The dynamics of higher-order novelties
Abstract Studying how we explore the world in search of novelties is key to understand the mechanisms that can lead to new discoveries. Previous studies analyzed novelties in various exploration processes, defining them as the first appearance of an element. However, novelties can also be generated...
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| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55115-y |
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| _version_ | 1841559197040246784 |
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| author | Gabriele Di Bona Alessandro Bellina Giordano De Marzo Angelo Petralia Iacopo Iacopini Vito Latora |
| author_facet | Gabriele Di Bona Alessandro Bellina Giordano De Marzo Angelo Petralia Iacopo Iacopini Vito Latora |
| author_sort | Gabriele Di Bona |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Studying how we explore the world in search of novelties is key to understand the mechanisms that can lead to new discoveries. Previous studies analyzed novelties in various exploration processes, defining them as the first appearance of an element. However, novelties can also be generated by combining what is already known. We hence define higher-order novelties as the first time two or more elements appear together, and we introduce higher-order Heaps’ exponents as a way to characterize their pace of discovery. Through extensive analysis of real-world data, we find that processes with the same pace of discovery, as measured by the standard Heaps’ exponent, can instead differ at higher orders. We then propose to model an exploration process as a random walk on a network in which the possible connections between elements evolve in time. The model reproduces the empirical properties of higher-order novelties, revealing how the network we explore changes over time along with the exploration process. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-269c62114ec94479983e4d074694ac76 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-269c62114ec94479983e4d074694ac762025-01-05T12:40:32ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111210.1038/s41467-024-55115-yThe dynamics of higher-order noveltiesGabriele Di Bona0Alessandro Bellina1Giordano De Marzo2Angelo Petralia3Iacopo Iacopini4Vito Latora5School of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary University of LondonSony Computer Science Laboratories RomeCentro Ricerche Enrico FermiDepartment of Economics and Business, University of CataniaNetwork Science Institute, Northeastern University LondonSchool of Mathematical Sciences, Queen Mary University of LondonAbstract Studying how we explore the world in search of novelties is key to understand the mechanisms that can lead to new discoveries. Previous studies analyzed novelties in various exploration processes, defining them as the first appearance of an element. However, novelties can also be generated by combining what is already known. We hence define higher-order novelties as the first time two or more elements appear together, and we introduce higher-order Heaps’ exponents as a way to characterize their pace of discovery. Through extensive analysis of real-world data, we find that processes with the same pace of discovery, as measured by the standard Heaps’ exponent, can instead differ at higher orders. We then propose to model an exploration process as a random walk on a network in which the possible connections between elements evolve in time. The model reproduces the empirical properties of higher-order novelties, revealing how the network we explore changes over time along with the exploration process.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55115-y |
| spellingShingle | Gabriele Di Bona Alessandro Bellina Giordano De Marzo Angelo Petralia Iacopo Iacopini Vito Latora The dynamics of higher-order novelties Nature Communications |
| title | The dynamics of higher-order novelties |
| title_full | The dynamics of higher-order novelties |
| title_fullStr | The dynamics of higher-order novelties |
| title_full_unstemmed | The dynamics of higher-order novelties |
| title_short | The dynamics of higher-order novelties |
| title_sort | dynamics of higher order novelties |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55115-y |
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