ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Cooperativity

Cooperativity is when things work better together than they do when they are apart. It is like when you and your friends work together to build a big tower out of blocks. When you all work together, the tower can be much taller and stronger than if you each built a small tower by yourselves.

In science, we see cooperativity happen in many different ways. For example, in our bodies, our cells work together to make sure our organs can function properly. When one type of cell sends a message to another type of cell, it can help the body respond to changes in our environment or fight off infections.

Another example of cooperativity is in enzymes, which are special molecules that help your body break down food and turn it into energy. Sometimes, when one enzyme starts working, it can also help other enzymes start working too. This is like a domino effect, where one thing happening triggers a chain reaction of other things happening.

Cooperativity can also happen in other areas of science, like in materials science or even in math. It just means that things are working better together than they do when they are separate. So next time you and your friends work together on a project or assignment, you can think about how that is an example of cooperativity!