  Recent decades have seen the discovery of numerous complex materials. At the
root of the complexity underlying many of these materials lies a large number
of possible contending atomic- and larger-scale configurations and the
intricate correlations between their constituents. For a detailed
understanding, there is a need for tools that enable the detection of pertinent
structures on all spatial and temporal scales. Towards this end, we suggest a
new method by invoking ideas from network analysis and information theory. Our
method efficiently identifies basic unit cells and topological defects in
systems with low disorder and may analyze general amorphous structures to
identify candidate natural structures where a clear definition of order is
lacking. This general unbiased detection of physical structure does not require
a guess as to which of the system properties should be deemed as important and
may constitute a natural point of departure for further analysis. The method
applies to both static and dynamic systems.
