A biophysical approach to the design of networks of communication systems

Inspired by the growth dynamics of the protist $\mathit{\text{Physarum}}\mathit{\text{polycephalum}}$, we employ a formalism that describes adaptive, incompressible Hagen-Poiseuille flows on channel networks to identify graphs connecting different nodes within Euclidean space. These graphs are either suboptimal or optimal with respect to their length. Occasionally, we derive graph tree configurations that are topologically equivalent to Steiner trees. This methodology can be utilised to assist in making decisions regarding the design of communication networks, such as fibre webs, motorways, or railway networks. As a demonstration of the practicality of this approach, we explicitly apply this framework to the Portuguese railway network.