Chimeras are this year coming of age since they were first observed by Kuramoto and Battogtokh in 2002 in a one-dimensional network of complex Ginzburg–Landau equations. What started as an observation of a peculiar coexistence of synchronized and desynchronized states, almost two decades latter turned out to be an important new paradigm of nonlinear dynamics at the interface of physical and life sciences. Chimeras have been observed in uni-hemispheric sleep of aquatic mammals and migratory birds, in electrocorticographic recordings of epileptic seizures, and in neural bump states that are central to the coding of working memory and visual orientation. Chimera states have also been observed experimentally in physical systems, for example in liquid crystal light modulators, and they have been linked to power grids outages and optomechanics. Here we present a major review of chimeras, dedicated to all aspects of their theoretical and practical existence. We cover different dynamical systems in which chimera states have been observed, different types of chimeras, and different mathematical methods used for their analysis. We also review the importance of network structure for the emergence of chimeras, as well as different schemes aimed at controlling the symmetry breaking spatiotemporal pattern. We conclude by outlining open challenges and opportunities for future research entailing chimeras.

自从2002年Kuramoto和Battogtokh首次在一个复杂的Ginzburg-Landau方程的一维网络中观察到嵌合体以来，它们就已经成熟。从观察同步状态和不同步状态的特殊共存开始，近二十年来，它变成了在物理和生命科学的交界处的非线性动力学的一个重要的新范例。在水生哺乳动物和候鸟的单半球睡眠中，在癫痫性癫痫发作的电皮质记录中以及在对工作记忆和视觉取向编码至关重要的神经突触状态中，都观察到了嵌合体。还已经在物理系统中，例如在液晶光调制器中，通过实验观察到了嵌合体状态，它们已与电网中断和光力学相关。在这里，我们介绍了嵌合体的主要综述，专门针对它们的理论和实际存在的各个方面。我们介绍了观察到嵌合体状态的不同动力学系统，嵌合体的不同类型以及用于其分析的不同数学方法。我们还回顾了网络结构对嵌合体出现的重要性，以及旨在控制对称性打破时空模式的不同方案的重要性。最后，我们概述了涉及嵌合体的未来研究面临的挑战和机遇。我们还回顾了网络结构对嵌合体出现的重要性，以及旨在控制对称性打破时空模式的不同方案的重要性。最后，我们概述了涉及嵌合体的未来研究面临的挑战和机遇。我们还回顾了网络结构对嵌合体出现的重要性，以及旨在控制对称性打破时空模式的不同方案的重要性。最后，我们概述了涉及嵌合体的未来研究面临的挑战和机遇。