Consider weather systems—a small disturbance like a butterfly flapping its wings can, through a cascade of interactions and feedback loops, ultimately influence large-scale phenomena such as storms. This is famously known as the butterfly effect.

In ecology, imagine a slight decrease in a predator population. This minor change may allow prey numbers to grow unchecked, which then disrupts the balance of the entire ecosystem. Here, the small cause (reduced predation) leads to a disproportionately large effect (ecosystem imbalance).

In economics, a tiny policy shift might trigger substantial market fluctuations. The interdependent nature of sectors means that even minimal changes can ripple out, leading to unexpected and amplified outcomes.

Each example shows how small inputs in nonlinear systems can result in outsized and sometimes unpredictable effects.