excitable media

Excitable media are systems composed of interconnected elements that can rapidly react to stimuli, generating waves of activity that propagate through them. Once triggered, these waves travel until they dissipate or encounter a refractory period during which the system temporarily cannot be re-stimulated. Examples include cardiac tissue, nerve cells, and certain chemical reactions. These media are fundamental in understanding phenomena like heartbeats, neural signals, and pattern formations in nature. Their behavior results from the interplay between excitation, wave propagation, and recovery, producing complex, dynamic patterns essential to biological and physical processes.