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Smart Swarm: Using Animal Behaviour to Organise Our World
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Review
'I loved The Smart Swarm. It's been a while since I was this stimulated by a book, or saw so many practical applications. And what a great read' --Don Tapscott, author of Wikinomics
'With an eye for detail and an easy style, Peter Miller explains why swarm intelligence has scientists buzzing' --Steven Strogatz, author of Sync, and Professor of Mathematics, Cornell University
'Most people can't fathom that ants, bees, and other social insects have found solutions to some of modern society's most vexing problems. In The Smart Swarm, Peter Miller offers a fascinating and articulate tour of what these creatures can do, how they do it, and the lessons for humans. This book is a gem, with a message that is as extraordinarily counter intuitive as it is valuable' --Michael J. Mauboussin, Chief Investment Strategist at Legg Mason Capital Management and author of Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
'[Peter Miller] has proven that there is intelligent life on earth, but it is not necessarily us. What a delightful, eye-opening book' --Martin Cruz Smith, author of Gorky Park and Stalin's Ghost
'Miller informs, engages, entertains, and even surprises in this thought-provoking study of problem making and problem solving, and through the comparison of human and insect scenarios, shows how social cues and signals can either bring about social cooperation or destruction' --Publishers Weekly
"I loved The Smart Swarm. It's been a while since I was this stimulated by a book, or saw so many practical applications. And what a great read."
--Don Tapscott, author of Wikinomics
'With an eye for detail and an easy style, Peter Miller explains why swarm intelligence has scientists buzzing' --Steven Strogatz, author of Sync, and Professor of Mathematics, Cornell University
'Most people can't fathom that ants, bees, and other social insects have found solutions to some of modern society's most vexing problems. In The Smart Swarm, Peter Miller offers a fascinating and articulate tour of what these creatures can do, how they do it, and the lessons for humans. This book is a gem, with a message that is as extraordinarily counter intuitive as it is valuable' --Michael J. Mauboussin, Chief Investment Strategist at Legg Mason Capital Management and author of Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition
'[Peter Miller] has proven that there is intelligent life on earth, but it is not necessarily us. What a delightful, eye-opening book' --Martin Cruz Smith, author of Gorky Park and Stalin's Ghost
'Miller informs, engages, entertains, and even surprises in this thought-provoking study of problem making and problem solving, and through the comparison of human and insect scenarios, shows how social cues and signals can either bring about social cooperation or destruction' --Publishers Weekly
"I loved The Smart Swarm. It's been a while since I was this stimulated by a book, or saw so many practical applications. And what a great read."
--Don Tapscott, author of Wikinomics
Review
‘Smart Swarm blends zoology, entertaining anecdotes and conceptual discussion in an approachable and insightful way.’ – New Scientist
‘‘Smart Swarm blends zoology, entertaining anecdotes and conceptual discussion in an approachable and insightful way.’ – New Scientist
‘There have been other recent books about swarm intelligence, and the wisdom of crowds, but Miller's book is the sharpest, most readably intelligent guided tour of current thinking and research about collective intelligence and nature's basic collaborations.’ – Iain Finlayson, The Times
‘Peter Miller gives us a lively account of how studying the collective habits, actions and instincts of animals in the wild means that we can apply these strategies to organising and communicating in our own world. – The Times, Eureka
‘I loved The Smart Swarm. It's been a while since I was this stimulated by a book, or saw so many practical applications. And what a great read' – Don Tapscott, author of Wikinomics
There have been other recent books about swarm intelligence, and the wisdom of crowds, but Miller's exploration of the insect hive mind is fascinating enough, but his real interest is in the way humans can harness this phenomenon to structure businesses.’ – BBC Focus
‘It all makes for a fascinating read, not least for the insight Miller provides into the arcane workings of the animal kingdom. The book also raises interesting questions about our own behaviour and what it takes for us to work for a common goal.’ – BA Business Life
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
I really enjoyed reading this. It's one of those books that makes you feel you've learned something and been thoroughly entertained at the same time. Peter Miller manages to explain complex behaviours simply, entertainingly and clearly.
There are sections on how honeybees choose the best location for a new hive, how termites make trails, how flocks of birds fly seemingly in perfect synchrony and why locusts biting each other's legs can tell us something about human crowds in confined spaces. It's well written, flowing seamlessly from one tale to the next. The author introduces the scientists behind each section and engages you with their work and their discoveries - wonderful.
It's not really going to tell you anything much about board meetings - it's mostly about biology, not business. But it's a lot more interesting.
A good, informative read. Five stars.
There are sections on how honeybees choose the best location for a new hive, how termites make trails, how flocks of birds fly seemingly in perfect synchrony and why locusts biting each other's legs can tell us something about human crowds in confined spaces. It's well written, flowing seamlessly from one tale to the next. The author introduces the scientists behind each section and engages you with their work and their discoveries - wonderful.
It's not really going to tell you anything much about board meetings - it's mostly about biology, not business. But it's a lot more interesting.
A good, informative read. Five stars.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
The science of behaviour, and why we do things as humans, ultimately derives from instinctive concerns, which can be observed amongst many animals.
How this behaviour can be harnessed to Mankind's benefit is what this -- very readable -- book is about.
It explains why swarming is beneficial to various animal systems, and then it goes on to explain how we can use this information to help our lives be made easier, and smarter, or more efficient.
What I enjoyed are the various problems that swarming animals have solved (e.g. the Postman problem, which involves the route that a postman should take to be most efficient with delivery), and the methodology that is used to help us solve them.
It's a well-written book, and a fantastic introduction to the topic -- great for students who want to expand their reading list.
How this behaviour can be harnessed to Mankind's benefit is what this -- very readable -- book is about.
It explains why swarming is beneficial to various animal systems, and then it goes on to explain how we can use this information to help our lives be made easier, and smarter, or more efficient.
What I enjoyed are the various problems that swarming animals have solved (e.g. the Postman problem, which involves the route that a postman should take to be most efficient with delivery), and the methodology that is used to help us solve them.
It's a well-written book, and a fantastic introduction to the topic -- great for students who want to expand their reading list.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review
(What's this?)
As a researcher in Evolutionary Computation (which explores the ideas outlined in this book as actual software for solving HARD problems), I found the book well written but a bit superficial.
However, it is an excellent introduction into a different way of thinking for most organisations, reviewing a wide range of different "animal" approaches to problem-solving. From the pheremone trails of Ants, through the Bee Dance to the flocking of birds, the book clearly shows how a large number of very simple processes (or creatures) can actually solve quite complex problems - if there are enough of them.
The author applies these ideas to a number of real-world business scenarios, and gives some reasonable examples of success.
If you are experienced in the world of EC then this book will seem too simplistic, but it does give a good overview of the topic, and plenty of food for thought for those looking at new ways of problem solving.
However, it is an excellent introduction into a different way of thinking for most organisations, reviewing a wide range of different "animal" approaches to problem-solving. From the pheremone trails of Ants, through the Bee Dance to the flocking of birds, the book clearly shows how a large number of very simple processes (or creatures) can actually solve quite complex problems - if there are enough of them.
The author applies these ideas to a number of real-world business scenarios, and gives some reasonable examples of success.
If you are experienced in the world of EC then this book will seem too simplistic, but it does give a good overview of the topic, and plenty of food for thought for those looking at new ways of problem solving.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A solid introductory book
In the animal kingdom, there are many examples of groups working together for the greater good, and in this book, Peter Miller covers a number of different examples. Read more
Published 5 months ago by Karura
An exploration of the complex, dynamic collaborations found in nature
Peter Miller used his 25 years as editor and writer for National Geographic, to create a fascinating, thought-provoking book that explores some of the complex, dynamic... Read more
Published 5 months ago by David Briddock
a great read for business, sociology and psychology students
This is a great entry level read for the study of the chaos theory, behavioral studies (both animal and human)and business studies. Read more
Published 7 months ago by L. mckay
Beautiful thoughts really
A famous computer scientist (Djikstra) once said that the worst thing to happen to Computer Science was the invention of the computer. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Paul Robinson
Entertaining & Enlightening
Peter Millers SMART SWARM gives a good overview of one of the most focal research issues for complex system dynamics, i.e. Read more
Published 12 months ago by B. H. Madsen
Concise and easy read, full of valuable insight
Peter Miller has brought together information from many sources to bring us a well-structured and compelling introduction to the intelligence of swarms. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Mr. P. HAIGH
Good introduction to the world of swarm intelligence
The intelligence of a swarm has always interested me and this book is an excellent introduction into the emergence of intelligence from swarms. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Thurstan Johnston
When the whole is mightier than the sum of the parts
Not surprisingly for a Senior Editor at National Geographic Magazine, Peter Miller makes a complex and potentially dry scientific topic not only accessible but also absolutely... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Steve Benner
Fascinating insights
I had to fight off my husband and daughter to read this ... it is a fascinating book, some very telling insights into collective behaviours, some of which was completely new to me... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Polly Potter
A smartly-swarming snapshot of the blind watchmakers cleverness.
Smart Swarm
This is a popular science book which energetically and enthusiatically looks at the emergent behaviour of swarms and crowds and how this behaviour can teach... Read more
This is a popular science book which energetically and enthusiatically looks at the emergent behaviour of swarms and crowds and how this behaviour can teach... Read more
Published 14 months ago by M. P. Sammut
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