"A Butterfly Flaps in Beijing, a Storm in New York"
Chaos Theory studies systems that appear random but are governed by deterministic laws. They are highly sensitive to initial conditions. Weather, turbulent fluid flow, and the stock market are classic chaotic systems.
Meteorologist Edward Lorenz discovered that a tiny change in data (0.0001) could lead to vastly different weather predictions. He famously metaphorized this as a butterfly flapping its wings in Brazil causing a tornado in Texas. This sensitivity makes long-term prediction impossible.
When chaotic systems are plotted, they don't just go anywhere; they orbit around specific shapes called Strange Attractors. The Lorenz Attractor looks like a butterfly, revealing that hidden deep within the chaos, there is a beautiful, complex order.