Only in the 1990s did physicists begin to explore real networks, both natural and artificial, as evolving systems with intriguingly complex and effective architectures. Progress has been so immediate and astounding that we actually face a new science based on a new set of concepts, and, one may even say, on a new philosophy: the natural philosophy of a small world. Old ideas from mathematics, statistical physics, biology, computer science, and so on take on quite new forms in applications to real evolving networks.
• What is common to all networks?
• What are the general principles of the organization and evolution of networks?
• How do the laws of nature work in communication, biological, and social networks?
• What are networks?
This book, written by physicists, answers these questions and presents a general insight into the world of networks.