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What is the new science of chaos?

Chaos is the study of the complex and irregular behavior of many systems in nature, such as changing weather patterns, flow of turbulent fluids, and swinging pendulums. The outcome of a given situation in a chaotic system is strongly dependent upon any change in the conditions within that system.

Chaos explains why weather, for example, is unpredictable. Every time one atmospheric condition (i.e., temperature, air pressure, humidity) changes, every other condition also changes—but in ways that are out of proportion with the initial change. For instance, a meteorologist (one who studies the weather) may make a weather prediction for five days ahead, based on present conditions. However the chances of that prediction coming true decrease dramatically with every change in conditions, no matter how slight.

Chaotic systems do obey certain rules which mathematicians have described...

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