Numerical simulations on Ising spin glasses show that spin-glass trans
itions do not obey the usual universality rules which hold at canonica
l second-order transitions. On the other hand, the dynamics at the app
roach to the transition appear to take up a universal form for all spi
n glasses. The implications for the fundamental physics of transitions
in complex systems is addressed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All r
ights reserved.