Number 20 (Story #2), February 5, 1991 by Phillip F. Schewe and Ben Stein EXPLOITING CHAOS RATHER THAN AVOIDING IT is the motto of a group of scientists at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Maryland. Chaotic systems are sensitive to initial conditions: a tiny adjustment in the system may dramatically alter subsequent behavior. Conversely, it may be possible to bring some chaotic systems to heel through an active re-adjustment process. In this way the Naval scientists (William L. Ditto, 202-394-2774) recently stabilized the chaotic motions of a magnetoelastic ribbon (Physical Review Letters, 24 Dec. 1990). The theoretical groundwork for this feat was prepared by a group at the University of Maryland (Edward Ott, 301-454-3180; Phys. Rev. Lett., 12 Mar. 1990) who carried out computer simulation of chaotic systems. They believe that the control of chaos may not only be possible for physical systems, but that it may also be an important principle in biological systems as well. (Science News, 26 Jan. 1991.)