Math + Nature = Beauty!
Fractals are never-ending patterns. The beauty of fractals is that their infinite complexity is formed through the repetition of simple equations. These repeating patterns are displayed at every scale.
Frederi Viens, a program director at the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Division of Mathematical Science, explains in a recent NSF news release, “If I wanted to construct a fractal, I would take a simple rule, like adding three small triangles on the edge of a big triangle […]. Then, the rule is repeated again and again.”
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Most people are extremely familiar with fractals because they are seen throughout the natural world. Here are some of the most stunning examples of fractals in nature.
1. Snowflake
Credit: Alexey Kljatov/flickr (CC BY-NC 2.0)
2. Unfurling Fern
Credit: Thomas Brown/Wikipedia (CC BY 2.0)
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3. Nautilus Shell
Credit: Chris 73/Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
4. Gecko’s Foot
Credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
5. Angelica Flowerhead
Credit: Chiswick Chap/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
6. Frost Crystals
Credit: Schnobby/Wikipedia (CC BY_SA 3.0)
7. Lightning Bolt
Credit: Postdif/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 3.0)
8. Romanesco Broccoli
Credit: cyclonebill/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 2.0)
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