As it happens, many systems turns to be chaotic. There are techniques of time series analysis to find signatures of chaotic dynamics, and they have been found in economical systems, ecological data, car traffic flows and even heartbeat. Moreover, chaotic systems have interesting characteristics. Not only they are very hard to predict, but also they are very easy to control. Some consequences of the last have been explored in population genetics, in encription techniques and in medicine.
 
 

Chaos, cyclicity and extinctions in the Phanerozoic record (Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3)

Since a time series with all the extinctions that have occured to families in the history of life was put together, the cyclicity of mass extinctions has been object of debate. Here evidences of chaotic dynamics are found for this time series.

Controlling chaos in ecology

Here a simple model of population dynamics showing chaos is controlled so that behaves in stable fashion. The resistance to noise of this method is explored, and reasons for the low occurence of chaotic dynamics in animal data are hypothetized. This paper was published in Ecological Modelling, 1999.

Genetic homogeneity, complex dynamics and founder flush (Figures)

Here the consequences that chaotic dynamics has for the preservation of genetic variability are explored. The results are discused in relation with founder event theories of diversification.

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A link to describe ideas that round the complex side of Scilla and Charibdis Research...