The geometry of social networks
A key insight of general relativity is the view of the universe as a four-dimensional geometric space. Gravitation and other forces within physics are explained as properties of the geometry. Analogously, string theory includes many dimensions, as many as ten or more, in an effort to explain all the forces of the universe. Given the geometry…
Memes are hard to spread: a mathematical model
A meme is a thought or action or behaviour that spreads in a social network. Memes are pervasive now with the abundance of on-line social media, ranging from fads like the ice bucket challenge, to popular gifs or sayings. The Big Bang Theory hilariously took on the topic of memes in the following clip. Network scientists have…
Caitlyn Jenner and the theory of elites in a social network
In a wonderfully affirming and brave move, Caitlyn Jenner affirmed her identity on the cover of Vanity Fair shot by Annie Lebowitz. A tweet of Jenner’s, along with the photo, sent shock waves through social media. Within four hours of her tweet on the topic, her twitter account garnered an incredible 1 million followers. To date, this…