New study identifies shared mathematical principle linking how cells, companies, and cities diversify | MIT Sloan New research from MIT Sloan and the Santa Fe Institute shows common patterns in the growth of biological and social systems.

Thanks @mitsloan.bsky.social for covering our recent paper on function diversity across complex systems mitsloan.mit.edu/press/new-st...

Thanks @sfiscience.bsky.social for an accessible coverage of our paper!

Through modeling the growth process and empirically estimating key parameters, we find that while systems differ in how they add new functions, once a function is introduced, its growth follows a common sublinear preferential attachment process.

New paper in PNAS: We find Heaps' law, empirical regularity first identified in how diversity of vocabulary scales in books, also describes function diversity in cells and many human organizations (with cities being a notable exception). w/ @sfiscience.bsky.social www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Are you an early-career researcher or research professional with a broad interest in complexity science?

Applications are open for SFI’s 2026 CSSS program, a three-week, in-residence program offering an intensive introduction to complexity science.

Apply by Feb 4, 2026
santafe.edu/csss

Application Information | PhD | MIT Sloan Find information about how to apply to the MIT Sloan PhD Program.

PhD applications at MIT Sloan are live! Deadline is Dec 1. If you’re excited about social system modeling research and want to work with me or our other fantastic faculty, we’d love to see your application to the system dynamics group!
mitsloan.mit.edu/programs/phd...

Ceramicist at work in Takayama, Japan. (image: Katherine Mast)

Mastering a skill can take decades, but learning unfolds across timescales from moments to days. A new paper by three former SFI postdocs presents a theoretical model of nested timescales of learning, offering a unified, multi-scale account of skill acquisition. www.santafe.edu/news-center/...

Excited to share our new paper in NPJ Complexity! We propose a unified, multiscale model of skill acquisition—linking moments to decades. Ideated at the
@sfiscience.bsky.social-JSMF conference research jam, and years (many revisions) later, it’s finally out. www.nature.com/articles/s44...

We Used to Disagree. Now We Don’t Talk to Each Other. Five years after Covid, America's greatest threat is our divided reality.

Big thanks to Faye Flam and @bloomberg.com for the thoughtful interview and excellent article on polarization.
www.bloomberg.com/opinion/arti...