We present a quantitative measure of physical complexity, based on the amount of information required to build a given physical structure through self-assembly. Our procedure can be adapted to any given geometry, and thus, to any given type of physical structure that can be divided into building blocks. We illustrate our approach using self-assembling polyominoes, and demonstrate the breadth of its potential applications by quantifying the physical complexity of molecules and protein complexes. This measure is particularly well suited for the detection of symmetry and modularity in the underlying structure, and allows for a quantitative definition of structural modularity. Furthermore we use our approach to show that symmetric and modular structures are favored in biological self-assembly, for example in protein complexes. Lastly, we also introduce the notions of joint, mutual and conditional complexity, which provide a useful quantitative measure of the difference between physical structures.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 11. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 07 December 2023.
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Outputs from Physical Review E: Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
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Outputs of similar age from Physical Review E: Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
#6
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Altmetric has tracked 34,546,575 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 87th percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 24,721 research outputs from this source. They receive a mean Attention Score of 3.2. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 96% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 69 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 91% of its contemporaries.
