From flocks of birds sweeping across the sky to schools of fish turning as one, animal groups often move with a precision that feels almost musical. Yet there is no leader, no score, and no conductor. This talk explores how rhythm and synchrony emerge from simple interactions between individuals. Like musicians in an ensemble, animals continuously adjust their timing and movement in response to those around them, producing coordinated patterns that no single individual controls. Drawing on research across insects, fish, birds, and humans, I will show how these shared rhythms allow groups to make decisions, transmit information, and respond rapidly to change. By revealing the hidden “music” that binds many individuals into a collective whole, this work highlights why synchrony is one of nature’s most powerful organising principles.

Professor Iain Couzin, FRS