Period doubling

Period doubling is a phenomenon where a system's behavior changes from following a regular pattern to oscillating between two different states, effectively doubling the time it takes to complete one cycle. Imagine a pendulum swinging back and forth; at first, it swings in a consistent rhythm. But as certain conditions change, it might start swinging in a pattern that repeats every two swings instead of one. This process often signals the system's transition toward more complex or chaotic behavior, such as in fluid dynamics, electronics, or biological systems, and is a key concept in understanding how complex, unpredictable patterns develop from simple ones.