Andon

Biological Parallel

Alarm calls are biological andon cords: a single vervet monkey spotting a leopard emits a specific alarm call, and the entire troop immediately stops foraging and climbs to safety. Prairie dogs have different alarm calls for hawks versus coyotes, and the appropriate response cascades through the colony within seconds. When a cell detects DNA damage, p53 protein acts as an andon signal—halting the cell cycle instantly, triggering repair mechanisms, or initiating apoptosis if damage is irreparable. Andon mirrors biology's principle: individual sensors with authority to stop the entire system prevent catastrophic failure.