# Biological system
## MicroSim spec
### Parameters (tunable controls)
- `Nodes` · 3–40 · biological entities in the interaction network
- `Connection density` · 0–1 · fraction of possible edges present
- `Signal decay` · 0–1 · how fast activation fades along edges
### What animates
A network graph lights up as an activation [[Signal|signal]] spreads and decays across edges.
### Learning objective
Show how signals propagate and decay across a biological interaction network.
## Links (Wikipedia order)
<!-- injected from _registry/childlinks/Biological_system.json (2026-07-30T02:09:12Z) -->
`Adam_Smith` · `Adenosine_triphosphate` · `Adrenal_gland` · [[Alexander_Bogdanov]] · [[Allenna_Leonard]] · [[Anatol_Rapoport]] · [[Anthony_Wilden]] · `Anus` · `Appendix_(anatomy)` · `Aristotle` · `Artery` · [[Artificial_life]] · `Auditory_system` · [[Barbara_J._Grosz]] · `Biliary_tract` · `Biocoenosis` · `Biological_network` · `Biological_organisation` · [[Biological_systems_engineering]] · `Biome` · `Biomolecule` · `Biosphere` · `Blood` · `Blood_vessel` · `Bone` · `Bone_marrow` · `Brain` · `Breast` · `Breathing` · `Bronchus` · [[Béla_H._Bánáthy]] · [[C._West_Churchman]] · `Cardiac_muscle` · `Carpal_bones` · `Cartilage` · `Cartilaginous_joint` · `Cell_(biology)` · `Cell_membrane` · `Cell_nucleus` · `Cerebellum` · [[Charles_A._S._Hall]] · `Chloroplast` · `Circulatory_system` · `Classical_antiquity` · [[Claude_Shannon]] · `Clavicle` · [[Complex_system]] · [[Control_theory]] · [[Coupled_human–environment_system]] · [[Cybernetics]] · `Cytoplasm` · `Cytosol` · `Digestion` · [[Donella_Meadows]] · [[Doubling_time]] · `Ear` · [[Earth_system_science]] · `Economic_system` · [[Ecosystem]] · [[Edsger_W._Dijkstra]] · [[Edward_Norton_Lorenz]] · `Electrolyte` · `Endocrine_gland` · `Endocrine_system` · `Endoplasmic_reticulum` · [[Eric_Trist]] · `Esophagus` · `Eukaryote` · `Evolutionary_systems` · `Exocrine_gland` · `Fallopian_tube` · `Fat` · `Female_reproductive_system` · `Femur` · `Fibrous_joint` · `Fibula` · [[Francisco_Varela]] · `Fred_Emery_(psychologist)` · `Function_(biology)` · `Galen` · `Gallbladder` · `Genitourinary_system` · [[George_Dantzig]] · [[George_Klir]] · `Glymphatic_system` · `Golgi_apparatus` · [[Gregory_Bateson]] · `Haematopoietic_system` · `Hair` · `Heart` · [[Heinz_von_Foerster]] · `Henri_Milne-Edwards` · `Hormone` · [[Howard_T._Odum]] · `Human_anatomy` · `Human_anus` · `Human_body` · `Human_brain` · `Human_digestive_system` · `Human_eye` · `Human_mouth` · `Human_musculoskeletal_system` · `Human_nose` · `Human_penis` · `Human_reproductive_system` · `Human_skeleton` · `Human_skin` · `Human_tooth` · [[Humberto_Maturana]] · `Humerus` · `Hypothalamus` · [[Ilya_Prigogine]] · `Immune_system` · [[Information_system]] · `Integumentary_system` · [[James_Grier_Miller]] · [[James_J._Kay]] · [[Jay_Wright_Forrester]] · [[Jennifer_Wilby]] · [[John_Seddon]] · `Joint` · [[Kathleen_Carley]] · [[Katia_Sycara]] · `Kenneth_E._Boulding` · [[Kevin_Warwick]] · `Kidney` · `Lacrimal_gland` · `Large_intestine` · `Larynx` · `Ligament` · [[Limiting_factor]] · `Lip` · `List_of_systems_of_the_human_body` · [[List_of_systems_sciences_organizations]] · `List_of_systems_scientists` · `Liver` · [[Living_systems]] · [[Ludwig_von_Bertalanffy]] · `Lung` · [[Lydia_Kavraki]] · `Lymph` · `Lymph_node` · `Lymphatic_system` · `Lymphatic_vessel` · `Lymphocyte` · `Lysosome` · `Macromolecular_assembly` · `Macromolecule` · `Male_reproductive_system` · `Mammary_gland` · `Mandible` · [[Manfred_Clynes]] · [[Manuela_M._Veloso]] · [[Margaret_Boden]] · [[Margaret_Mead]] · [[Mary_Cartwright]] · `Metacarpal_bones` · `Metatarsal_bones` · `Micrometre` · [[Mihajlo_D._Mesarovic]] · `Mike_Jackson_(systems_scientist)` · [[Multi-agent_system]] · [[Murray_Bowen]] · `Muscle` · `Muscular_system` · `Nail_(anatomy)` · `Nanometre` · [[Negative_feedback]] · `Nerve` · [[Nervous_system]] · `Nervous_tissue` · [[Niklas_Luhmann]] · [[Norbert_Wiener]] · `Nuclear_envelope` · `Olfactory_system` · `Organ_(biology)` · `Organ_system` · `Organelle` · `Organism` · `Ossicles` · `Ovary` · `Pancreas` · `Pancreatic_islets` · `Parathyroid_gland` · `Patella` · `Pelvis` · `Peripheral_nervous_system` · `Peroxisome` · [[Peter_Senge]] · `Phalanx_bone` · `Pharynx` · `Pineal_gland` · `Pituitary_gland` · `Placenta` · `Population_(biology)` · [[Positive_feedback]] · [[Principia_Cybernetica]] · `Prokaryote` · `Prostate` · [[Qian_Xuesen]] · [[Radhika_Nagpal]] · `Radius_(bone)` · [[Recommender_system]] · `Rectum` · `Regulatory_T_cell` · `Reproductive_system` · `Respiratory_system` · `Respiratory_tract` · `Rib` · `Ribosome` · `Rufus_of_Ephesus` · `Russell_L._Ackoff` · `Ruzena_Bajcsy` · `Salivary_gland` · `Scrotum` · `Skin` · `Skull` · `Small_intestine` · `Social_system` · [[Sociotechnical_system]] · `Somatic_nervous_system` · `Somatosensory_system` · `Spinal_cord` · `Spleen` · [[Stafford_Beer]] · [[Stephanie_Forrest]] · `Sternum` · `Stomach` · `Subcutaneous_tissue` · `Sweat_gland` · `Synovial_joint` · [[System]] · [[System_dynamics]] · `Systemics` · `Systems_analysis` · `Systems_art` · [[Systems_biology]] · [[Systems_ecology]] · [[Systems_engineering]] · [[Systems_neuroscience]] · [[Systems_pharmacology]] · `Systems_philosophy` · `Systems_psychology` · [[Systems_science]] · [[Systems_theory]] · `Systems_theory_in_anthropology` · [[Systems_theory_in_archaeology]] · [[Systems_theory_in_political_science]] · [[Systems_thinking]] · [[Talcott_Parsons]] · `Tarsus_(skeleton)` · `Tendon` · `Testicle` · `Thoracic_diaphragm` · `Thymus` · `Thyroid` · `Tibia` · `Tissue_(biology)` · `Tongue` · `Trachea` · [[Twelve_leverage_points]] · `Ulna` · [[Urban_metabolism]] · `Ureter` · `Urethra` · `Urinary_system` · `Urine` · `Uterus` · `Vagina` · `Vas_deferens` · `Vein` · `Vestibular_system` · `Victor_Aladjev` · `Visual_system` · `Vulva` · [[Wayback_Machine]] · `World-systems_theory`
## From the Real GENERATIVE library
*Biological system — placed from the Real G.E.N.E.R.A.T.I.V.E. course library (Engineering room). Source: Wikimedia Commons (via Wikipedia article media). [Details & license](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:TE-Nervous_system_diagram.svg).*
> A biological system is a complex network which connects several biologically relevant entities. Biological organization spans several scales and are determined based different structures depending on what the system is.[1] Examples of biological systems at the macro scale are populations of organisms. ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_system))
<!-- REAL-GENERATIVE-MEDIA:END -->
> p5.js MicroSim stub · part of Systems Engineering · [Wikipedia source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_system)
## Concept summary
A biological system is a complex network which connects several biologically relevant entities. Biological organization spans several scales and are determined based different structures depending on what the [[System|system]] is.
## Build checklist
- [ ] Claim it: set `status: in-progress` + `lease` + `leased_at`
- [ ] Write the child page explaining the concept (tie it back to Systems Engineering)
- [ ] Finalize parameter ranges and defaults
- [ ] Implement the p5.js sketch (drawing + control regions)
- [ ] Add caption + the learning objective on the page
- [ ] Set `status: done`
## p5.js sketch
```javascript
// MicroSim: Biological system
const ARTICLE = "Biological_system";
let p1, p2, p3;
function setup() {
createCanvas(720, 520);
pixelDensity(2);
// network-graph sim — create the three sliders described above:
// Nodes (3–40), Connection density (0–1), Signal decay (0–1).
// TODO: build labelled sliders in the control region (below the drawing region).
}
function draw() {
background(248);
// TODO: read p1/p2/p3; render the network-graph in the drawing region and respond live.
// TODO: HUD — title + en.wikitube.io/wiki/Biological_system + control hints + live readouts.
}
```
---
Back to Systems Engineering
---
<!-- SEMIOTIC-PROFILE:START -->
## Semiotic profile
> *The semiotic universals this article invokes, machine-derived from the crossref — **unverified** (born so). Populated 2026-07-06 for the Systems room.*
**Universals (8):** 🟢 network (20) · 🟡 system (19) · 🟢 signal (5) · 🟡 structure (4) · 🟢 exponential (3) · 🟢 flow (2) · 🟡 information (2) · 🟡 density (2)
**Enter by sign:** Systems Semiotic Gateway · Alphabetum · Icon Registry · ← Systems Portal
<!-- SEMIOTIC-PROFILE:END -->
<!-- REAL-GENERATIVE-MEDIA:START -->
## Wikipedia : Wikitube
**Strict pair:** [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_system) : [Wikitube](https://en.wikitube.io/wiki/Biological_system)
## Previous hub tags
Tree parents: [[Control_theory]] · [[Cybernetics]] · [[Operations_research]] · [[Reliability_engineering]] · [[System_dynamics]] · [[Systems_engineering]] · [[Systems_science]] · [[Systems_theory]].
Legacy hubs: none.
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*Sources: 2 legacy notes. Minted wave 1, 2026-07-30 (v1.6 order).*