Networks in Warcraft
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/4272418.stm While this isn’t a new story, occurring in September 2005, it is an amusing portrayal of disease spread through different networks. The case involves a coding malfunction that resulted in a deadly disease to spread among some servers in the popular multiplayer game, World of Warcraft. Initially the disease was meant to last a […]
The Effects of Information Cascades on Politics
In recent times, people often judge decisions based on the actions of those around them. Basing your own decision based upon that of someone near you is something people oftentimes willingly do. This rings no truer than in the recent presidential election. A few months ago, Chris Christie (the New Jersey governor) was one of […]
“Fake News,” Network Dynamics: Population Models
http://www.wsj.com/articles/most-students-dont-know-when-news-is-fake-stanford-study-finds-1479752576?mod=e2fb This article by The Wall Street Journal discusses new research conducted at Stanford University concerning how teens evaluate information online. According to the study, around 82% of middle-schoolers cannot distinguish between an ad labeled “sponsored content” and a real news story on a website. The article then discusses how several big companies are looking […]
Self-validation Networks
As an undergrad, the “real world” is rapidly approaching. A world with responsibilities and obligations other than prelims to take and parties to attend. A world that revolves around the infamous concept of “adulting” that has become stigmatized to the point of dread. The majority of people I know are terrified of leaving college and […]
The Decline of Cigarette Usage, Explained by Network Effects
Once ubiquitous in America, cigarettes today are becoming an increasingly rare sight. If you ask anyone other the tobacco industry itself, this is a good thing—smoking is the number one preventable cause of premature death in the United States, while costing tens of billions per year in medical expenditures and loss of productivity. To analyze how […]