3 ms·

Golden ratios are mathematically useful for non-interference. Phi (golden ratio) is sometimes referred to as the “most” irrational number.” Two waves with that

Golden ratios are mathematically useful for non-interference. Phi (golden ratio) is sometimes referred to as the “most” irrational number.” Two waves with that ratio will never have their peaks and troughs line up. Ie, they don’t synchronize. Contrast that with a harmonic or integer ratio. Neuroscientists have found high and low theta waves (for instance) that are separated by a phi ratio — they propose that this ratio prevents interference and allows multiplexing. Somehow, these pulses helped prevent coupling to the environment?

jazzyjackson 4y ago
Similar to how primes show up in nature, e.g. cicada broods maturing at 11, 13, and 17 year cycles - they are less likely to compete with other broods this way, a natural optimization of avoidance.
- OscarCunningham 4y ago
  Consecutive entries in the Fibonacci sequence have a ratio close to ϕ, and no common factors.
- mgsouth 4y ago
  Non-biologist me suspects this is a case of 4n+1; an initial year, then an "emerge! fly away! party like it's spring break in Ft. Lauderdale!" signal with peaks every four years and the biggest peak during the 3rd (13 year) or 4th (17 year) cycle. (There are also two- to eight-year species, but I'm not finding any references to an 11-year species). Broods have stragglers that are usually off by 1- or 4-years from the main body. [1] The benefit would be that above-ground predators are overwhelmed during mating season. [2] Since adults eat very little, almost all resource consumption occurs during the underground phase, when all species and broods are feeding at the same time. Since it's not a resource issue then there's no benefit to avoiding emergence in conjunction with another species or brood. Theoretically it would help overwhelm predators even more, but there's probably little practical benefit to 17x (one species) vs. 34x (two species). What you don't want is a different brood every year; that would eliminate the feast-or-famine problem for predators. The timing between broods is just a random walk. Assuming stragglers are due to environmental or other non-genetic happenstance (4-year multiples are very strongly conserved), then if stagglers happen to survive one year their descendants would establish a new brood baselined 1- or 4-years offset from the original. Such straggling and establishing of new broods would obviously be very helpful in avoiding a species disaster during a bad year. [1] https://cicadas.uconn.edu/stragglers/ https://cicadas.uconn.edu/stragglers/ [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada#Life_cycle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada#Life_cycle (third paragraph)
  - dr_dshiv 4y ago
    My understanding is that predator-prey cycles are a sort of biological rhythmic entrainment. Oscillating in large primes makes it hard for predators to synchronize.

jazzyjackson 4y ago

Similar to how primes show up in nature, e.g. cicada broods maturing at 11, 13, and 17 year cycles - they are less likely to compete with other broods this way, a natural optimization of avoidance.

OscarCunningham 4y ago
Consecutive entries in the Fibonacci sequence have a ratio close to ϕ, and no common factors.
mgsouth 4y ago
Non-biologist me suspects this is a case of 4n+1; an initial year, then an "emerge! fly away! party like it's spring break in Ft. Lauderdale!" signal with peaks every four years and the biggest peak during the 3rd (13 year) or 4th (17 year) cycle. (There are also two- to eight-year species, but I'm not finding any references to an 11-year species). Broods have stragglers that are usually off by 1- or 4-years from the main body. [1] The benefit would be that above-ground predators are overwhelmed during mating season. [2] Since adults eat very little, almost all resource consumption occurs during the underground phase, when all species and broods are feeding at the same time. Since it's not a resource issue then there's no benefit to avoiding emergence in conjunction with another species or brood. Theoretically it would help overwhelm predators even more, but there's probably little practical benefit to 17x (one species) vs. 34x (two species). What you don't want is a different brood every year; that would eliminate the feast-or-famine problem for predators. The timing between broods is just a random walk. Assuming stragglers are due to environmental or other non-genetic happenstance (4-year multiples are very strongly conserved), then if stagglers happen to survive one year their descendants would establish a new brood baselined 1- or 4-years offset from the original. Such straggling and establishing of new broods would obviously be very helpful in avoiding a species disaster during a bad year. [1] https://cicadas.uconn.edu/stragglers/ https://cicadas.uconn.edu/stragglers/ [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada#Life_cycle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cicada#Life_cycle (third paragraph)
- dr_dshiv 4y ago
  My understanding is that predator-prey cycles are a sort of biological rhythmic entrainment. Oscillating in large primes makes it hard for predators to synchronize.