Like schools of fish, starlings gather in massive undulating crowds. Known as murmurations, these gatherings are a type of collective motion. Scientists often try to mimic these groups through simulations and lab experiments where individuals in a swarm obey simple rules that depend only on observing their neighbors. It requires very little, it turns out, to form swarms that move in this beautiful manner! (Video and image credit: J. van IJken; via Colossal)
“The Art of Flying”
