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The small world property describes networks where most nodes are not directly connected to each other, yet any two nodes can be reached through a surprisingly short path of intermediate connections.
This pattern emerges when a network combines high local clustering (where nodes form tightly connected groups) with a few long-range connections that bridge distant clusters. The result is a structure that balances efficiency and robustness: information can spread quickly across the entire network while maintaining strong local neighborhoods.
This connectivity pattern appears everywhere from social networks and the brain’s neural architecture to the internet and power grids, suggesting it offers fundamental advantages for both biological and engineered systems.