Princeton University Donald R. Hamilton Lecture

Abstract: Flocks and swarms are iconic examples of living matter, in which motile, interacting individuals give rise to emergent global patterns. Despite the complexity of their biological components, these groups obey robust statistical laws and can be described within a statistical physics framework. In this talk, I will review our current understanding of these systems. Drawing on experimental evidence and theoretical modeling, I will show how mutual interactions and self-propulsion combine to produce non-trivial dynamics and large-scale out-of-equilibrium behavior. This analysis helps explain the mechanistic origin of efficient collective behavior in living groups and highlights new challenges for the statistical physics of biological systems.