An example of complex systems are galaxies and the interaction between them during a collision. 
Roberta Duarte meteorized Brazil Oct 25, 2023 07:00 6 mins
When we look at the universe, we find complex structures ranging from life as we know it to galaxies and stars. In various areas of knowledge, the degree of complexity seems to be an open question: How could the structures reach such a level of complexity?
In biology, one of the questions is understanding how life came to be what we know today. Philosophy is about the question of consciousness and intelligence, which have developed into increasingly complex forms. In astronomy, The question of how galaxies evolved into what we know today remains a major mystery.
With these questions in mind, a group of researchers from various fields addressed the issue came together to propose a new law for the evolution of things in the universe. The law is called “Law of increasing functional information” that tries to explain why things evolve towards more complex structures.
Complex systems
Complex systems can be found in various fields, from sociology to physics. The field focuses on understanding the units of a set that interact with each other and have a collective dynamic.
An example of this is the behavior of a group of people at a music concert, each participant is a person, but there is collective behavior.
The real question was how life appeared is a problem that interfaces with complex systems. We can understand living things as a series of complex interactions between molecules, which in turn have interactions with their atoms. Explaining how we arrived at this level of complexity is a big open question.
Complexity in physics
In physics, The field of complex systems is extremely rich in explanations of various types of problems. Your own particles and interactions between particles become real laboratories. But perhaps the big questions lie in astrophysics.
Complex systems can occur in a variety of fields, from sociology to physics.
We observe galaxies of different types with complicated dynamics. Our own Milky Way is an example of a spiral-type galaxy, but we also observe other types such as elliptical, irregular and lenticular galaxies. The complex dynamics raise questions such as: How did they arise?
One of the main missions of the James Webb Space Telescope is to understand how galaxies formed when the universe was young. The answer is so difficult that the scientific community is trying to analyze the details of the data to begin answering the question.
Study of complex systems
Some researchers from Cornell University came together to answer the question: Why do complex systems, including life, evolve toward greater functional information over time? The study brought together astronomers, physicists, philosophers, a mineralogist and a data scientist to find an answer.
According to the study author, it was one of the largest meetings between philosophers and scientists to answer this question. Together, They introduced what they called the “law of functional information expansion.” Laws help provide guidance to understand the reason for what we observe.
Law of functional information expansion
The researchers report this in the work published by the journal PNAS The new law states that a system evolves when different configurations of the system are used for one or more functions. In other words, a system tends to become more complex over time based on its functions.
The law also speaks of natural selection of systems and that only some will survive. that is, the most complex will survive. This is very similar to Darwin’s theory of evolution, but extended to systems that are not living, such as the arrangement of atoms or even galaxies.
Reviews
The work has been praised by various researchers who argue that it represents an advance in understanding complex systems. However, some were also critical of the work and said: that it is not necessary to find a law analogous to Darwin’s theory for non-living systems.
We hope that this research will pave the way to answers to fundamental questions, from the formation of galaxies to the origin of life.