Many people find themselves on Facebook and other social networking sites to avoid studying. But for some, Facebook IS a study.

Researchers from UNC Chapel Hill are using math to understand the nature of social patterns and how networks evolve.

Because human social networks can be complicated, it has been difficult for researchers to understand them until now.

And the research is being applied to more than just networking sites. The group of scientists have applied their methods to understanding voting practices of the U.S. Senate.

The research "identified some interesting details, including points of historical transition in the Senate and indications of different groups among Facebook users," UNC reports.