, Andr\'ea W. Richa, Dana Randall
https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.06011 https://arxiv.org/pdf/2510.06011

How many more is different?
From the formation of ice in small clusters of water molecules to the mass raids of army ant colonies, the emergent behavior of collectives depends critically on their size. At the same time, common wisdom holds that such behaviors are robust to the loss of individuals. This tension points to the need for a more systematic study of how number influences collective behavior. We initiate this study by focusing on collective behaviors that change abruptly at certain critical numbers of individuals…