From sea shells and spiral galaxies to the structure of human lungs, the
patterns of chaos are all around us.
Fractals are patterns formed from chaotic equations and contain self-similar
patterns of complexity increasing with magnification. If you divide a fractal
pattern into parts you get a nearly identical reduced-size copy of the
whole.
The mathematical beauty of fractals is that infinite complexity is formed
with relatively simple equations. By iterating or repeating fractal-generating
equations many times, random outputs create beautiful patterns that are unique,
yet recognizable.
We have pulled together some of the most stunning natural examples we could
find of fractals on our planet.
Romanesco Broccoli
This variant form of cauliflower is the ultimate fractal vegetable. Its
pattern is a natural representation of the Fibonacci or golden spiral, a
logarithmic spiral where every quarter turn is farther from the origin by a
factor of phi, the golden ratio.
Image: Flickr/Tin.G.
See Also:
- Channeling
Earth: Rivers Seen From Space
- Inexplicable
Superconductor Fractals Hint at Higher Universal Laws
- Geeky
Math Equation Creates Beautiful 3-D World
- Cryosphere:
Earth’s Icy Extremes Seen From Space
- The
Oldest Trees on the Planet
- See Them
While You Can: Endangered Butterfly Gallery
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