Nature Is an Artist

And apparently a mathematician as well.

From the spirals of galaxies to the branching of trees, the hive structure of bees to the petals on a flower, Nature is replete with structures that display an astonishing level of mathematical elegance.

And one of the most famous examples is the Fibonacci Sequence - a sequence in which each number is the sum of the two preceding ones (0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, …).

Visualized as a spiral and leading to the golden ratio, it can be seen in the arrangement of seeds on a sunflower, the pattern of scales on a pinecone, the spiral of a seashell or the proportions of the DNA helix.

Patterns, sequences and structures all so carefully constructed, mathematics seamlessly transitioning into a work of art. 

The world’s an exhibition and Nature is its greatest artist.