First published 1996
Sandra Cochran stares at data streams in her corporate research lab, hunting patterns that might explain why Americans suddenly embrace pet rocks or abandon coffee shops. The statistician applies chaos theory to forecast cultural shifts, but her models keep failing. When she partners with Bennet Knud, a scientist studying primate behavior, their unlikely collaboration produces unexpected results. Sandra discovers that predicting human trends requires understanding the random forces that drive social change. As she navigates office politics and research dead ends, she learns that some of the most important discoveries emerge from the chaos itself. The partnership challenges everything Sandra believes about scientific method and human nature.
Genres: fiction, science-fiction, social-science, contemporary
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: unexpected-results, unlikely-collaboration
247 pages · Paperback · Spectra