Citation
Optimizing the success of random searches
TL;DR
Lévy flights are mathematically optimal for sparse, random targets
Viswanathan et al. proved mathematically that Lévy flight patterns (mostly short moves, occasional long jumps) are optimal for finding sparse, randomly distributed resources. This paper revolutionized understanding of animal search behavior and provided the theoretical foundation for the Albatross Search framework.
The research directly informs Amazon's product strategy: many small bets with occasional giant leaps matches power-law market distributions better than even resource allocation.
Key Findings from Viswanathan et al. (1999)
- Lévy flights are mathematically optimal for sparse, random targets
- The optimal pattern involves mostly short steps with rare long jumps
- Power-law step distributions outperform exponential distributions
- The pattern emerges naturally when targets are unpredictably distributed