(College of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University) Whether it’s coronavirus or misinformation, scientists can use mathematical models to predict how something will spread across populations. But what happens if a pathogen mutates, or information becomes modified, changing the speed at which it spreads? In a new study appearing in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, a team of Carnegie Mellon University researchers show for the first time how important these considerations are.

Original source: https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-03/coec-tpa030220.php