Table 1 Systems where we can expect vulnerability near the edge. Specific questions for follow-up research.
From: Transformation starts at the periphery of networks where pushback is less
System | background | question |
|---|---|---|
Psychiatric disorders | Many psychiatric disorders correspond to networks of symptoms such as insomnia, rumination, and depressed mood that are mutually reinforcing11,12 | Are central symptoms in such networks more resistant to treatment? |
Meta-populations | Meta-populations or ecosystems such as coral reefs or remains of forests often occur in a spatial network of patches where migration between the patches enhances resilience and creates a ‘rescue effect’9,10,35,39,40 | Should protective measures, but also restoration efforts, focus on the peripheral rather than the core patches? |
Science | It may be more difficult to get an entirely different idea if you build on the same information41 | Is there an optimal level of disconnect between research groups? |
Art | Is art from isolated artists more original? | |
Power grids | From a single element, failure may cascade through power grids as loads are shifted to nearby elements which are then pushed beyond capacity42,43 | Is failure due to overload more likely to start from a peripheral element? |
Financial networks | Banks and other financial institutions depend on each other through a partly invisible network of loans and other agreements8,44 | Is systemic failure most likely to start from peripheral banks? |
