Monoids, dynamics and Leavitt path algebras

Leavitt path algebras, which are algebras associated to directed graphs, were first introduced about 20 years ago. They have strong connections to such topics as symbolic dynamics, operator algebras, non-commutative geometry, representation theory, and even chip firing. In this article we invite the reader to sneak a peek at these fascinating algebras and their interplay with several seemingly disparate parts of mathematics.