Barabasi answers

1. What elements or factors were critical to Paul's success in spreading the Christian message?

There are two factors of Paul's success in spreading the Christian message. First, he abolished the high barriers like circumcision to be a Christian. Second, he could use the social network and theorogy efficiently.

2. Barabasi asks the question, "Could it happen again?" (p.4), what is your answer?

It seems to be impossible to cause that again because there is too much information to spread one into the whole society of today.

3. What new kinds of maps have been made of our interconnectivity (p.5)? What kinds of interconnectivity would you like to see mapped?

Maps of Internet, companies' connection, interactions between species in ecosystems and genes has been made. I would like to see the map of relationship between countries.

4. What is the 'real surprise' (p.5) that such maps have revealed? Personally, does this surprise you?

The real suprise described in the text means that diverse maps have a common structure, which is based on simple and far-reaching natural laws.
Since I could not get a clear image of the "blueprint", it is difficult to decide if it is surprising for me.

5. How does the author define the nature of most scientific research in the 20th Century? What is the problem associated with such an approach (p.6-7)?

In the 20th century, people have noticed that reductionism does not work well to understand the whole things.The problem of associated with such an approach is that it can ignores the importance of interaction between pieces.

6. What does Barabasi predict will be the new focus of scientific research in the coming era (p.7)? What is your view?