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Smart Swarm: Using Animal Behaviour to Organise Our World
How Understanding Flocks, Schools and Colonies Can Make Us Better at Communicating, Decision Making and Getting Things Done.
The modern world may be obsessed with speed and productivity, but twenty-first century humans actually have much to learn from the ancient instincts of swarms. A fascinating new take on the concept of collective intelligence and its colourful manifestations in some of our most complex problems, Smart Swarm introduces a compelling new understanding of the real experts on solving our own complex problems relating to such topics as business, politics, and technology.
Based on extensive globe-trotting research, this lively tour from National Geographic reporter Peter Miller introduces thriving throngs of ant colonies, which have inspired computer programs for streamlining factory processes, telephone networks, and truck routes; termites, used in recent studies for climate-control solutions; schools of fish, on which the U.S. military modelled a team of robots; and many other examples of the wisdom to be gleaned about the behaviour of crowds-among critters and corporations alike.
In the tradition of James Surowiecki's The Wisdom of Crowds and the innovative works of Malcolm Gladwell, Smart Swarm is an entertaining yet enlightening look at small-scale phenomena with big implications for us all.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
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930 people want to read
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February 28, 2023
Review. At last This is a thought-provoking book that explores the collective intelligence of animal groups and how their behavior can be applied to human interactions. The author presents a range of examples from the animal kingdom, including the behavior of ants and the migratory patterns of birds, to illustrate how swarms, flocks, schools, and colonies are able to coordinate their actions with precision and efficiency.
The book offers practical insights into how we can use swarm intelligence to improve our decision-making processes and resource management. Miller highlights the importance of collaboration and diversity, showing how collective organisms function effectively due to a range of perspectives and talents. He argues that by embracing these values, humans can achieve similar levels of efficiency and success.
The book has many insights for anyone interested in the intersection of science, psychology, and business. With its mix of fascinating anecdotes, practical applications, and clear writing style, it's a great resource for anyone looking to tap into the power of collective intelligence.
__________
Reading notes 3.5 stars. Dnf'd because I couldn't stand the writing, but not a bad book. Illuminates how non-thinking individuals actions can be used as computer models and for when people must act in a crowd, not individually.
__________
What did you think of the review? Did you think it was a bit different from my usual style? I got a chatbot to write it and altered it very slightly. I thought it was quite clever and covered all the bases I would have but not in the way I would express myself.
The book offers practical insights into how we can use swarm intelligence to improve our decision-making processes and resource management. Miller highlights the importance of collaboration and diversity, showing how collective organisms function effectively due to a range of perspectives and talents. He argues that by embracing these values, humans can achieve similar levels of efficiency and success.
The book has many insights for anyone interested in the intersection of science, psychology, and business. With its mix of fascinating anecdotes, practical applications, and clear writing style, it's a great resource for anyone looking to tap into the power of collective intelligence.
__________
Reading notes 3.5 stars. Dnf'd because I couldn't stand the writing, but not a bad book. Illuminates how non-thinking individuals actions can be used as computer models and for when people must act in a crowd, not individually.
__________
What did you think of the review? Did you think it was a bit different from my usual style? I got a chatbot to write it and altered it very slightly. I thought it was quite clever and covered all the bases I would have but not in the way I would express myself.
April 25, 2016
Without question, this is my favorite introductory book to systems science/networks/ emergence. This is what I was hoping to read when I picked up a copy of Global Brain by Howard Bloom. I remember putting that book down and feeling such disappointment because the concept of swarm behavior in humans that mimics the swarm behavior of markets or insects was so fantastic, but Bloom was too enamored by every positive aspect of group think and failed to think critically enough to make the book even remotely reliable. I have read some books on networks, such as Linked by Albert-László Barabási, which I liked a great deal. But, this book is simply better. The only book I can say I enjoyed more was Geoffrey West's Scaling in Biology. However, that book is a compilation of academic articles and is less accessible to the general public. This book is simply addicting and would be appealing to the scientist and non-scientist alike.
Peter Miller just hit a home run! This book is EXCELLENT! Every time I finished a chapter, I started the chapter again! I had to. I loved it that much. Miller introduced his reader to various group behaviors in termites, ants, bees, humans, and markets. While providing incredibly intersting stories about each species (I was absolutely riveted!), Miller focused on the local rules of each species that led to the overall structure of the behavior. I will provide examples for each species below. If you do not want spoilers, do not read any further, since I am about to explain some of the best studies included in this book.
Termites:
Termites build huge mounds that act like lungs! These lungs allow termites to live in the type of comfort know to humans who have central air in their homes.
Each mound (5 x size of Great Pyramids in people terms) is made of fungus. The fungus does 2 jobs:
- Breaks down food to ingestible form for the 2 million termites who live in the mound.
- Regulates the temp and humidity of the mound by breathing out CO2 through it's channels and breathing in oxygen.
The rate of breath is so oxygen greedy, a typical mound acts like the lung of a goat or small cow!
Engineers are looking into building houses that act like breathable lungs, like termite mounds. These houses of the future would use the difference in wind frequency to regulate the temperature in the home, just as well as it is regulated now, but without using electricity to do so.
What are the local rules for termites? Look and see what your neighbor is doing. If your neighbor drops a pile of dirt, you should too. Each individual termite might seem as if they are not organized. They might even seem extremely inefficient. However, when all the disorganized behaviors of the termites are looked at via time lapsed video, it's clear that their collective actions build incredibly efficient and organized structures.
Fish:
How do fish know how to escape a predator? Their group reaction is so swift and coordinated. How is that possible without verbal communication or overall, top-down knowledge of how to escape a predator? Fish use local rules. They do what their neighbor is doing. They follow at least 3 key rules. 1. There is a zone of repulsion in which the fish will not crowd in too close to each other. 2. There is a zone of attraction in which they keep themselves from being too isolated. 3. There is a zone of orientation, which allows them to know which direction to go. Researchers have built models based on these 3 rules and have played around with them to understand how fish go from a disorganized state to a well organized state that helps them evade predators. Shifting from a disorganized state to an organized state is a phase transition, much like that of water turning to ice. Interestingly, fish on their own made bad choices. They swam right up to the predator at times. Group choices were significantly better. This is the case for most species, but Miller made the reader aware that when the group makes bad choices, they are spectacularly bad, as witnessed in the next example.
Ants:
This is the best learned helplessness study I have come across! A group of ants got separated from their larger group. They laid down a circular trail of pheromones and continued to walk in circles. As they continued going around they laid down more pheromones. The pheromones became stronger and stronger, so strong in fact, they were helpless to do anything but walk in circles until they died! Every once in a while a single ant would try to reverse direction and stop going around in circles. But, it got bumped and jostled so much by the other ants that it had no choice but to travel in the group's direction. Then, it too walked and walked in a circle until it died.
People:
When humans make a decision about behaviors -- smoking, picking a song to go viral, getting tattoo, what to wear, etc -- they rely more on groupthink than individuality, no matter how individualistic they think they are. For example, researchers have studied smoking behavior and found that quitting smoking looks very much like how birds flock and fish school. Behaviors like smoking affect 2 to 3 degrees of separation. Your friend's actions can affect you, your friends, and your friends' friends.
When it comes to predicting whether a pop song that will be a hit or not, things get a little more complicated. Researcher can predict that the group, more than the quality of the song, will be the determining factor in whether a song goes viral. But, they cannot predict which song will go viral. Here is why. Multiple groups have the same song list. The first people to listen to songs in each group give initial ratings to the songs. The different groups like different songs. But in each group, the songs that were initially rated highly, were the songs that went on to become viral hits. Each group gave rise to different hits. Thus, researchers amusingly concluded that in one universe Madonna is a megastar. In another universe, she is a nothing.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Locusts:
African locusts are shy by nature. They spend their days feeding on plants but avoid interacting with other locusts. If a particular season is very rainy, it can change the locust from shy introvert to strongly attracted and aggressive extrovert. When excess rains come, locusts lay more eggs. The increased population begins eating the increased plant life. However, once conditions become dry once more, there are more locusts trying to eat fewer plants. The locust then seek each other out, kill each other, swam together and engage in absolute destruction of the land. Along with behavioral changes, locusts who become social and aggressive also experience bodily changes. Juveniles change from tan and green to black and yellow and immature adults change from bright pink to the yellow hue reserved for mature adults. Why does this happen?
Researchers tested to see if it was the site of other locusts that prompted the change. It was not. They then tested to see if it was the smell of other locusts. Still no positive finding. They finally figured out the stimulus when they began "bumping into locusts" with a paintbrush, to mimic crowded conditions. When they poked at various parts of the body, no change in behavior or morphology was observed. But, when they specifically poked the hind legs, the cascade of changed got underway. It turned out that poking this part of the locust promoted the release of serotonin into key brain areas that governed personality, physical maturity, and morphology.
Miller related these stories and more as he attempted to understand the nature of networks on a universal level. I suspect I will pick this book up again in the not so distant future. I took about 10 pages of notes for this book because I didn't want to lose any of the knowledge imparted to me by miller. I loved this book!
Peter Miller just hit a home run! This book is EXCELLENT! Every time I finished a chapter, I started the chapter again! I had to. I loved it that much. Miller introduced his reader to various group behaviors in termites, ants, bees, humans, and markets. While providing incredibly intersting stories about each species (I was absolutely riveted!), Miller focused on the local rules of each species that led to the overall structure of the behavior. I will provide examples for each species below. If you do not want spoilers, do not read any further, since I am about to explain some of the best studies included in this book.
Termites:
Termites build huge mounds that act like lungs! These lungs allow termites to live in the type of comfort know to humans who have central air in their homes.
Each mound (5 x size of Great Pyramids in people terms) is made of fungus. The fungus does 2 jobs:
- Breaks down food to ingestible form for the 2 million termites who live in the mound.
- Regulates the temp and humidity of the mound by breathing out CO2 through it's channels and breathing in oxygen.
The rate of breath is so oxygen greedy, a typical mound acts like the lung of a goat or small cow!
Engineers are looking into building houses that act like breathable lungs, like termite mounds. These houses of the future would use the difference in wind frequency to regulate the temperature in the home, just as well as it is regulated now, but without using electricity to do so.
What are the local rules for termites? Look and see what your neighbor is doing. If your neighbor drops a pile of dirt, you should too. Each individual termite might seem as if they are not organized. They might even seem extremely inefficient. However, when all the disorganized behaviors of the termites are looked at via time lapsed video, it's clear that their collective actions build incredibly efficient and organized structures.
Fish:
How do fish know how to escape a predator? Their group reaction is so swift and coordinated. How is that possible without verbal communication or overall, top-down knowledge of how to escape a predator? Fish use local rules. They do what their neighbor is doing. They follow at least 3 key rules. 1. There is a zone of repulsion in which the fish will not crowd in too close to each other. 2. There is a zone of attraction in which they keep themselves from being too isolated. 3. There is a zone of orientation, which allows them to know which direction to go. Researchers have built models based on these 3 rules and have played around with them to understand how fish go from a disorganized state to a well organized state that helps them evade predators. Shifting from a disorganized state to an organized state is a phase transition, much like that of water turning to ice. Interestingly, fish on their own made bad choices. They swam right up to the predator at times. Group choices were significantly better. This is the case for most species, but Miller made the reader aware that when the group makes bad choices, they are spectacularly bad, as witnessed in the next example.
Ants:
This is the best learned helplessness study I have come across! A group of ants got separated from their larger group. They laid down a circular trail of pheromones and continued to walk in circles. As they continued going around they laid down more pheromones. The pheromones became stronger and stronger, so strong in fact, they were helpless to do anything but walk in circles until they died! Every once in a while a single ant would try to reverse direction and stop going around in circles. But, it got bumped and jostled so much by the other ants that it had no choice but to travel in the group's direction. Then, it too walked and walked in a circle until it died.
People:
When humans make a decision about behaviors -- smoking, picking a song to go viral, getting tattoo, what to wear, etc -- they rely more on groupthink than individuality, no matter how individualistic they think they are. For example, researchers have studied smoking behavior and found that quitting smoking looks very much like how birds flock and fish school. Behaviors like smoking affect 2 to 3 degrees of separation. Your friend's actions can affect you, your friends, and your friends' friends.
When it comes to predicting whether a pop song that will be a hit or not, things get a little more complicated. Researcher can predict that the group, more than the quality of the song, will be the determining factor in whether a song goes viral. But, they cannot predict which song will go viral. Here is why. Multiple groups have the same song list. The first people to listen to songs in each group give initial ratings to the songs. The different groups like different songs. But in each group, the songs that were initially rated highly, were the songs that went on to become viral hits. Each group gave rise to different hits. Thus, researchers amusingly concluded that in one universe Madonna is a megastar. In another universe, she is a nothing.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Locusts:
African locusts are shy by nature. They spend their days feeding on plants but avoid interacting with other locusts. If a particular season is very rainy, it can change the locust from shy introvert to strongly attracted and aggressive extrovert. When excess rains come, locusts lay more eggs. The increased population begins eating the increased plant life. However, once conditions become dry once more, there are more locusts trying to eat fewer plants. The locust then seek each other out, kill each other, swam together and engage in absolute destruction of the land. Along with behavioral changes, locusts who become social and aggressive also experience bodily changes. Juveniles change from tan and green to black and yellow and immature adults change from bright pink to the yellow hue reserved for mature adults. Why does this happen?
Researchers tested to see if it was the site of other locusts that prompted the change. It was not. They then tested to see if it was the smell of other locusts. Still no positive finding. They finally figured out the stimulus when they began "bumping into locusts" with a paintbrush, to mimic crowded conditions. When they poked at various parts of the body, no change in behavior or morphology was observed. But, when they specifically poked the hind legs, the cascade of changed got underway. It turned out that poking this part of the locust promoted the release of serotonin into key brain areas that governed personality, physical maturity, and morphology.
Miller related these stories and more as he attempted to understand the nature of networks on a universal level. I suspect I will pick this book up again in the not so distant future. I took about 10 pages of notes for this book because I didn't want to lose any of the knowledge imparted to me by miller. I loved this book!
February 15, 2018
A Natureza Ensina, de Peter Miller, é um trabalho interessante que se baseia na utilização de resultados de pesquisas científicas e depois utiliza situações e fatos reais fazendo comparações entre teorias e experiências científicas com a realidade. Também oferece uma discussão muito rica. A tradução é excelente e tornou a leitura muito boa.
O que eu gostaria de lembrar desse livro são que as formigas, se analisadas isoladamente, são animais burros, com pouco poder de memorização. No entanto, quando estão no coletivo, esse coletivo se torna extremamente inteligente. As colônias de formigas se auto-organizam e não dependem de um plano mestre. Elas possuem um sistema de alocação de tarefas próprio onde cada indivíduo desempenha uma função. A Rainha, não é um centro de comando. Ela também tem sua simples função de colocar ovos.
Todos os dias a decisão de colônia sobre essas atividades é tomada dependendo das circunstâncias. (Onde nem sempre se sai para buscar comida).
As colônias de formigas tem sua perfomance melhorada quando o volume de indivíduos é grande. A medida que as formigas colhedeiras retornam ao ninho com alimentos, outras se predispõe em sair para buscar alimento também. A velocidade desse retorno ao ninho, é o que determina o cálculo de colhedeira necessária para sair e buscar mais alimentos. Principalmente porque elas têm a memória muito curta e a troca de informações a casa encontro entre esses indivíduos tem que estar nesse tempo para que o coletivo aja em conjunto.
Elas também resolvem o problema do caixeiro viajante. O algoritmo deles também é baseado em volume de indivíduos. Pois quando elas andam, deixam seu feromônios pelo caminho. Então quando mais indivíduos procurando, aumenta a possibilidade de se encontrar e resolver o melhor caminho. As melhores rotas passam a ter o cheiro de feromônio mais acentuado, o que serve de indicador para a próxima formiga tomar uma decisão, caso alguma bifurcação resulte em dúvidas.
As abelhas tomam decisões em grupo. O resultado dessas decisões é o que determina se elas vão viver ou morrer na próxima primavera. A abelha escoteira tem papel não trivial em encontrar novos lares. No entanto as abelhas também, assim como as formigas, usam a diversidade para explorar a vizinhança. Quanto mais escolhas melhor.
O estudo do teste das cinco caixas mostrou que as abelhas não retornavam as cinco caixas pra determinar qual era melhor. Para determinar a melhor caixa a escoteira chama atenção das outras através de uma dança. A variação da veemência dessa dança é um indicador de interesse das demais escoteiras. Se interessadas, elas voltariam a caixa sinalizado para confirmar sua qualidade. Se convencidas, elas passariam a dançar na mesma intensidade. A decisão do enxame se dará pelo grupo de maior número de dançarinas.
No ar, quando vemos os pássaros voando em formato de triângulo, é automático pensar que o que está na ponta, puxando o gregário, é o líder. De fato é mas momentaneamente. Os pássaros alternam a liderança a medida que a posição principal se torna um fardo cansativo. Os peixes tem liberdade de viver sozinhos, mas pertencer a um grupo confere benefícios de alimentação e maior sobrevivência contra ataques de predadores. “É melhor se perder na multidão, do que estar sozinho”.
No caso dos gafanhotos, fiquei impressionado em descobrir que eles são estimulados pela para traseira, e que ela desencadeia uma reação química, num processo parecido com tomar um ecstasy. É num processo de euforia, misturado com a sensação de medo de morrer e vontade de decorar o próximo, que seu coletivo avança devorando tudo que vê a frente. Sozinhos eles são calmos e insignificantes, mas no coletivo eles são um terror de proporções bíblicas.
Bom, algumas partes do livro eu achei cansativas. Ele poderia reduzir um pouco as analogias. Entre 50 e 70% do livro achei as ideias um pouco repetitivas e não precisava de tantas analogias - na minha visão.
Pra mim, que sempre alternei ser adorador da posição de Lobo
Solitário e líder da matilha, tive exemplos concretos introdutórios - neste livro - sobre o pode da coletividade. Coisa que sempre tendi a ignorar, agora passa a ter valor.
O que eu gostaria de lembrar desse livro são que as formigas, se analisadas isoladamente, são animais burros, com pouco poder de memorização. No entanto, quando estão no coletivo, esse coletivo se torna extremamente inteligente. As colônias de formigas se auto-organizam e não dependem de um plano mestre. Elas possuem um sistema de alocação de tarefas próprio onde cada indivíduo desempenha uma função. A Rainha, não é um centro de comando. Ela também tem sua simples função de colocar ovos.
Todos os dias a decisão de colônia sobre essas atividades é tomada dependendo das circunstâncias. (Onde nem sempre se sai para buscar comida).
As colônias de formigas tem sua perfomance melhorada quando o volume de indivíduos é grande. A medida que as formigas colhedeiras retornam ao ninho com alimentos, outras se predispõe em sair para buscar alimento também. A velocidade desse retorno ao ninho, é o que determina o cálculo de colhedeira necessária para sair e buscar mais alimentos. Principalmente porque elas têm a memória muito curta e a troca de informações a casa encontro entre esses indivíduos tem que estar nesse tempo para que o coletivo aja em conjunto.
Elas também resolvem o problema do caixeiro viajante. O algoritmo deles também é baseado em volume de indivíduos. Pois quando elas andam, deixam seu feromônios pelo caminho. Então quando mais indivíduos procurando, aumenta a possibilidade de se encontrar e resolver o melhor caminho. As melhores rotas passam a ter o cheiro de feromônio mais acentuado, o que serve de indicador para a próxima formiga tomar uma decisão, caso alguma bifurcação resulte em dúvidas.
As abelhas tomam decisões em grupo. O resultado dessas decisões é o que determina se elas vão viver ou morrer na próxima primavera. A abelha escoteira tem papel não trivial em encontrar novos lares. No entanto as abelhas também, assim como as formigas, usam a diversidade para explorar a vizinhança. Quanto mais escolhas melhor.
O estudo do teste das cinco caixas mostrou que as abelhas não retornavam as cinco caixas pra determinar qual era melhor. Para determinar a melhor caixa a escoteira chama atenção das outras através de uma dança. A variação da veemência dessa dança é um indicador de interesse das demais escoteiras. Se interessadas, elas voltariam a caixa sinalizado para confirmar sua qualidade. Se convencidas, elas passariam a dançar na mesma intensidade. A decisão do enxame se dará pelo grupo de maior número de dançarinas.
No ar, quando vemos os pássaros voando em formato de triângulo, é automático pensar que o que está na ponta, puxando o gregário, é o líder. De fato é mas momentaneamente. Os pássaros alternam a liderança a medida que a posição principal se torna um fardo cansativo. Os peixes tem liberdade de viver sozinhos, mas pertencer a um grupo confere benefícios de alimentação e maior sobrevivência contra ataques de predadores. “É melhor se perder na multidão, do que estar sozinho”.
No caso dos gafanhotos, fiquei impressionado em descobrir que eles são estimulados pela para traseira, e que ela desencadeia uma reação química, num processo parecido com tomar um ecstasy. É num processo de euforia, misturado com a sensação de medo de morrer e vontade de decorar o próximo, que seu coletivo avança devorando tudo que vê a frente. Sozinhos eles são calmos e insignificantes, mas no coletivo eles são um terror de proporções bíblicas.
Bom, algumas partes do livro eu achei cansativas. Ele poderia reduzir um pouco as analogias. Entre 50 e 70% do livro achei as ideias um pouco repetitivas e não precisava de tantas analogias - na minha visão.
Pra mim, que sempre alternei ser adorador da posição de Lobo
Solitário e líder da matilha, tive exemplos concretos introdutórios - neste livro - sobre o pode da coletividade. Coisa que sempre tendi a ignorar, agora passa a ter valor.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2012
Having recently watched a huge flock of geese wonderously whirling, circling and landing in a field near Milford-on-Sea, my finding this book was very timely. Hyberbole rules in the title however. "Understanding", yes; it does a great job of explaining the science behind self-organisation in ants, bees, termites and starlings. The mechanisms are not easy to grasp but are clearly described: "local knowledge", "decentralised control", "distributed problem solving", "multiple interactions" and emergeance". Social bees send out many scouts to find nesting sites; each then perform a weird "dance" to try to sell their choice to the others (who are all related, being half-sisters, which no doubt helps the cooperation along). This "friendly competition of ideas" makes for good choices. If a termite sees a little pile of earth, it'll drop another little bit on the heap. Thus the termite mound, whose networked tunnels generate winds which act as a lung for the whole hot, underground community. Starlings in a swirling flock steer by following the nearest 6 or 7 (the number in constant) of their immediate neighbours: they use "local information" to great collective effect. Now all this is amazing. But to me somewhat less successful is to see how this can in practice "make us better at communicating, decision making and getting things done". Practical applications in human life seem oddly few. At Boeing's plane testing centre, they work hard to iron out the little delays which used to create a ripple effect which in turn amplified these little delays into disastrously mega ones. Best Buy's "prediction market", which taps into "the wisdom of crowds", helps the company to, well, predict. And there's Wikipedia of course (they always quote that). And there's a bit about contagion and what causes standing ovations. But, frankly, is that it? Why are these human applications apparently so relatively few and far between? Is it simply just that we're not ants or starlings, so it doesn't apply to us? These creatures are dumb individually; it's their communities that are intelligent (how did that evolve, by the way?). We humans are precisely the opposite; individually intelligent, but collectively dumb. We can each see what are the wise and sensible things that need to be done (ask almost any child how the world could be saved and improved); but getting us to actually collectively do them is too often well nigh impossible. Maybe the ants will inherit after all. Or maybe, fascinating though this new science is, to discover the secrets of how to improve human society cooperatively and collectively we need to look elsewhere. Having said that, from now on I'll look at those smartly swarming geese and starlings with a new-found respect. For that I'm grateful to this book. In this case, analysing the rainbow definitely hasn't killed the awe and wonder.
February 5, 2013
Interesting book examining how collectively organized insects and animals use their group as a problem solving tool. It appears that there is an inherent, almost mathematically predictable, advantage group living insects and animals have unrelated to, indeed divorced from, individual thought process. This is in large part involved with shared information -- albeit not by any human-like method, rather by such activity as laying pheromone trails, or dance, etc. Certain groups – most notably bees, then reach determination as to what action to take (such as where to place a new hive)based upon certain members’ evaluation of the evidence and a debate like presentation (the more bees joining in a dance and the vigorousness of that groups’ dance) The author then explores the way in which certain human groupings do the same, perhaps the best example being the Vermont town hall meetings.
The author then goes on to show the superiority of group decision making, at least in processes involving such ordering as Rodgers Rules of Order among others. He distinguishes, however, situations of group shared information and opinions from mob-like events; such as tramplings that occur sometimes in large crowd movement, when such process is not occurring.
Although not addressed, the book’s implication would seem to indicate that social media could play a serious role in national decision making – if facts/opinions are shared between the collective rather than just within groups with preset notions and opinions.
As a postscript: I had this vague feeling that perhaps if a collective process is demonstrably superior, and we are all becoming more and more electronically connected, the Borg may yet surface as the superior race of humanoids.
The author then goes on to show the superiority of group decision making, at least in processes involving such ordering as Rodgers Rules of Order among others. He distinguishes, however, situations of group shared information and opinions from mob-like events; such as tramplings that occur sometimes in large crowd movement, when such process is not occurring.
Although not addressed, the book’s implication would seem to indicate that social media could play a serious role in national decision making – if facts/opinions are shared between the collective rather than just within groups with preset notions and opinions.
As a postscript: I had this vague feeling that perhaps if a collective process is demonstrably superior, and we are all becoming more and more electronically connected, the Borg may yet surface as the superior race of humanoids.
June 6, 2011
This is one of those rare, great books that manage to talk about many different fields of science and weave them together. It uses the habits and organizations of social animals (bees, ants, starlings, etc.) and relates it to how people interact with one another. It touches on everything from fluid dynamics (how locust swarms and human stampedes happen) to supply chains, to computer intelligence.
The book is structured in chapters that discuss different types of animals, and it's got plenty of anecdotes to keep the pace up. Most of the books referenced were ones I've read before, so it's not first-hand reporting of original research, but there were enough new stories and new information to interest me.
If you're interested in science, and especially if you're interested in animal behavior, this is a good book to pick up. My main complaint about it is that the authors pre-suppose their readers to have a more solid basis in higher math than I do. I think some of the nuances on 3-d rendering software were lost on me.
The book is structured in chapters that discuss different types of animals, and it's got plenty of anecdotes to keep the pace up. Most of the books referenced were ones I've read before, so it's not first-hand reporting of original research, but there were enough new stories and new information to interest me.
If you're interested in science, and especially if you're interested in animal behavior, this is a good book to pick up. My main complaint about it is that the authors pre-suppose their readers to have a more solid basis in higher math than I do. I think some of the nuances on 3-d rendering software were lost on me.
March 9, 2012
This is a fun, entertaining book about how animals and people act in crowds. Peter Miller shows clearly how ants, bees, termites, locusts, birds and fish usually act much smarter in a crowd than any individual. They do this instinctively, without the need to be taught how to behave. In some situations, people also are smarter in a group than any individual. But not always; there are times when a group of people will be dumber than the dumbest individual. Several anecdotal examples are given in the book. This is definitely a "feel-good" book, though occasionally it veers off-topic.
To me, the most interesting topic was the use of models of ant behavior, in the development of mathematical algorithms. For example, the well-known traveling-salesman algorithm is intractable for a large number of cities. But models of ant behavior, depositing pheromones along a trail, helps to yield an approximate solution.
To me, the most interesting topic was the use of models of ant behavior, in the development of mathematical algorithms. For example, the well-known traveling-salesman algorithm is intractable for a large number of cities. But models of ant behavior, depositing pheromones along a trail, helps to yield an approximate solution.
December 19, 2010
An interesting, but not on the whole revolutionary look at how human systems and organizations can learn from the animal kingdom. I felt like I've read this book before in shorter articles and papers. I skimmed the middle chapters and was unsurprised by the findings.
On the whole, a perfectly acceptable path of introduction to complex system theory but only if complemented with other works to flesh it out a little more.
On the whole, a perfectly acceptable path of introduction to complex system theory but only if complemented with other works to flesh it out a little more.
May 28, 2019
Maybe the book can tell the reader something. I could not reach that nugget because of the writing style. The style is a very polished version of what a kindergarten child would say.
Read
March 24, 2023What do bees, ants, termites, birds all have in common with employment as were all 6 to 7 people away from knowing each other, and is it in swarms even in the sky to avoid predators maybe even 3 to 4 people away is a better number to be bunched with protection.
Even if an ant 🐜 or bee 🐝 or bird 🦅 leaves it position as similar to an employee leaving or quitting the hive does not fall apart it keeps continuing as a hive. A company are isolated or affiliated is.
Bees finding the best hive or birds flying in a swarm, but why?
Bees show there excitement in with enthusiasm in their behaviour dance to show other bees to go find a hive she was just a part of. Or birds 🦅 fly in a swarm protection from bigger predators.
To show there excitement even with elk running from a wolf 🐺 all run together and as the wolf can’t pick the moving herd they singularly divide and the wolf can’t decide which elk to follow and if it picks it might be healthy enough to put a good enough run 🏃♂️away is.
Termites could build huge building to keep the right carbon or air quality for the hive if a wall breaks guards come and builders build on other termites work to keep strength of huge towers and air conditioned.
Similar to people swarms of people to religious occasions is.
As insects and logistics ants would make company’s like propane see supply and distribution and which plant to load from to the closes to not run out in peak times, but to make it more complex some propane has to be filled first if it’s on a slope the truck has to be full to deliver it product of complications arise.
Same with ants as builders or scavengers or nurses there is no clip board communication but communication with behaviour and hormones.
Often disaster like trampling of people happens from waves 🌊 of stops and goes til one fall and the crowd could not be stopped in panic.
Or if you shock a jar 🫙 black ants to red ants
Signs of it showing or signals of behaviour could show a crisis before a pandemic 😷 or contagion could be moved with fad would work.
It’s almost like an alternative world 🌎 that if one ☝️ was famous they wouldn’t be famous in another alternative world 🌎.
Same with a Fad and a contagion 😷 is how an agenda is built either conspiracy 🌀 or a controversy never 👎 not getting offended by but saying hey that offends with a bold statement.
I guess what makes behaviour communication at the most simplest is.
That even if your fluent in communication and can speak or behave is not a mark of intelligence. Same how’s human are, in burn out or exhaustion or simply mental health is.
Haves of haves not, or haves not haves.
I think caring for the human race is better than hate.
But right now I think theirs not enough care for the impecunious!
What make herd immunity different than swarm immunity is.
A title of the book would try to answer to continue a topic going,
I much rather hear how drugs are ruining a country from the flat earth society and if legalized which if enough people feel like anhedonia the lack of pleasure in life. Maybe 🤔 a war would become of it if everyone was miserable 😩.
I would of much rather a couple hours longer of a book to lit those topics sort of assumption like in see an individual die would be awful 😣 on repeat Or apprehension of society falling apart due to female control in funcunidity and male control with aggression in assault. Or the apparent looking at baited Pendulum try and balance the affirmative action plans of post secondary kingdom of government agenda. On how lacking heredity as in roots of a nuclear family are looked as compared to open monogamy of the community family pie in the sky.
Or how adoption and a loud thinking hat would be in a swarm as an identity to ruin the good kid or the individual whom cried wolf 🐺.
But that’s getting beside the point de fuite of the book 📚 but I would say it been a book to remember.
I writing this review on 4 hours of sleep after a long day at work absolutely an injection of some what similar to a diabetic injection ***** and listening to Sirius 69 classic jazz station 🚉
Off to bed 🛌 I’m thinking 💭 to rewrite this, later
It seems like you have written a lengthy review of a book or idea, and you have touched on several topics related to swarm behavior in animals and how it relates to human society. It's interesting to see how insects and animals communicate and work together in a swarm, and how we can learn from their behavior. It's also important to address issues related to mental health, social inequality, and other societal problems. As for herd immunity versus swarm immunity, herd immunity refers to the protection of a population against a disease through vaccination, whereas swarm immunity is the ability of a swarm to defend itself against a predator or disease. In any case, I hope you get some rest and have a chance to revisit your ideas later on.
Even if an ant 🐜 or bee 🐝 or bird 🦅 leaves it position as similar to an employee leaving or quitting the hive does not fall apart it keeps continuing as a hive. A company are isolated or affiliated is.
Bees finding the best hive or birds flying in a swarm, but why?
Bees show there excitement in with enthusiasm in their behaviour dance to show other bees to go find a hive she was just a part of. Or birds 🦅 fly in a swarm protection from bigger predators.
To show there excitement even with elk running from a wolf 🐺 all run together and as the wolf can’t pick the moving herd they singularly divide and the wolf can’t decide which elk to follow and if it picks it might be healthy enough to put a good enough run 🏃♂️away is.
Termites could build huge building to keep the right carbon or air quality for the hive if a wall breaks guards come and builders build on other termites work to keep strength of huge towers and air conditioned.
Similar to people swarms of people to religious occasions is.
As insects and logistics ants would make company’s like propane see supply and distribution and which plant to load from to the closes to not run out in peak times, but to make it more complex some propane has to be filled first if it’s on a slope the truck has to be full to deliver it product of complications arise.
Same with ants as builders or scavengers or nurses there is no clip board communication but communication with behaviour and hormones.
Often disaster like trampling of people happens from waves 🌊 of stops and goes til one fall and the crowd could not be stopped in panic.
Or if you shock a jar 🫙 black ants to red ants
Signs of it showing or signals of behaviour could show a crisis before a pandemic 😷 or contagion could be moved with fad would work.
It’s almost like an alternative world 🌎 that if one ☝️ was famous they wouldn’t be famous in another alternative world 🌎.
Same with a Fad and a contagion 😷 is how an agenda is built either conspiracy 🌀 or a controversy never 👎 not getting offended by but saying hey that offends with a bold statement.
I guess what makes behaviour communication at the most simplest is.
That even if your fluent in communication and can speak or behave is not a mark of intelligence. Same how’s human are, in burn out or exhaustion or simply mental health is.
Haves of haves not, or haves not haves.
I think caring for the human race is better than hate.
But right now I think theirs not enough care for the impecunious!
What make herd immunity different than swarm immunity is.
A title of the book would try to answer to continue a topic going,
I much rather hear how drugs are ruining a country from the flat earth society and if legalized which if enough people feel like anhedonia the lack of pleasure in life. Maybe 🤔 a war would become of it if everyone was miserable 😩.
I would of much rather a couple hours longer of a book to lit those topics sort of assumption like in see an individual die would be awful 😣 on repeat Or apprehension of society falling apart due to female control in funcunidity and male control with aggression in assault. Or the apparent looking at baited Pendulum try and balance the affirmative action plans of post secondary kingdom of government agenda. On how lacking heredity as in roots of a nuclear family are looked as compared to open monogamy of the community family pie in the sky.
Or how adoption and a loud thinking hat would be in a swarm as an identity to ruin the good kid or the individual whom cried wolf 🐺.
But that’s getting beside the point de fuite of the book 📚 but I would say it been a book to remember.
I writing this review on 4 hours of sleep after a long day at work absolutely an injection of some what similar to a diabetic injection ***** and listening to Sirius 69 classic jazz station 🚉
Off to bed 🛌 I’m thinking 💭 to rewrite this, later
It seems like you have written a lengthy review of a book or idea, and you have touched on several topics related to swarm behavior in animals and how it relates to human society. It's interesting to see how insects and animals communicate and work together in a swarm, and how we can learn from their behavior. It's also important to address issues related to mental health, social inequality, and other societal problems. As for herd immunity versus swarm immunity, herd immunity refers to the protection of a population against a disease through vaccination, whereas swarm immunity is the ability of a swarm to defend itself against a predator or disease. In any case, I hope you get some rest and have a chance to revisit your ideas later on.
April 5, 2021
1. Natural selection
2. Diversity
3. Democracy
4. How to govern ourselves and make decisions
5. Ants: No leadership, game plan, mission
6. Diversity of knowledge
7. Self-healing built in the “system”, if some don’t do what’s needed, others pivot to pick it up
8. Wikipedia - independent collaboration
9. 6 degrees of separation
10. Birds of a feather flock together
11. Schools of fish
12. Social beings copy one another peer pressure imitation these groups are self organized
13. As learned by honey bees, Groups can make good decisions together as long as they seek diversity of knowledge and perspectives, encourage friendly competition of ideas, narrow choices thru voting
14. Small contributions to shared project - termites - Wikipedia
15. Flocks of starling can coordinate their position and direction with preciseness by paying attention to those closest to you
16. Constantly gives us feedback on what to / how to do things
17. Social norms, belonging to a community vs individualism
18. We need laws, financial incentives to do the right thing
19. Build platforms to share knowledge
2. Diversity
3. Democracy
4. How to govern ourselves and make decisions
5. Ants: No leadership, game plan, mission
6. Diversity of knowledge
7. Self-healing built in the “system”, if some don’t do what’s needed, others pivot to pick it up
8. Wikipedia - independent collaboration
9. 6 degrees of separation
10. Birds of a feather flock together
11. Schools of fish
12. Social beings copy one another peer pressure imitation these groups are self organized
13. As learned by honey bees, Groups can make good decisions together as long as they seek diversity of knowledge and perspectives, encourage friendly competition of ideas, narrow choices thru voting
14. Small contributions to shared project - termites - Wikipedia
15. Flocks of starling can coordinate their position and direction with preciseness by paying attention to those closest to you
16. Constantly gives us feedback on what to / how to do things
17. Social norms, belonging to a community vs individualism
18. We need laws, financial incentives to do the right thing
19. Build platforms to share knowledge
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2017
A similar book of the tipping point
Author analysed the behaviour of ants, bees, termites...
A neat presentation and clearly correlating the actual events......was wonderful
Started little boring and took off nicely
Learn about ant independent responsibility
Bees selection of nest, termites maintaining the nest and bird flock together handling predators and humans standing ovation
Great!!
Loved
Author analysed the behaviour of ants, bees, termites...
A neat presentation and clearly correlating the actual events......was wonderful
Started little boring and took off nicely
Learn about ant independent responsibility
Bees selection of nest, termites maintaining the nest and bird flock together handling predators and humans standing ovation
Great!!
Loved
April 7, 2018
Whay can we learn from ants and bees? Acting like a swarm or hive is the future of work and decision-making. Through examples of the animal world, the author reflects on how humans can work as a hive and achieve collaborative problem-solving, based on a diversity of individuals and sources, and through a multitude of complex interactions. Top-down decisions don't work, get together and activate your company's hivemind to tap into that real-time creativity. Accessable and interesting read!
March 9, 2017
Concise and well-thought-out, I felt the book's only shortcoming was that it didn't delve very deeply into some of the specifics of *how* the various swarming behaviors could be applied in practice. What I mean simply is that the details about the animal behaviors described didn't match the level of detail for many of the human solutions, and I wanted them to!
September 15, 2018
This book showed us how swarming animals can be used to fix problems like delivery routes for a shipping company or making bomb disarming robots. But it ended almost contradicting itself by showing how swarms of people are really really dumb.
April 23, 2019
I don't know if this suffered from lackluster narration or overly verbose writing. The subject is plainly interesting, so I don't know how it went so wrong. I think Miller just says TOO MUCH about each detail.
This would have a been a delightfully interesting long-form article in the Atlantic.
This would have a been a delightfully interesting long-form article in the Atlantic.
January 15, 2020
I am interested in animal behavior and so I think the book is worth reading. Their techniques for getting things done also apply to some behavior of humans when in groups. I skimmed part of it after he answered the question "how are they doing it? in each of the chapters."
August 12, 2018
Very interesting topic, but too much story-telling and too many irrelevant details, and not enough depth.
April 29, 2019
Animal / insect behavioral economics applied to human beings. Like the part on locust hind legs. In many regards Nature is more intelligent then man.
May 7, 2019
i have a new respect for ants and termites. interesting book.
August 23, 2019
Excellent. I'd like them to focus in though on each topic rather than go once over lightly a bunch. Probably six short books rather than one medium length
February 20, 2020
Interesting concepts especially in the realm of mass collaboration to solve difficult problems/cases.
June 21, 2020
Loved the beer game. Rest of the book is interesting if you are keen on crowd dynamics.
April 15, 2021
A book of two halves - the bits on animal behavior were interesting - the bits linking this to human behavior less so.
January 30, 2022
I wish we were more like ants, bees, and flocking birds, but far more often we are like locusts.
March 25, 2022
This book isn’t bad, but offers limited insights. 🤔
October 24, 2025
Good but not perfect. The exact sort of book that deserves a new edition.
July 19, 2015
Very interesting read, with rather simple layout to cover several useful swarm behaviors and the a destructive force of swarms. Miller uses various animals/insects as the study of the swarming behavior, and investigate their successful instinctive swarming behavior that helps them survive in the wild.
With my background of computer science, AI and robotics has always been an interest to me, and this book has given some rather interesting viewpoints of how some of the common AI / robotics problems can be addressed.
Miller separates the book into several chapters, each covering a lesson with a single type of swarming animals/insects on self-organization, seeking diversity in knowledge, decentralized control and adaptive mimicking.
In the first chapter, Miller uses ants in this lesson to showcase that the decisions are made independently. Each types of ants only understand their own domain and their decision to carry out their task or not. Besides, the trail of chemicals that the ants left on their way, slowly enable the best route to food source emerges.
In the later chapter, bees behavior of having diversified knowledge to a new nest. The process involve the bees' wagging dance that tries their best to get the votes from every other bees. And other bees that will verify these new locations and slowly bubbles up the best location for the new nest.
While termites are used to showcase the lesson of decentralized control/indirect collaboration, which denotes that everyone not only those in the closest respond to the problem, everyone else chips in. There's no strict protocol into who should respond to crisis, the termites closest to the issue (a hole of their mound) will start fixing problem blocks by blocks. These termites don't have the overall architectural plan of the whole nest mound, but only follows very simple rules to do the fixing, and through the sheer number of termites and connections between them, wonderful structure can be built.
The last lesson, adaptive mimicking which is showcased by birds. These birds only track the closest 6-7 birds and as a whole enables the whole group to be flexible and adaptive to sudden changes/dangers to the whole group.
Apart from the positive side of the swarming behavior, one should not forget the possible negative side of it. Miller uses locusts to describe this negative swarming behavior, and how a simple reason due to the solitary locusts are forced together due to drought.
With my background of computer science, AI and robotics has always been an interest to me, and this book has given some rather interesting viewpoints of how some of the common AI / robotics problems can be addressed.
Miller separates the book into several chapters, each covering a lesson with a single type of swarming animals/insects on self-organization, seeking diversity in knowledge, decentralized control and adaptive mimicking.
In the first chapter, Miller uses ants in this lesson to showcase that the decisions are made independently. Each types of ants only understand their own domain and their decision to carry out their task or not. Besides, the trail of chemicals that the ants left on their way, slowly enable the best route to food source emerges.
In the later chapter, bees behavior of having diversified knowledge to a new nest. The process involve the bees' wagging dance that tries their best to get the votes from every other bees. And other bees that will verify these new locations and slowly bubbles up the best location for the new nest.
While termites are used to showcase the lesson of decentralized control/indirect collaboration, which denotes that everyone not only those in the closest respond to the problem, everyone else chips in. There's no strict protocol into who should respond to crisis, the termites closest to the issue (a hole of their mound) will start fixing problem blocks by blocks. These termites don't have the overall architectural plan of the whole nest mound, but only follows very simple rules to do the fixing, and through the sheer number of termites and connections between them, wonderful structure can be built.
The last lesson, adaptive mimicking which is showcased by birds. These birds only track the closest 6-7 birds and as a whole enables the whole group to be flexible and adaptive to sudden changes/dangers to the whole group.
Apart from the positive side of the swarming behavior, one should not forget the possible negative side of it. Miller uses locusts to describe this negative swarming behavior, and how a simple reason due to the solitary locusts are forced together due to drought.
February 7, 2016
Very good overview of swarm behavior that solves problems and in the final chapter examples where degenerated swarm behavior is detrimental.
Starts with ant self-organization using the three basic mechanisms 1) decentralized control 2) distributed problem solving 3) multiple interactions. Really nice description of history of ant colony algorithms solving the traveling salesman problem.
Next, honeybees and their behavior to find a new homes when part of a grown population moves on. Using exploration and diversity of information/knowledge bee behavior encourages a friendly competition of 'ideas' and an effective mechanism for decision making to find th ebest choice. This leads directly to a discussion of the 'wisdom of crowds'.
Next, termites and their ability as a group to detect damage to their mound and repair it. This chapter starts with a great description of the US east-coast power outage 2003 created by multiple accidents and a non-recoverable spread of connected outages. In contrast to the termites' behavior is that the power grid was not built to be self-healing.
Swarms of birds and locusts and their behavior are the final parts of the book, leading into a discussions of parameters of such a swarm (like density, over-population) that leads to destructive behavior of the swarm over all. Group-think and peer-pressure behavior examples in human contexts show how the 'wisdom of crowds' can turn into the opposite when the mechanisms to encourage diversity of ideas are absent.
Well worth the read, very insightful and thought provoking.
Starts with ant self-organization using the three basic mechanisms 1) decentralized control 2) distributed problem solving 3) multiple interactions. Really nice description of history of ant colony algorithms solving the traveling salesman problem.
Next, honeybees and their behavior to find a new homes when part of a grown population moves on. Using exploration and diversity of information/knowledge bee behavior encourages a friendly competition of 'ideas' and an effective mechanism for decision making to find th ebest choice. This leads directly to a discussion of the 'wisdom of crowds'.
Next, termites and their ability as a group to detect damage to their mound and repair it. This chapter starts with a great description of the US east-coast power outage 2003 created by multiple accidents and a non-recoverable spread of connected outages. In contrast to the termites' behavior is that the power grid was not built to be self-healing.
Swarms of birds and locusts and their behavior are the final parts of the book, leading into a discussions of parameters of such a swarm (like density, over-population) that leads to destructive behavior of the swarm over all. Group-think and peer-pressure behavior examples in human contexts show how the 'wisdom of crowds' can turn into the opposite when the mechanisms to encourage diversity of ideas are absent.
Well worth the read, very insightful and thought provoking.
April 29, 2012
The flaw in this book is that it tries extremely hard, again and again, to relate the natural behaviors of large groups back to human life and, especially, corporate culture. This is such a mistake. To waste such a rich vein of animal phenomena by simply shoehorning it into management advice robs the subject of its own natural beauty.
I'm not saying that there are not clear applications of swarm behavior in nature to what we as humans do, and there is certainly a lot we could do better by emulating this behavior (in some situations). But Miller seems afraid that if he talks about termites too long without also providing a lengthy anecdote regarding tangentially related behavior at Boeing, that he will somehow lose the interest of his readers. Which may in fact be the case, if the reader is looking strictly for project management advice. But it is unlikely that this would be the case.
This book would function better as a strictly pop biology book. Just tell me what the animals and insects do (which is amazing; those parts of the book are great) and I will draw my own conclusions regarding human behavior. *Maybe* include an epilogue with applicable cases to humanity. But do not, dear writer, dare to rob nature of its weird and complex power by boiling down the results of perpetual evolution into a case study on airline seating patterns.
I'm not saying that there are not clear applications of swarm behavior in nature to what we as humans do, and there is certainly a lot we could do better by emulating this behavior (in some situations). But Miller seems afraid that if he talks about termites too long without also providing a lengthy anecdote regarding tangentially related behavior at Boeing, that he will somehow lose the interest of his readers. Which may in fact be the case, if the reader is looking strictly for project management advice. But it is unlikely that this would be the case.
This book would function better as a strictly pop biology book. Just tell me what the animals and insects do (which is amazing; those parts of the book are great) and I will draw my own conclusions regarding human behavior. *Maybe* include an epilogue with applicable cases to humanity. But do not, dear writer, dare to rob nature of its weird and complex power by boiling down the results of perpetual evolution into a case study on airline seating patterns.
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