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Center for Nonlinear Studies |
Complex Networks and the Evolution of Scientific Ideas
Network theory has allowed for the study of many complex systems in computer science, physics, and even biology. The goal of this project is to apply the well developed analytical tools of network theory to a network built of scientific ideas. By using a community finding approach, we aim to identify communities of scientific ideas and study their birth, death, and time evolution. We present preliminary results from a network built from the Physical Review Database using the Physics and Astronomy Classification Scheme (PACS). Ultimately, a better understanding of the dynamics of scientific ideas may allow for the prediction of the rise, fall, or merger of communities and the various fields they represent.