They have done tests in Chaos Theory. They created a Weather Prediction program and threw in numbers they thought represented the beginnings of weather on Earth and recorded the results. They did the same test again, but got radically different results. On closer examination, one of the initial variables was out by 0.0001% (or something suitable minute). That tiny change affected everything.
The metaphore with the butterfly represents that 0.0001% difference. If the butterfly didn't flap it's wings, the effects wouldn't have amgnified into a storm.
For those who understand maths, consider the equation:
x(n) = x(n-1)^2 ; where x(1) = 1.0001
This is just a simple exponential equation, common in many facets of natural life.
By this, x(20) = 5.86678 x 10^22
Now if x(1) = 1.0002, a difference of less that 0.0001%
By this, x(20) = 3.42392 x 10^45
This is a change of roughly 58,631,100,000,000,000,000,000% (58.6 septillion percent), and that's only over 20 steps. How long has the Earth existed for?
Chaos theory basically says that initial starting conditions have a major impact on the final product, and because of how much they affect it, it's almost impossible to predict them. The same reason is why you cannot perfectly reproduce an experiment. That curry you ate for dinner last night is being metabolised and the resulting heat is warming the laboratory another 0.0002°C, changing the starting conditions.
Simply amazing <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/up.gif" alt="" /> ;0)
