Plural of equilibrium; multiple states of balance in which opposing forces or influences are equal.
Latin plural of 'equilibrium' (from 'aequi-' meaning equal, and 'libra' meaning balance or pound weight). The term has been used in physics, chemistry, and economics for centuries.
In evolutionary biology, scientists talk about 'punctuated equilibria'—the idea that species stay relatively stable for long periods, then change rapidly, which revolutionized how we understand evolution.
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