Isn't it fascinating that this has been on front page most of the day, and it has but one comment? I suppose I'll fill this echo chamber.
This sort of work is absolutely fascinating to me. Emergent behavior like this can be so varied and complex, and getting any handle on it at all is often impossible. The fact that mathematics is starting to approach such problems, and may one day discover a great edifice of knowledge that explains what happens when a few simple rules interact—why, I would love to see the day. Recall that programming, too, often involves putting together just a few small pieces in an intricate arrangement, which causes beautiful behaviors to take place. Imagine understanding that phenomenon on a deep level!
This sort of work is absolutely fascinating to me. Emergent behavior like this can be so varied and complex, and getting any handle on it at all is often impossible. The fact that mathematics is starting to approach such problems, and may one day discover a great edifice of knowledge that explains what happens when a few simple rules interact—why, I would love to see the day. Recall that programming, too, often involves putting together just a few small pieces in an intricate arrangement, which causes beautiful behaviors to take place. Imagine understanding that phenomenon on a deep level!