Hypergraphs are like simple graphs, except that instead of having edges that only connect 2 vertices, their edges are sets of any number of vertices. This happens to mean that all graphs are just a subset of hypergraphs.

It strikes me as odd, then, that I have never heard of any algorithms based on hypergraphs, or of any important applications, for modeling real-world phenomena, for instance. I guess that the superficial explanation is that it's a much more complex structure than a regular graph, and given this and its generality it's harder to make neat algorithms for, but I would expect there to be something!

Has anyone heard of a hypergraph-based algorithm, or application? It perplexes me that ordinary graphs can be so wonderfully useful, but their big brothers have nothing to offer.

Hypergraphs are like simple graphs, except that instead of having edges that only connect 2 vertices, their edges are sets of any number of vertices. This happens to mean that all graphs are just a subset of hypergraphs.

It strikes me as odd, then, that I have never heard of any algorithms based on hypergraphs, or of any important applications, for modeling real-world phenomena, for instance. I guess that the superficial explanation is that it's a much more complex structure than a regular graph, and given this and its generality it's harder to make neat algorithms for, but I would expect there to be something!

Has anyone heard of a hypergraph-based algorithm, or application? It perplexes me that ordinary graphs can be so wonderfully useful, but their big brothers have nothing to offer.