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Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics

In 1972 Phil Andersen articulated the motto of condensed matter physics as “More is different.” However, for most condensed matter systems many more is quite similar to more. Here I argue for a class of condensed matter, “tunable matter,” in which many more is more different—the behaviors of more and of many more can be quite different. A familiar example of tunable matter is the brain, whose cognitive capabilities increase as size increases from 302 neurons (C. Elegans) to a million neurons (honeybees) to 100 billion neurons (humans). Tunable matter extends far beyond the Hopfield model, which exemplifies this behavior. Indeed, I propose that tunable matter provides a unifying conceptual framework for understanding emergent collective function in a wide class of biological systems. Finally, I will discuss new non-biological systems capable of being trained to develop desired complex collective behaviors without using a processor.

Further information

Time:

03Feb
Feb 3rd 2026
13:00 to 14:00

Venue:

Center for Mathematical Sciences, Lecture room MR4.

Speaker:

Andrea Liu (University of Pennsylvania)

Series:

DAMTP Statistical Physics and Soft Matter Seminar