Guest Insights: Smart swarms: The power of self-organization - Peter Miller: "When army ants charge across the floor of a rain forest, there's no commander telling them where to go, no squad leaders rallying the troops.
When termites build a soaring mound on the savanna--complete with a network of ducts to regulate air and moisture inside--there's no project manager lining up subcontractors, no architect consulting blueprints.
Honeybees don't need a CEO to make the call when they select a new home from a dozen possible sites, even though the fate of every individual in the hive is riding on the decision.
Which raises a provocative question: If groups in nature can do it, why can't we? Why do human organizations require great leadership when colonies of ants, flocks of birds, and schools of fish get by just fine without any at all?
Is it because the problems they face are simpler than ours? Are their environments less complex and unpredictable?"
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