Patterns in Nature, in Society

Spring 2009 GEOL 1960F S01

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Course Description

The shapes of plants and animals, of mountains and shorelines arise because nature dissipates energy as rapidly as possible. These morphological patterns allow description of the energy "landscape" that produced them. Societies and economies show temporal and spatial patterns as well: does the "flow rate" of ideas and of money cause these patterns? We will explore just how "entropy rules." Enrollment limited to 16. Instructor permission required.