What do free kicks, GPS, and feminist bankers all have in common? The answer is unpredictable…

Chaos is a defining feature of our universe and exists on all scales, from the haphazard scatterings of atoms to whirling flocks of birds and spiraling galaxies. All of these systems are unified by their complexity, and can be approached through the study of complex systems, for which Italian physicist Giorgio Parisi has recently been awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. The novelty of Parisi’s breakthrough is in his development of a mathematical model to predict the alignment of atoms in special magnetic metal alloys. Work by physicists like Parisi, however, gives us a way of understanding complex systems in everything from the atmosphere to computer chips, and demonstrates how a large collection of unordered, random things, when put together, can create something predictable and useful. This model is not limited to understanding physics, but also extends to how our brains create thoughts and comprehend the world.

As it turns out, the brain is full of disorder at the molecular level — we simply cannot create models to predict when a neuron will fire, much less how millions of these events combine into the breadth and depth of our cognition. However, this inconsistency may not be such a curse — in fact, it may even be essential. There are many situations where making quick, seemingly…