Creed for Complexity

SynoSys is Complexity Science. The spirit and perspectives that Complexity Science offers pervade the Center, its people and their activities. We investigate phenomena that seem unrelated at first glance. Yet, we seek and search for underlying rules that connect them. We have an anti-disciplinary attitude, we are neo-generalists, we transcend the borders of traditional disciplines. We explore, we do science with a compass, rather than a map. We get lost in science.

News

€2.3 Million Funding for SynoSys to Advance Long-COVID Research

A major milestone for us: We have been awarded €2.3 million in funding from the Federal Ministry of Health (BMG) for the SynoSys.PC project, aimed at advancing the understanding of Long-COVID and advancing patient care.

Breaking Boundaries: Prof. Brockmann’s Vision for Complexity Research

On February 6, 2025, Professor Dirk Brockmann, head of our Center Synergy of Systems, delivered his university-wide inaugural lecture at TU Dresden, attracting over 100 attendees from various disciplines. Under the intriguing title “Doing Science Like a Fungus – Complexity Research in the 21st Century”, Dirk Brockmann provided fascinating insights into complex systems and the hidden rules that govern social and natural phenomena.

New multi-author preprint about who should govern online environments

In this multi-author paper, spearheaded by Friederike Stock, and as part of the Junior Researcher Program with young researchers from 26 different countries and the project was supervised by Philipp Lorenz-Spreen.

New Research Explores News Values in Perceived Misinformation Across 24 Countries

Sami Nenno, Postdoc in the Junior Research Group Computational Social Science at SynoSys, Center Synergy of Systems, has co-authored an insightful new paper, All the (Fake) News That’s Fit to Share?

New Study Reveals Who’s Most Vulnerable to Misinformation—and why

Our junior research group leader Philipp Lorenz-Spreen, whose work focuses on the digital information environment and among other things on misinformation, has co-authored a comprehensive meta-analysis of over 256,000 decisions from thousands of participants that sheds light on who is most susceptible to misinformation and the factors behind it.

Artificial Intelligence is spreading fake news during the U.S. election campaign

In this video, Dr. Philipp Lorenz-Spreen from SynoSys shares insights into the role of artificial intelligence in spreading fake news during the U.S. election campaign. His expertise highlights the complex interactions between technology, misinformation, and public opinion, raising awareness of the potential impact that AI-driven narratives have on democratic processes.

Escalating Foreign Influence: How during the U.S. election campaign Russia, China, and Iran, create a surge of misleading narratives seeks to distort perceptions of key political figures

With heightened manipulation tactics from Russia, China, and Iran on the occasion of the U.S. elections, a surge of misleading narratives seeks to distort perceptions of key political figures. Philipp Lorenz-Spreen, junior research group leader at SynoSys, delves into how these efforts exploit digital platforms to shape public opinion on a global scale. Emphasizing the need for resilience against foreign interference, he discusses the sophisticated, evolving techniques that make misinformation a pressing scientific and societal challenge

Our Recent Paper Unveils Breakthrough Insights into Fatigue Symptoms in Post-COVID Syndrome and ME/CFS

We are excited to share the results of our recent study, in which we report new insights into Post-exertional Malaise (PEM), a severe condition where physical activity amplifies symptoms in people with Post-COVID Syndrome (PCC) and Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME/CFS).

FEDORA Project Secures Funding to Explore Post-COVID Ecological Dynamics

We are thrilled to announce that our project, “FEDORA - Federated Network Modeling of Ecological Complex Dynamical Patterns in Post-COVID,” has successfully secured funding. This pioneering initiative aims to advance the understanding of how ecological systems are affected by complex dynamical patterns emerging in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Just published: Using smartphones to study vaccination decisions in the wild

We are pleased to share our latest research findings with the community. Recently, we have developed an innovative method in cooperation with the DTU to study how people make vaccination decisions in everyday life.