Butterfly effect means that in a dynamic system, small changes in initial conditions can drive a long-term huge chain reaction of the whole system. This is a chaotic phenomenon. A butterfly flapping its wings gently in the tropics may cause a hurricane in a distant country. The butterfly effect is also the name of a series of sci-fi thrillers. Butterfly Effect 1 was released in 2004, followed by Butterfly Effect 2 in 2006 and Butterfly Effect 3 as a prequel in 2009. The new disc released by Mariah Carey in 2008 is also named Butterfly Effect.