The Scale-Free Network Hypothesis

The Scale-Free Network Hypothesis suggests that many complex networks—like social networks, the internet, or biological systems—have a few highly connected nodes (hubs), while most nodes have only a few connections. This pattern follows a power-law distribution, meaning the probability of a node having many connections decreases slowly. As a result, these networks are robust against random failures but vulnerable if the highly connected hubs are targeted. This structure helps explain the resilience and organization of various systems in nature and technology.