Can you really reach anyone in 6 steps?

It turns out our social world really is a “small world” thanks to a mix of tight-knit clusters and random shortcuts—weak ties that bridge different friend groups slash the average path between any two people down to about six steps. Pioneering work by Watts, Strogatz and Barabási shows how adding just a few long-distance links or network hubs makes global connectivity inevitable, and helps explain everything from viral videos to disease outbreaks.

By simulating disease spread, exploring preferential attachment (how some people become major hubs), and even touching on the Prisoner’s Dilemma, this video dives into why our individual actions—forming bridges, sharing info, practicing safe hygiene—can have massive ripple effects across the entire network.

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