From the Kids Prefer Cheese blog, we have a story older than the hills — mackerel in a ball.
So you think the little fishies are cooperating? Not so much… It’s actually a straightforward prisoners’ dilemma problem: If all the little fish would scatter at the same moment, most would escape, because there are so many and the predators are few. But if I expect YOU to take off, I should stay in the ball. One or two fish trying to escape will be caught. And if I expect you to stay in the ball…I should STILL stay in the ball.
Got all that?
If so, have we got a course for you…