How do cells communicate?

Cells, cell assemblies and organs exchange information in a vastly different way than our man-made technological systems. Nature’s communication processes, for example, adapt with greater flexibility, correct errors autonomously, and are less prone to failure. A better understanding of these complex biological systems will enable breakthroughs in future technologies.

One example is “swarm intelligence,” also known as “distributed computing” in the technology field, in which a collective of simple units work together to develop intelligent decisions and reactions to external signals without the need for a higher-level controller. Well-known examples of this include the brain, which consists of a large number of neurons communicating with each other, and swarms of bees, which exchange information about food sources and dangers.

Applied to technical systems, this principle could be used in the future for self-driving cars that coordinate with each other to avoid traffic jams or roadblocks. Forschungszentrum Jülich and the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) are working together on an interdisciplinary basis to make such advances possible. Together, scientists are analyzing communication in nature – chemical, physical, and biological.

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