Scale invariance as a symmetry in physical and biological systems: listening to photons, bubbles and heartbeats

Abstract

Many dynamical systems from different areas of knowledge can be studied within the theoretical framework of time series, where the system can be considered as a black box, that only needs to be “listened” to. In this framework, non‐correlated series (white noise) and strongly correlated series (brownian noise or periodic series) constitute two extremes. Certain dynamical systems auto‐organize in a critical state that is characterized by 1/f or flicker noise. The family of fβ noises (β≤0) is fractal because fragments of the series are statistically identical to the original time series. 1/f noise (β = −1) is critical because it maximizes important complexity‐related quantities as memory, information content, efficiency and fractality. 1/f noise has been observed in classical systems, but also in quantum systems, and could possibly offer a unifying bridge of understanding between the macroscopic and the quantum world. In the present article, we will discuss some examples from both worlds.