[tt] Complexity Digest 2008.05 (text version -2)
Eugen Leitl
<eugen at leitl.org> on
Fri Feb 1 14:55:13 UTC 2008
----- Forwarded message from Complexity Digest Distribution <comdig at ms68.hinet.net> -----
From: Complexity Digest Distribution <comdig at ms68.hinet.net>
Date: Fri, 1 Feb 2008 22:49:04 +0800
To: <Undisclosed-Recipient:;>
Subject: Complexity Digest 2008.05 (text version -2)
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.3138
Complexity Digest 2008.05 30-Jan-2008
Archive: [1]http://www.comdig.org, European Mirror: [2]http://www.comdig.de
[1] http://www.comdig.org/
[2] http://www.comdig.de/
Asian Mirror: [3]http://www.phil.pku.edu.cn/resguide/comdig/ (Chinese
GB-Code)
[3] http://www.phil.pku.edu.cn/resguide/comdig/
"I think the next century will be the century of complexity." Stephen
Hawking, 2000
_________________________________________________________________
PDF files of our annual editions are available at
www.comdig.de/AnnualEditions.html
A letter from Gottfried Mayer to our readers and friends is at
www.comdig.de/GMLetter.html
_________________________________________________________________
01. How The World Invests In R&D - The Changing Face Of Public And Private
Funding., Nature
01.01. Big Foot: Eco-Footprints Of Rich Dwarf Poor Nations' Debt, Science News
02. Microchips Everywhere: a Future Vision, Washington Post
02.01. The Coming Wave of Gadgets That Listen and Obey, NY Times
02.02. A Wii Warm-Up Hones Surgical Skills, New Scientist
03. Virology: The Battle Within, Nature
03.01. Genomics: Fighting Fire With Fire, Nature
03.02. Search For The 'On' Switches May Reveal Genetic Role In Development And
Disease, ScienceDaily
04. Molecular Biology: The Expanding World Of Small RNAs, Nature
05. The Right Resident Bugs, Science
06. Entire Synthetic Genome Created, National Geographic News
06.01. ¡¥Telepathic¡¦ Genes Recognise Similarities In Each Other,
Innovations-report
07. Human Evolution: Why We're Different: Probing The Gap Between Apes And
Humans, Science
08. Application of Bloom's Taxonomy Debunks the "MCAT Myth", Science
08.01. Kids Learn More When Mom Is Listening, Innovations-report
09. Evolutionary Learning Of Small Networks, Complexity
10. Cellular Memory Hints At The Origins Of Intelligence - Slime Mould Displays
Remarkable Rhythmic Recall., Nature
11. Systems Biology: Enlightening Rhythms, Science
12. Researchers Identify Brain's 'Eureka' Circuitry, Innovations-report
13. 100% Accuracy in Automatic Face Recognition, Science
14. Clusters Of Ant Colonies And Robust Criticality In A Tropical
Agro-Ecosystem, Nature
15. In Diatom, Scientists Find Genes That May Level Engineering Hurdle,
PhysOrg.com
16. Supercool, And Strange - Scientists Are Finding Clues About Why Water Is So
Utterly Weird, Science News
17. Materials Science: Adaptive Composites, Science
18. Optics: Against The Spread Of The Light, Nature
19. Complex Challenges: Global Terrorist Networks
19.01. Analysis: Dirty Money Cleanup Gains Speed, UPI
19.02. JI Forces Weaken: Military Chief, SunStar Manila
20. Links & Snippets
20.01. Other Publications
20.02. Webcast Announcements
20.03. Conference Announcements
20.04. Other Announcements
_________________________________________________________________
01. How The World Invests In R&D - The Changing Face Of Public And Private
Funding. , Nature
Excerpts: The latest analysis from the US National Science Board confirms that
Israel leads the world in its economic devotion to research and development
(R&D). Its civilian R&D spending in 2005 accounted for 4.71% of gross domestic
product (GDP), more than twice the average among members of the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Although US R&D investment
was the world's largest - $340 billion - and in 2004, it was more than that of
the rest of the G7 nations combined, the report offers some evidence of a
slight decline in its standing.
* [4] How The World Invests In R&D - The Changing Face Of Public And Private
Funding., Rachel Courtland, 08/01/23, DOI: 10.1038/451378a, Nature 451, 378
(2008)
[4] http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080123/full/451378a.html
_________________________________________________________________
01.01. Big Foot: Eco-Footprints Of Rich Dwarf Poor Nations' Debt , Science News
Excerpts: GIANT STEPS. Color-coded footprints indicate the dollar cost, in
trillions, of environmental damage inflicted by high-, middle-, and low-income
groups of nations on each of the other two groups. E. Roell, from Srinivasan
graphic The first accounting of who's stomping on whom finds rich nations
leaving supersized boot prints of ecological damage on poor countries, adding
up to more than those nations' debt to the wealthier countries. Rich nations'
doings during the last 4 decades of the 20th century caused up to $2.5 trillion
in environmental impacts on poor countries,(...). Middle-income nations did
about the same amount of damage to the low-income countries. Each wallop is
bigger than the total that poor countries have borrowed from wealthier nations.
In 2000, that borrowing added up to $1.8 trillion.
* [5] Big Foot: Eco-Footprints Of Rich Dwarf Poor Nations' Debt, Susan Milius,
08/01/26, ScienceNews
[5] http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20080126/fob2.asp
_________________________________________________________________
02. Microchips Everywhere: a Future Vision , Washington Post
Excerpts: -- Here's a vision of the not-so-distant future: _Microchips with
antennas will be embedded in virtually everything you buy, wear, drive and
read, allowing retailers and law enforcement to track consumer items _ and, by
extension, consumers _ wherever they go, from a distance. _A seamless, global
network of electronic "sniffers" will scan radio tags in myriad public
settings, identifying people and their tastes instantly so that customized ads,
"live spam," may be beamed at them. _In "Smart Homes," sensors built into walls
,
floors and appliances will inventory possessions, record eating habits, monitor
medicine cabinets _ all the while, silently reporting data to marketers eager
for a peek into the occupants' private lives.
* [6] Microchips Everywhere: a Future Vision, Todd Lewan, 08/01/26, The
Associated Press
[6]
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/01/26/AR2008012601126
_pf.html
_________________________________________________________________
02.01. The Coming Wave of Gadgets That Listen and Obey , NY Times
Excerpts: Cathy Hul Over all, speech recognition was a $1.6 billion
market in 2007, according to Opus Research, which predicts an annual growth
rate of 14.5 percent over the next three years. (...) The cellphone market
holds the most potential, given its billions of phones, but cellular providers
are still working out the business model for such services. (...) To be sure,
speech recognition technology has been available on personal computers since
2001 in applications like Microsoft Office, but few people use it. But in
cellphone and other markets, speech recognition "is on the cusp of a curve,"
(...).
* [7] The Coming Wave of Gadgets That Listen and Obey, Michael Fitzgerald,
08/01/27, NYTimes
[7] http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27/business/27proto.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
_________________________________________________________________
02.02. A Wii Warm-Up Hones Surgical Skills , New Scientist
Excerpts: To test how the Wii affected surgical skill, the researchers asked
eight trainee doctors to play it for an hour before performing a virtual
surgery. They used a training tool called ProMIS, which simulates a patient's
body in 3D and tracks the surgeon's movements as they operate. They fed the
movements to an algorithm which scores the virtual surgeon on a range of
factors. Wii-playing residents scored 48 per cent higher on tool control and
performance than those without the Wii warm-up.
* [8] A Wii Warm-Up Hones Surgical Skills, Michael Reilly, 08/01/19,
NewScientist.com
[8]
http://technology.newscientist.com/channel/tech/mg19726396.100-a-wii-warmup-hon
es-surgical-skills.html
_________________________________________________________________
03. Virology: The Battle Within , Nature
Excerpts: Viral and microbial interactions within living tissues are more
complex than previously thought. (...) HHV-6, at least in this situation,
seemed to protect against HIV1. So infectious agents interact with each other
and with hosts in unpredictable ways. An average human body is rife with
viruses, and benign and not-so-benign bacteria as well as 'endogenous
retroviruses', which buried themselves in the human genome eons ago. This
crowded house is a different beast from the sterile cell lines used as models.
* [9] Virology: The Battle Within, Melinda Wenner, 08/01/23, DOI:
10.1038/451388a, Nature 451, 388-389
[9] http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080123/full/451388a.html
_________________________________________________________________
03.01. Genomics: Fighting Fire With Fire , Nature
Excerpts: Mobile genetic elements called transposons could cause havoc in the
genome if left unregulated. Of the various cellular defence strategies used to
preserve genome integrity, one involves exploiting transposons themselves.
(...) (...) in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, proteins called
CENP-Bs are drafted in to quell transposon activity. What is unusual about this
particular choice is that CENP-Bs themselves are derived from transposable
elements.
* [10] Genomics: Fighting Fire With Fire, Daniel F. Voytas, 08/01/24, DOI:
10.1038/451412a, Nature 451, 412-413
[10] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7177/full/451412a.html
_________________________________________________________________
03.02. Search For The 'On' Switches May Reveal Genetic Role In Development And
Disease , ScienceDaily
Excerpts: A new resource that identifies regions of the human genome that
regulate gene expression may help scientists learn about and develop treatments
for a number of human diseases, according to researchers (...) "The majority of
DNA in our bodies is packaged, or tightly structured," said (...). "Our goal
was to identify the areas of DNA across the entire genome that are not
packaged, because we know those are the regions that are important in
regulating gene activity." They combined two known processes to look at
regulatory regions across the whole human genome, Crawford said. (...)
* [11] Search For The 'On' Switches May Reveal Genetic Role In Development And
Disease, 2008/01/25, ScienceDaily
* Contributed by [12] Atin Das
[11] http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/01/080124132515.htm
[12] mailto:dasatin at yahoo.co.in
_________________________________________________________________
04. Molecular Biology: The Expanding World Of Small RNAs , Nature
Excerpts: Molecular cell biology has long been dominated by a protein-centric
view. But the emergence of small, non-coding RNAs challenges this perception.
These plentiful RNAs regulate gene expression at different levels, and have
essential roles in health and disease. (...) miRNAs were originally identified
in C. elegans for their central role in development. Consistent with their
function in differentiation and development, expression of many miRNAs is
tissue-specific (...) or is associated with certain developmental stages. miRNA
expression patterns often change in diseases such as cancer.
* [13] Molecular Biology: The Expanding World Of Small RNAs, Helge Grohans,
Witold Filipowicz, 08/01/24, DOI: 10.1038/451414a, Nature 451, 414-416
[13] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7177/full/451414a.html
_________________________________________________________________
05. The Right Resident Bugs , Science
Excerpts: A link between transcription factors and bacteria in the fly gut
opens the door to analyses of host immunity to intestinal resident and
pathogenic microbes.
* [14] The Right Resident Bugs, Neal Silverman, Nicholas Paquette, 08/01/24,
DOI: 10.1126/science.1154209, Science
[14] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1154209
_________________________________________________________________
06. Entire Synthetic Genome Created , National Geographic News
Excerpts: A micrograph shows a synthetic Mycoplasma genitalium genome
during a roughly 0.6-second period. The feat is the first time an entire genome
has been stitched together in the lab - an important step toward creating
synthetic life, according to the creators. Photograph courtesy J. Craig Venter
Institute Scientists yesterday announced that they have successfully
created an entire synthetic genome in the lab by stitching together the DNA of
the smallest known free-living bacterium, Mycoplasma genitalium. Experts are
hailing the research as an important breakthrough in genetic manipulation that
will one day lead to the "routine" creation of synthetic genomes - possibly
including those of mammals. (...) The new work is an important second step in a
three-step process to the creation of synthetic life, (...).
* [15] Entire Synthetic Genome Created, John Roach, 08/01/25, National
Geographic News
[15]
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/01/080125-artificial-life.html
_________________________________________________________________
06.01. ¡¥Telepathic¡¦ Genes Recognise Similarities In Each Other ,
Innovations-report
Excerpts: Genes have the ability to recognise similarities in each other from a
distance, without any proteins or other biological molecules aiding the process
,
according to new research (...). This discovery could explain how similar genes
find each other and group together in order to perform key processes involved
in the evolution of species. This new study shows that genes - which are parts
of double-stranded DNA with a double-helix structure containing a pattern of
chemical bases - can recognise other genes with a similar pattern of chemical
bases. This ability to seek each other out could be the key to how genes
identify one another (...).
* [16] ¡¥Telepathic¡¦ Genes Recognise Similarities In Each Other, 2008/01/25,
Innovations-report
* Contributed by [17] Atin Das
[16]
http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life_sciences/report-102064.html
[17] mailto:dasatin at yahoo.co.in
_________________________________________________________________
07. Human Evolution: Why We're Different: Probing The Gap Between Apes And
Humans , Science
Excerpts: Researchers at a high-level meeting probe the ancient question of
what sets the human brain apart from those of other primates. (...) Although
nonhuman primates can do remarkable things--chimps have rudimentary cultures,
and some monkeys have highly complex social systems--none shows the kind of
creativity and innovation that are the hallmarks of Homo sapiens. Researchers
have long puzzled about which human behaviors stem from our primate roots and
which are unique to the hominid line.
* [18] Human Evolution: Why We're Different: Probing The Gap Between Apes And
Humans, Michael Balter, 08/01/25, Science: 404-405.
[18] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/404
_________________________________________________________________
08. Application of Bloom's Taxonomy Debunks the "MCAT Myth" , Science
Excerpts: Biology education and medical education are under scrutiny. The
essence of the critique is that introductory biology courses for undergraduates
and basic science courses in medical schools overemphasize "factual minutiae" [
(
[19] 1), p. [20] 1343] over the things that working biologists and physicians
claim students actually need to master--specifically, critical thinking and
professional skills ( [21] 2- [22] 4). The Medical College Admission Test
(MCAT) has been accused of hindering efforts to introduce more critical
thinking into introductory biology courses ( [23] 3), and the Advanced
Placement (AP) Biology course has come under fire for stressing rote
memorization ( [24] 5, [25] 6).
* [26] Application of Bloom's Taxonomy Debunks the "MCAT Myth", Alex Y. Zheng,
Janessa K. Lawhorn, Thomas Lumley, Scott Freeman, 08/01/25, DOI:
10.1126/science.1147852, Science : Vol. 319. no. 5862, pp. 414 - 415
[19] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/414#ref1
[20] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/1343
[21] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/414#ref2
[22] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/414#ref4
[23] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/414#ref3
[24] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/414#ref5
[25] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/414#ref6
[26] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/414
_________________________________________________________________
08.01. Kids Learn More When Mom Is Listening , Innovations-report
Excerpts: Kids may roll their eyes when their mother asks them about their
school day, but answering her may actually help them learn. New research from
Vanderbilt University reveals that children learn the solution to a problem
best when they explain it to their mom. ¡§We knew that children learn well with
their moms or with a peer, but we did not know if that was because they were
getting feedback and help,¡¨ (...) said. ¡§In this study, we just had the
children¡¦s mothers listen, without providing any assistance. We¡¦ve found that
by simply listening, a mother helps her child learn.¡¨ (...)
* [27] Kids Learn More When Mom Is Listening, 2008/01/25, Innovations-report
* Contributed by [28] Atin Das
[27]
http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/social_sciences/report-102014.ht
ml
[28] mailto:dasatin at yahoo.co.in
_________________________________________________________________
09. Evolutionary Learning Of Small Networks , Complexity
Excerpt: Results are presented of a simulation that mimics an evolutionary
learning process for small networks. Special features of these networks include
a high recurrency, a transition function which decreases for large input
activities, and the absence of tunable weights attached to the lines - the line
is either there (weight 1) or absent (weight 0). It is remarkable that these
simple systems already exhibit a complex learning behavior and a phenomenon of
punctuated equilibrium in the evolutionary process. These findings should be of
interest for both, the general understanding of evolutionary dynamics (...).
* [29] Evolutionary Learning Of Small Networks, [30] T. Filk, A. von Müller,
Jan.-Feb. 2008, online 2007/12/21, DOI: 10.1002/cplx.20211, Complexity
* Contributed by [31] Pritha Das
[29] http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/cgi-bin/abstract/117870808/ABSTRACT
[30] mailto:thomas.filk at t-online.de
[31] mailto:prithadas01 at yahoo.com
_________________________________________________________________
10. Cellular Memory Hints At The Origins Of Intelligence - Slime Mould Displays
Remarkable Rhythmic Recall. , Nature
Excerpts: Learning and memory - abilities associated with a brain or, at the
very least, neuronal activity - have been observed in protoplasmic slime, a
unicellular organism with multiple nuclei. When the amoeba Physarum
polycephalum is subjected to a series of shocks at regular intervals, it learns
the pattern and changes its behaviour in anticipation of the next one to come,
according to a team of researchers in Japan. Remarkably, this memory stays in
the slime mould for hours, even when the shocks themselves stop.
* [32] Cellular Memory Hints At The Origins Of Intelligence - Slime Mould
Displays Remarkable Rhythmic Recall., Philip Ball, 08/01/23, DOI:
10.1038/451385a, Nature 451, 385 (2008)
[32] http://www.nature.com/news/2008/080123/full/451385a.html
_________________________________________________________________
11. Systems Biology: Enlightening Rhythms , Science
Excerpts: We live in a sea of vibrations, detecting them through our senses and
forming impressions of our surroundings by decoding information encrypted in
these fluctuations. Such periodic phenomena range from circadian oscillations
in living cells ( [33] 1) to acoustic oscillations in the primordial universe (
[34] 2). Passively observing periodic phenomena is scientifically rewarding, bu
t
actively using periodic stimuli to observe the hidden wonders of nature is even
more so. On page [35] 482 of this issue, Mettetal et al. ( [36] 3) report using
oscillatory stimuli to decipher how an organism--the yeast Saccharomyces
cerevisiae--responds to environmental changes.
* [37] Systems Biology: Enlightening Rhythms, Ovidiu Lipan, 08/01/25, Science :
417-418.
[33] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/417#ref1
[34] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/417#ref2
[35] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/482
[36] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/417#ref3
[37] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/417
_________________________________________________________________
12. Researchers Identify Brain's 'Eureka' Circuitry , Innovations-report
Excerpts: Researchers have found the brain region that controls the decision to
halt your midnight exploration of the refrigerator and commence enjoyment of
that leftover chicken leg. What¡¦s more, they said, such mechanisms governing
exploration are among those that malfunction in addiction and mental illness.
(...) presented monkeys with a choice of touch targets on a computer screen,
requiring the monkeys to spend time exploring which target would trigger a
juice reward. (...) During the trials, the researchers recorded the electrical
activity of hundreds of neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a brain
region known to be active in adaptive behaviors (...).
* [38] Researchers Identify Brain's 'Eureka' Circuitry, 2008/01/24,
Innovations-report
* Contributed by [39] Atin Das
[38]
http://www.innovations-report.com/html/reports/life_sciences/report-101990.html
[39] mailto:dasatin at yahoo.co.in
_________________________________________________________________
13. 100% Accuracy in Automatic Face Recognition , Science
Excerpts: The simple process of image averaging can boost the performance of a
commercial face recognition system to 100% accuracy.(...) Accurate face
recognition is critical for many security applications. Current automatic
face-recognition systems are defeated by natural changes in lighting and pose,
which often affect face images more profoundly than changes in identity. The
only system that can reliably cope with such variability is a human observer
who is familiar with the faces concerned. We modeled human familiarity by using
image averaging to derive stable face representations from naturally varying
photographs.
* [40] 100% Accuracy in Automatic Face Recognition, R. Jenkins , A. M. Burton,
08/01/25, Science : 435.
[40] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/435
_________________________________________________________________
14. Clusters Of Ant Colonies And Robust Criticality In A Tropical
Agro-Ecosystem , Nature
Excerpts: Although sometimes difficult to measure at large scales, spatial
pattern is important in natural biological spaces as a determinant of key
ecological properties such as species diversity, stability, resiliency and
others. Here we demonstrate, at a large spatial scale, that a common species of
tropical arboreal ant forms clusters of nests through a combination of local
satellite colony formation and density-dependent control by natural enemies,
mainly a parasitic fly. Cluster sizes fall off as a power law consistent with a
so-called robust critical state.
* [41] Clusters Of Ant Colonies And Robust Criticality In A Tropical
Agro-Ecosystem, John Vandermeer, Ivette Perfecto, Stacy M. Philpott,
08/01/24, DOI: 10.1038/nature06477, Nature 451, 457-459
[41] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7177/full/nature06477.html
_________________________________________________________________
15. In Diatom, Scientists Find Genes That May Level Engineering Hurdle ,
PhysOrg.com
Excerpts: By manipulating the genes responsible for silica production in
diatoms - unicellular algae that encase themselves in intricately patterned,
glass-like shells - scientists hope to produce faster computer chips. Photo:
courtesy Wikimedia Commons Diatoms build their hard cell walls by laying
down submicron-sized lines of silica, a compound related to the key material of
the semiconductor industry - silicon. "If we can genetically control that
process, we would have a whole new way of performing the nanofabrication used
to make computer chips," (...). To that end, a team (...) has reported finding
a set of 75 genes specifically involved in silica bioprocessing in the diatom
Thalassiosira pseudonana (...).
* [42] In Diatom, Scientists Find Genes That May Level Engineering Hurdle,
08/01/21, PhysOrg.com
[42] http://www.physorg.com/news120156785.html
_________________________________________________________________
16. Supercool, And Strange - Scientists Are Finding Clues About Why Water Is So
Utterly Weird , Science News
Excerpts: MULTIPLE PERSONALITIES. Water's many forms, or phases, change
with shifts in temperature and pressure. Below -38 degC, at high enough
pressures (a region researchers call "no man's land"), water may remain liquid.
The precise locations of the phase boundaries are uncertain, but those shown
here are supported by computer simulations. E. Roell/S. Norcross You
wouldn't expect to learn much about the properties of water by watching a
square dance. But think again. Following the caller's lead, the dancers meet,
separate, weave, and swing in a perfectly fluid manner. It turns out that
similar coordinated maneuvers - with water molecules taking the places of the
dancers - may be responsible for some of water's most puzzling features, an
array of recent research findings suggest.
* [43] Supercool, And Strange - Scientists Are Finding Clues About Why Water Is
So Utterly Weird, Susan Gaidos, 08/01/26, ScienceNews
[43] http://www.sciencenews.org/articles/20080126/bob9.asp
_________________________________________________________________
17. Materials Science: Adaptive Composites , Science
Excerpts: Imagine a search-and-rescue robot that can change shape to squeeze
through crevices with the suppleness of an octopus, or an aircraft skin with a
circulatory system that enables temperature regulation, cooling, and
self-healing similar to an animal. Such concepts are driving the development of
adaptive composites that mimic biological responsive functionality while
operating in extreme environments.
* [44] Materials Science: Adaptive Composites, Richard Vaia, Jeffery Baur,
08/01/25, Science : 420-421.
[44] http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/319/5862/420
_________________________________________________________________
18. Optics: Against The Spread Of The Light , Nature
Excerpts: Light that propagates without spreading or diffracting sounds like a
theorist's pipedream. But it is a very real proposition, and could be used to
illuminate some profound aspects of wave-particle duality. The law of wave
diffraction is a tough nut to crack. Consider, for example, a beam from a
simple laser pointer. It might still seem narrow and pencil-like when you shine
it on a wall or screen a few metres from you, but if you were to point it at th
e
Moon, it would have a diameter of several hundred kilometres.
* [45] Optics: Against The Spread Of The Light, Kishan Dholakia, 08/01/24, DOI:
10.1038/451413a, Nature 451, 413
[45] http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v451/n7177/full/451413a.html
_________________________________________________________________
19. Complex Challenges: Global Terrorist Networks
_________________________________________________________________
19.01. Analysis: Dirty Money Cleanup Gains Speed , UPI
Excerpts: Illegal money hurts development efforts in poor countries and may be
used to fund terrorism, but new cleanup efforts offer significant hope for
curbing dirty money flows. A major step began last summer, when Norway
requested that the World Bank conduct a study of illicit financial flows and
tax havens, which Norway offered to finance. World Bank President Robert
Zoellick subsequently agreed that a study of the development impact of offshore
financial centers would be a valuable contribution to the governance and
anti-corruption agenda, a representative of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign
Affairs told United Press International in an e-mail message.
* [46] Analysis: Dirty Money Cleanup Gains Speed, Megan Harris, 08/01/29, UPI
[46]
http://www.upi.com/International_Security/Emerging_Threats/Analysis/2008/01/29/
analysis_dirty_money_cleanup_gains_speed/2838/
_________________________________________________________________
19.02. JI Forces Weaken: Military Chief , SunStar Manila
Excerpts: Armed Forces Chief Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said the strength of the
Southeast Asian regional terrorist network Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) has declined
to around 20 men in the country, from a high of at least 30 to 40 men several
years ago. Esperon at the same time assured that the military establishment is
continuing with its campaign against the foreign terrorists who have funded a
number of bombings in the country by its local ally, the Abu Sayyaf Group.
* [47] JI [Jemaah Islamiyah, Ed.] Forces Weaken: Military Chief, 08/01/30,
SunStar Manila
[47]
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/man/2008/01/30/news/ji.forces.weaken.military.
chief.html
_________________________________________________________________
20. Links & Snippets
_________________________________________________________________
20.01. Other Publications
- Boffins Close To Building Life: Well That Just About Wraps It Up For God,
2008/01/25, vnunet.com
- Car-Cam Saves Sleepy Drivers: System Wakes Driver And Applies Brakes,
2008/01/23, vnunet.com
- Estimation Of Quantitative Genetic Parameters, 2008/01/22, Proceedings B:
Biological Sciences, DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2007.1417
- Estimating Evolutionary Parameters When Viability Selection Is Operating,
2008/01/22, Proceedings B: Biological Sciences, DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2007.1013
- Scientists Look At Those In Evolutionary Race Who Don't Make It 'Out Of The
Gate', 2008/01/25, ScienceDaily
- Camera In A Pill Offers Cheaper, Easier Window On Your Insides, 2008/01/25,
ScienceDaily
- How Much You're Willing To Pay Depends On What You Were Just Doing,
2008/01/25, ScienceDaily
- Key Factor In Stress Effects On The Brain Identified, 2008/01/26,
ScienceDaily
- The Role Of Culture In The Emergence Of Decision-Making Roles: An Example
Using Cultural Algorithms, Jan.-Feb. 2008, online 2007/12/14, Complexity, DOI:
10.1002/cplx.20196
- Thermal Roots Of Correlation-Based Complexity, Jan.-Feb. 2008, online
2007/12/12, Complexity, DOI: 10.1002/cplx.20195
- Youth Participation In Society, Jan. 2008, online 2007/12/11, Asia Europe
Journal, DOI: 10.1007/s10308-007-0152-0
- Fenced-Off Trees Drop Their Friends , 08/01/26, ScienceNews,
Protecting acacia trees from large, tree-munching animals sets off a chain of
events that ends up ruining the trees' partnership with their bodyguard ants.
- Shape-Shifting Magnetic Bots Take A Page Out Of The Dharma Playbook,
08/01/29, engadget.com,
Some friendly folks at Carnegie Mellon University are working towards
electromagnetic microscopic bots that cling together and can assume virtually
any shape. Down the line that means rapid prototyping, the promise of
"claytronics," (...).
_________________________________________________________________
20.02. Webcast Announcements
7th Intl Conf on Complex Systems (ICCS), Boston, MA, 07/10/28-11/02
[48]
Reseau Nationale des Systemes Complexes , (in French), 2007
[49] World Economic Forum , Davos, Switzerland, 08/01/22-27
TED Talks, TED Conferences LLC , since 2006
Talking Robots: The PodCast on Robotics and AI, Ecole Polytechnique Federale de
Lausanne, Switzerland, 06/11/03
Potentials of Complexity Science for Business, Governments, and the Media 2006,
Budapest, Hungary, 06/08/03-05
6th Intl Conf on Complex Systems (ICCS), Boston, MA, 06/06/25-30
Artificial Life X,
10th Intl Conf on the Simulation and Synthesis of Living Systems, Bloomington,
IN, USA. 2006/06/03-07
6th Understanding Complex Systems Symposium, Urbana-Champaign, Il, 06/05/15-18
Ralph Abraham on Complexity Digest, , Calcutta, India, 05/12/27
[50] An Afternoon with Michael Crichton, Washington, 05/11/06
[51]
Illuminating the Shadow of the Future, Ann Arbor, Mi 05/09/23-25
[52]
Open Network of Centres of Excellence in Complex Systems - Brainstorming
Meeting, Paris, France 05/09/19-23
[53]
Complexity, Science & Society Conference 2005, U. Liverpool, UK 2005/09/11-14
[54]
ECAL 2005 - VIIIth European Conference on Artificial Life,
Canterbury, Kent, UK 2005/09/5-9
[55]
T. Irene Sanders, Executive Director and Founder, [56] The Washington Center
for Complexity & Public Policy, 05/08/27, QuickTime video (10:38 min), [57]
Podcast
[58] North American Society for the Psychology of Sport and Physical Activity
2005 Conference, Virtual Conference Network, St. Pete's Beach, Florida,
05/06/09-11
[59] Understanding Complex Systems - Computational Complexity and
Bioinformatics, Virtual Conference Network, Urbana-Champaign, Il, UIUC,
05/05/16-19
[60] Nonlinearity, Fluctuations, and Complexity, with a celebration of the
65th birthday of Gregoire Nicolis. , Complexity Session, Universite' Libre de
Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium, 05/03/16
[61]
1st European Conference on Complex Systems, Torino, Italy, 04/12/5-7
>From Autopoiesis to Neurophenomenology: A Tribute to Francisco Varela
(1946-2001), Paris, France, 2004/06/18-20
Evolutionary Epistemology, Language, and Culture, Brussels, Belgium,
04/05/26-28
International Conference on Complex Systems 2004, Boston, 04/05/16-21
Nonlinear Dynamics And Chaos: Lab Demonstrations, Strogatz, Steven H.,
Internet-First University Press, 1994
CERN Webcast Service, Streamed videos of Archived Lectures and Live Events
Dean LeBaron's Archive of Daily Video Commentary, Ongoing Since February 1998
Edge Videos
[48] http://webcast.in2p3.fr/RNSC/ target=new
[49]
http://gaia.world-television.com/wef/worldeconomicforum_annualmeeting2008/Targe
t=new
[50] http://www.complexsys.org/news.htm target=new
[51] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/05ISF/index.html target=new
[52] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/ONCECS05/ target=new
[53] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/CSS05/ target=new
[54] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/ECAL2005/ target=new
[55] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/Sanders0508/Sanders0508.mov target=new
[56] http://www.complexsys.org/ target=new
[57] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/Sanders0508/Sanders.mp3
[58] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/05NASPSA/ target=new
[59] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/05UCS/ target=new
[60] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/Nicolis05/Target=new
[61] http://complexity.vub.ac.be/~comdig/ECCS04/Target=new
_________________________________________________________________
20.03. Conference Announcements
The 1st Conf on Artificial General Intelligence (AGI-08), Memphis, Tennessee,
USA, 08/03/01-03
The 3rd Intl Nonlinear Sciences Conference (INSC), Tokyo, Japan, 08/03/13-15
19th European Meeting On Cybernetics And Systems Research, (EMCSR 2008),
Vienna, Austria, 08/03/25-28
2nd KES Intl Symp on Agent and Multi-Agent Systems : Technologies and
Applications, Incheon, Korea, 08/03/26-28
[62]
Nexus for Change II,
Bowling Green, OH, 08/03/29-04/01
[63]
2nd Applied Neuroscience Meeting, Monterrey, Mexico, 08/04/03-06
[64]
Fumee 1 - 1St Futures Meeting - Understanding Anticipatory Systems, Rovereto
(Italy), 08/04/10-12
1st Intl Conf on Social Entrepreneurship & Complexity, Garden City, NY, USA,
08/04/10-12
[65]
Emergence In The Physical And Biological World: A Notion In Search Of
Clarification, Erice (Italy), 08/04/12-16
[66]
CHAOS2008
Chaotic Modeling and Simulation International Conference, Chania, Crete,
Greece, 08/06/03-06
[67] International Conference on Chaos, Complexity & Conflict, Omaha, NE,
08/06/05-07
[68]
4th Organization Studies Summer Workshop: ¡§Embracing Complexity: Advancing
Ecological Understanding in Organization Studies¡¨, Pissouri, Cyprus,
08/06/05-07
Cambridge Healthtech Institute's Tenth Annual... Applying Systems Biology, San
Francisco, CA, 08/06/09-11
[69]
9th Intl Mathematica Symposium, Maastricht, The Netherlands, 08/06/20-24
[70]
The 14th Intl Conf on Auditory Display (ICAD), Paris, France, 08/06/24-27
The 12th World Multi-Conf on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics: WMSCI
2008, Orlando, Florida, USA, 08/06/29-07/02
>From Animals To Animats 10 - The 10th Intl Conf on the Simulation Of Adaptive
Behavior (SAB'08), Osaka, Japan, 08/07/07-12
[71]
Complex Systems and Social Simulations, CEU Summer University, Budapest,
Hungary, 08/07/07-18
Stochastic Resonance 2008, Perugia, Italy, 08/08/17-21
[72]
1st Intl Workshop on Nonlinear Dynamics and Synchronization
(INDS¡¦08), Klagenfurt, Austria, 08/07/18-19
[73]
Scratch at MIT,Cambridge, MA, 08/07/24-26
[74]
8th Intl Conf on Epigenetic Robotics:
Modeling Cognitive Development in Robotic Systems, Brighton, UK,
08/07/31-08/02
[62] http://www.nexusforchange.org/ TARGET=new
[63] http://www.appliedneuroscience.nl TARGET=new
[64] http://www.mitteleuropafoundation.org/events.html TARGET=new
[65] http://www.plluisi.org/Erice2008/origin.htm TARGET=new
[66] http://www.asmda.net/chaos2008/ TARGET=new
[67] http://law.creighton.edu/wernerInstitute/complexityconference/ TARGET=new
[68] http://www.egosnet.org/journal/os_summer_workshop_2008.shtml TARGET=new
[69] http://www.ims08.org/ TARGET=new
[70] http://http://icad08.ircam.fr TARGET=new
[71] http://www.sun.ceu.hu/complex-systems/ TARGET=new
[72] http://inds08.uni-klu.ac.at/ TARGET=new
[73] http://scratch.mit.edu/conference/ TARGET=new
[74] http://www.epigenetic-robotics.org TARGET=new
_________________________________________________________________
20.04. Other Announcements
"
Wolfram Research is Now the Official Math Brain
Trust for the Hit CBS Series NUMB3RS. 07/10/05
A short notice from Dean LeBaron
Dear ComDig Readers,
Our editor, Dr. Gottfried Mayer, is affectionately esteemed by many of you --
as readers, you know he devotes himself unselfishly to widening our knowledge
of complexity science. He was recently diagnosed with advanced colon cancer and
given a timetable of a very few years. Knowing Gottfried, you can imagine that,
in addition to the customary processes of chemotherapy, he would explore other
frontier therapies, especially those arising out of interdisciplinary
applications of complexity. These are expensive ... if he can find them.
Many of you have sent your good wishes and indicated your desire to assist.
With Gottfried¡¦s permission, I am posting this note with information, below,
about how to send contributions to him. Please indicate the source since
Gottfried will want to express his warm gratitude.
I know that Gottfried, the good scientist that he is, will explain from time to
time what he is doing and what the results are ... and we will follow his
progress with great interest and hope.
Dean LeBaron
Publisher, Complexity Digest
Bank Information:
If your contribution is made by check:
Please mail the check, payable to ¡§Gottfried Mayer¡¨, to:
Manufacturers & Traders Trust
2080 Western Avenue
20 Mall
Guilderland, NY 12084 USA
(on the back of the check, please write: ¡§For Deposit Only: Account # 983 338
3814¡¨)
If your contribution is made by wire:
Manufacturers & Traders Trust
2080 Western Avenue
20 Mall
Guilderland, NY 12084 USA
SWIFT Code# MANTUS33
UID: 209 791
ABA routing # 022 00 00 46 [for US wire transfers]
Account # 983 338 3814
Ref. Gottfried Mayer
Intl Master of Science in Methods For Management Of Complex Systems - Academic
Year 2007-2008, Institute for Advanced Study, Pavia, Italy, 08/01/01
News notes on
Agent-based Computational Economics (ACE)
for July 2007 are now available on-line, 07/08/04
National Humanities Center Launches Humanities/Sciences Website, 07/04, As part
of its ongoing ¡§Autonomy, Singularity, Creativity: The Human & The Humanities¡
¨
project (ASC), the National Humanities Center makes public a new website for
the initiative which significantly expands the potential pool of humanists and
scientists engaged in the exploration and examination of topics surrounding the
question of human being.
_________________________________________________________________
[75]Complexity Digest is an independent publication available to
organizations that may wish to repost [76]ComDig to their own mailing
lists. [77]ComDig is published by [78]Dean LeBaron and edited by
[79]Gottfried J. Mayer.
To unsubscribe from this list, please send a note to
[80]subscriptions at comdig.org.
[75] http://www.comdig.org/
[76] http://www.comdig.org/
[77] http://www.comdig.org/
[78] http://www.deanlebaron.com/index.html
[79] http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/g/x/gxm21/
[80] mailto:subscriptions at comdig.org
----- End forwarded message -----
--
Eugen* Leitl <a href="http://leitl.org">leitl</a> http://leitl.org
______________________________________________________________
ICBM: 48.07100, 11.36820 http://www.ativel.com http://postbiota.org
8B29F6BE: 099D 78BA 2FD3 B014 B08A 7779 75B0 2443 8B29 F6BE
More information about the tt
mailing list