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On the Fractal Structure of Evolutionary Trees

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Fractals in Biology and Medicine

Part of the book series: Mathematics and Biosciences in Interaction ((MBI))

Abstract

We analyse in terms of a fractal tree the time sequences of major evolutionary leaps at various scales: from the scale of the “global” tree of life (appearance of life to homeothermy), to the distinct scales of organization of clades, such as sauropod and theropod dinosaurs, North American equids, rodents, primates including hominids, and echinoderms. We also apply this type of model to the acceleration observed in the economic crisis/no-crisis pattern in Western and pre-Columbian civilizations. In each case we find that these data are consistent with a log-periodic law of acceleration or deceleration, to a high level of statistical significance. Such a law is characterized by a critical epoch of convergence Tcspecific to the lineage under consideration. These results support a description of evolutionary trees in terms of critical phenomena.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Observatoire de Paris, DAEC (UMR CNRS 8631), 92195, Meudon Cedex, France

    Laurent Nottale

  2. BIOGEOSCIENCES (UMR CNRS 5561), EPHE, Université de Bourgogne, 6 Bd. Gabriel, 21000, Dijon, France

    Jean Chaline

  3. Université de Versailles-Saint-Quentin, 47 Bd. Vauban, Guyancourt, 78280, France

    Pierre Grou

Authors
  1. Laurent Nottale
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  2. Jean Chaline
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  3. Pierre Grou
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute for Scientific Interdisciplinary Studies (ISSE), via F. Rusca 1, Locarno, CH-6600, Switzerland

    Gabriele A. Losa

  2. Section of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, CH-1015, Switzerland

    Gabriele A. Losa

  3. Laboratorio die Patologia Cellulare, Locarno, CH-6604, Switzerland

    Gabriele A. Losa

  4. Centro Ricerche in Fisica e Matematica, via F. Rusco, Locarno, CH-6600, Switzerland

    Danilo Merlini

  5. Abteilung für Mathematische Physik, Universität Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, Ulm, D-89069, Germany

    Theo F. Nonnenmacher

  6. Anatomisches Institut, Universität Bern, Bühlstrasse 26, Bern, CH-3012, Switzerland

    Ewald R. Weibel

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© 2002 Springer Basel AG

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Nottale, L., Chaline, J., Grou, P. (2002). On the Fractal Structure of Evolutionary Trees. In: Losa, G.A., Merlini, D., Nonnenmacher, T.F., Weibel, E.R. (eds) Fractals in Biology and Medicine. Mathematics and Biosciences in Interaction. Birkhäuser, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8119-7_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-0348-8119-7_25

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Basel

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-0348-9445-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-0348-8119-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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