  A widely held assumption on network dynamics is that similar components are
more likely to exhibit similar behavior than dissimilar ones and that generic
differences among them are necessarily detrimental to synchronization. Here, we
show that this assumption does not generally hold in oscillator networks when
communication delays are present. We demonstrate, in particular, that random
parameter heterogeneity among oscillators can consistently rescue the system
from losing synchrony. This finding is supported by electrochemical-oscillator
experiments performed on a multi-electrode array network. Remarkably, at
intermediate levels of heterogeneity, random mismatches are more effective in
promoting synchronization than parameter assignments specifically designed to
facilitate identical synchronization. Our results suggest that, rather than
being eliminated or ignored, intrinsic disorder in technological and biological
systems can be harnessed to help maintain coherence required for function.
