Research Finds Small Patterns Can Trigger Systemic Failures

Scientists identify network motifs that amplify disturbances in complex systems

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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New research suggests that small clusters of interacting components, called network motifs, can act as amplifiers in complex systems, triggering outsized reactions that ripple through the entire system. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was led by researchers from Florida Atlantic University, the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg, and the University of California, Merced.

Why it matters

The findings apply broadly to systems that can be represented as networks, including supply chains, power grids, and social networks. Identifying the specific small patterns that are prone to amplifying disturbances could help researchers and engineers better predict and potentially prevent cascading failures across interconnected systems.

The details

The researchers tested thousands of small interaction patterns embedded in larger networks and found that even motifs involving just two or three species can account for a large share of a network's overall reactivity. These small clusters can act as amplifiers, intensifying disturbances in ways the rest of the network cannot fully counterbalance.

  • The study was published on February 19, 2026.

The players

Ashkaan K. Fahimipour

Co-author of the study and an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences and a member of the Center for Complex Systems within FAU's Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

Melanie Habermann

First author of the study and a Ph.D. candidate at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg.

Justin D. Yeakel

Co-author of the study and an associate professor of life and environmental sciences at the University of California, Merced.

Thilo Gross

Co-author of the study and a professor and network and data scientist at the Carl von Ossietzky University of Oldenburg.

Florida Atlantic University

The university where Ashkaan K. Fahimipour is a faculty member and where the study was conducted.

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What they’re saying

“We hope future research, perhaps inspired by this work, will deepen our understanding of which system properties arise from parts of a network and which emerge from the network as a whole.”

— Ashkaan K. Fahimipour, Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, FAU (Mirage News)

What’s next

The researchers suggest that by identifying the specific small patterns that are prone to amplifying disturbances, scientists and engineers may be able to better predict and potentially prevent cascading failures across interconnected systems.

The takeaway

This study highlights the powerful idea that in complex systems, small patterns can have big consequences. By learning to spot the clusters that amplify disturbances, researchers may move closer to anticipating and mitigating cascading failures across the interconnected systems that shape our world.