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Updated: Jun 22, 2026

Age-dependent Dynamics of Locomotion in Caenorhabditis elegans: A Lyapunov Exponent Analysis
Published on: September 23, 2025
Chaos theory before Lorenz
1Department of Economics, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, VA 22807, USA. rosserjb@jmu.edu
Abstract:
We consider the precursors to the discovery of sensitive dependence on initial conditions by Edward Lorenz (1963) in his model of climatic fluid dynamics. This will focus on work in various disciplines that imply either such sensitivity, irregular endogenous dynamic patterns, or fractal nature of an attractor, as is also found in the attractor underlying the model Lorenz studied. Going from ancient hints in Anaxagoras through nineteenth century mathematics and physics, the main areas of such development will be argued to have been in celestial mechanics, oscillators, and economics.
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