To understand how DNA is packed, scientists use a method called Hi-C — it reveals which parts of the long molecule often end up close together. Think of a tangled ball of yarn: if you unravel it and measure distances along the thread, points that are closer together along the yarn are more likely to touch inside the ball. The same goes for DNA: the probability of contact drops according to a simple law.

For a long time, it seemed that contact maps concealed some multilayered, disordered structure. But a new study using computer simulations showed that all the complexity stems from a basic power-law rule. To test this, the team looked at data not only from humans and mice but also from unusual creatures — ranging from sea lions to subterranean clover. The results were consistent everywhere, just as predicted by the basic physical model of polymers.

This discovery not only solves old puzzles but also provides a new tool. Now, from contact maps, we can instantly gauge key parameters without building complex 3D models. In the future, this will help link data from microscopy and methods using wave interference, and extend a similar logic to entirely different fields — from social networks to maps of the universe, where long-range connections also matter.