Math in nature animated

This scintillating animation is definitely the most beautiful one I have seen showing mathematical concepts in nature. In a lively way it shows how we can find the Fibonacci number in snail shells, the number phi in the distribution of sunflower seeds, and delaunay triangulation in the wings of a dragonfly.

dynamical fractal animation

I created this animation to explain visually the basics of the dynamical systems approach to perceptual-motor skill acquisition, a particularly powerful and elegant theory that I use as an input for the design of a wearable technology for yoga practitioners.

Phi, the nature of growth

Great stuff!

A movie about the number phi in natural growth, created by my fellow students Carl Megens, Joris van Gelder, Sibrecht Bouwstra, and Alice Verdonk.

It gives a brief indication as to the occurence of this number in nature. In the end they indicate that technological functionalities could be based on this number for optimal efficiency. Inspirational!

Still, it would be a reductionist approach to design. Nature does not work with numbers, only people do. The golden ratio as promoted by the gestaltist movement to inspire form design was a failure. There are no universals when it comes to satisfying people. On a higher level of technological functionality, I think that this direct translation of nature is quite useless. But still it is interesting to think in this way, i.e. to analyze the holistic interrelatedness of natural systems as they have evolved. But this system should be entirely translated into another system to serve human's deeper needs, for example that of spiritual enlightenment.

There, I had my moment of skepticism again. Thank you.