Today, Path, a new social networking service, was launched for iPhone.  Considering how Dave Morin, CEO as well as former executive of Facebook explained it, the application is based on three ideas, the first two being the results of scientific research.

Morin, who is accountable for the Facebook’s platform supporting outside developer apps, feels that  human beings generally have problems managing more than one hundred and fifty friends in their group ‘inner circle’. The theory is actually based on his research using Facebook, along with the work of RIM Dunbar, an anthropologist. Hence, this Path restricts the maximum number of friends to fifty – five very close relatives and friends, about fifteen regular contacts, while the remaining include trusted friends as well as family.

The second concept has been taken from the Nobel Prize winning economist, Daniel Kahneman, who in his studies focused on how memories work, specially their connection with joy and happiness. Using his idea, the Path is supposed to be “a giving network” as opposed to a “taking one”. Thus, rather than professional networking, this Path intends to capture all the daily moments that are converted into happiness.

The third and the final idea is photo messaging. Although Morin has said that, the Path will definitely support text communication over time, the users have to be content with depicting emotions through photographs for the time being.

Developers and creators of this Path include people from key positions in Facebook and Apple. A few impressive investors, including Shawn Fanning, its co-founder as well as the innovative mind behind Napster, have also backed up the venture.

The Path has already been made available for iPhone today.