Think of the economy as a giant web where every person, company, and country is linked. When something big happens — a pandemic, the rise of artificial intelligence, or a climate-driven disaster — it doesn’t just hit one strand. The shock ripples across the entire web, creating effects in real time that are hard to predict.

That’s the central theme of The Economy as an Evolving Complex System IV (SFI Press, 2026), the newest volumes in a series launched at the Santa Fe Institute nearly four decades ago to rethink economics through the lens of complexity science. Rather than assuming markets always balance neatly, these books treat the economy as a living system that grows, changes, and reacts in ways that are hard to predict.

Cleaner fish interacted with a mirror in their tank in a way that suggests ‘contingency testing’ intelligence, a higher form of smarts typically found in mammals. This finding coupled with faster self-recognition than previously thought, expands our image of intelligence in these social fish.

Digital games are often considered to be isolating; however, recent research shows that these games can also foster strong social bonds among players. A study conducted at Doshisha University analyzed a Japanese Discord community built for the competitive game Splatoon 3. The findings revealed that the gaming community also served as a space for social connection, emotional support, and belonging—highlighting the growing social role of online communities in everyday life.

Babies with an increased likelihood of autism may struggle to settle into deep, restorative sleep, according to a new study from the University of East Anglia. Researchers studied the link between sleep and sensory sensitivity, which is common in neurodivergent infants. They found that when babies with this trait napped in a noisy environment, their deep sleep was considerably disrupted.But even in a quiet room, those with high sensory sensitivity still slept more lightly - suggesting that both their unique sensory wiring and their surroundings influence how well they rest.