Equivalent dynamical complexity in a many-body quantum and collective human system

Abstract

Proponents of Complexity Science believe that the huge variety of emergent\nphenomena observed throughout nature, are generated by relatively few\nmicroscopic mechanisms. Skeptics however point to the lack of concrete examples\nin which a single mechanistic model manages to capture relevant macroscopic and\nmicroscopic properties for two or more distinct systems operating across\nradically different length and time scales. Here we show how a single\ncomplexity model built around cluster coalescence and fragmentation, can cross\nthe fundamental divide between many-body quantum physics and social science. It\nsimultaneously (i) explains a mysterious recent finding of Fratini et al.\nconcerning quantum many-body effects in cuprate superconductors (i.e. scale of\n10^{-9} - 10^{-4} meters and 10^{-12} - 10^{-6} seconds), (ii) explains the\napparent universality of the casualty distributions in distinct human\ninsurgencies and terrorism (i.e. scale of 10^3 - 10^6 meters and 10^4 - 10^8\nseconds), (iii) shows consistency with various established empirical facts for\nfinancial markets, neurons and human gangs and (iv) makes microscopic sense for\neach application. Our findings also suggest that a potentially productive shift\ncan be made in Complexity research toward the identification of equivalent\nmany-body dynamics in both classical and quantum regimes.\n