Diffusive Spreading in Nature, Technology and Society

authored by: Armin Bunde, Jürgen Caro, Christian Chmelik, Jörg Kärger, Gero Vogl
Abstract: What do the movements of molecules and the migration of humans have in common? How does the functionality of our brain tissue resemble the flow of traffic in New York City? How can understanding the spread of ideas, rumors, and languages help us tackle the spread a pandemic? This book provides an illuminating look into these seemingly disparate topics by exploring and expertly communicating the fundamental laws that govern the spreading and diffusion of objects. A collection of leading scientists in disciplines as diverse as epidemiology, linguistics, mathematics, and physics discuss various spreading phenomena relevant to their own fields, revealing astonishing similarities and correlations between the objects of study—be they people, particles, or pandemics. This updated and expanded second edition of an award-winning book introduces timely coverage of a subject with the greatest societal impact in recent memory—the global fight against COVID-19. Winner of the 2019 Literature Prize of the German Chemical Industry Fund and brainchild of the international and long-running Diffusion Fundamentals conference series, this book targets an interdisciplinary readership, featuring an introductory chapter that sets the stage for the topics discussed throughout. Each chapter provides ample opportunity to whet the appetite of those readers seeking a more in-depth treatment, making the book also useful as supplementary reading in appropriate courses dealing with complex systems, mass transfer, and network theory.
Organisation(s): Institute of Physical Chemistry and Electrochemistry
External Organisation(s): Justus Liebig University Giessen
Leipzig University
University of Vienna
Type: Monograph
No. of pages: 517
Publication date: 2023
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Physics and Astronomy(all), Engineering(all), Materials Science(all), Medicine(all), Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all), Environmental Science(all), Social Sciences(all), Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-05946-9 (Access: Closed)