Collective phenomena emerge from the interaction of natural or artificial units with a
complex organization. The interplay between structural patterns and dynamics might induce …

Studies of biological systems and materials, together with recent experimental and
theoretical advances in colloidal and nanoscale materials, have shown how nonequilibrium …

One of the most important features of biosystems is how they are able to maintain local order
(low entropy) within their system boundaries. At the ecosystem scale, this organization can …

In this paper, we discuss some well-known experimental observations on self-organization
in dissipative systems. The examples range from pure fluid flow, pattern selection in fluid …

Systems in thermodynamic equilibrium are not only characterized by time-independent
macroscopic properties, but also satisfy the principle of detailed balance in the transitions …

In Bacillus subtilis colonies, motile bacteria move collectively, spontaneously forming
dynamic clusters. These bacterial clusters share similarities with other systems exhibiting …

In nature, microorganisms must often cope with hostile environmental conditions. To do so
they have developed sophisticated cooperative behaviour and intricate communication …

The collective directional movement of animals occurs over both short distances and longer
migrations, and is a critical aspect of feeding, reproduction and the ecology of many species …

A fundamental goal of microbial ecology is to understand what determines the diversity,
stability, and structure of microbial ecosystems. The microbial context poses special …

The constructal law is the statement that for a flow system to persist in time it must evolve in
such a way that it provides easier access to its currents. This is the law of configuration …