Synchronisation and the Wisdom of the Crowd

A talk given by Professor Alan Champneys on 8th February 2024 for the IMA West Midlands Branch.

(Please note there is no sound until 1:30)

Abstract:
There is a beautiful mathematical theory of how independent agents tend to synchronise their behaviour when weakly coupled. Examples include how audiences spontaneously rhythmically applaud and how nearby pendulum clocks tend to move in sync. Another oft-quoted example is that of the London Millennium Bridge that connects St Paul’s Cathedral with the Tate Modern. On the day it opened, the bridge underwent unwanted lateral vibrations that are widely believed to be due to pedestrians synchronising their footsteps. In this talk, I shall explain how this theory is naive at best and there is a different, in fact simpler, mathematical theory that is more consistent with the facts. This theory is inspired by what the engineers knew all along and explains how other bridges have behaved including Bristol’s Clifton Suspension Bridge. I shall also reflect on the nature of mathematical modelling and the interplay between mathematics, engineering, and the real world.

[Dr_LK]

You should fix your audio problems. I’ve been teaching for years online and never have issues as such. Tsk tsk tsk unprofessional…