Scientists Prove There Are Just Six Degrees of Separation in a Social Network

New research suggests that an average of about six steps between people is a natural result of how social networks form and evolve.

The Harvard-linked team used a mathematical model to support the long-standing small-world pattern seen in online, email, and collaboration networks.

The finding helps explain why information, influence, and diseases can spread quickly across large populations.

The classic six-degrees idea from Stanley Milgram continues to appear across real-world networks such as Facebook and Microsoft Messenger.