Intellectually Curious

Stigmergy: How Simple Signals Build Complex Cathedrals

Mike Breault

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0:00 | 4:36

Dive into Pierre-Paul Grasse’s 1959 idea of stigmergy—the environment as a collaborator. From termites laying mud balls that become arches to Wikipedia edits and open‑source collaboration, we explore how simple local signals guide massive, robust structures without a master plan. We’ll connect this to swarm robotics, AI coordination, and how our online actions leave traces that shape the world around us — building the cathedral together, one signal at a time.


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