From the point of view of chemistry, a spiral can be generated by a reaction-diffusion process, involving both activation and inhibition. Phyllotaxis is controlled by proteins that manipulate the concentration of the plant hormone auxin, which activates meristem growth, alongside other mechanisms to control the relative angle of buds around the stem. From a biological perspective, arranging leaves as far apart as possible in any given space is favored by natural selection as it maximizes access to resources, especially sunlight for photosynthesis.
Fractals are hyper-efficient in their construction and this allows plants to maximize their exposure to sunlight and also efficiently transport nutritious throughout their cellular structure. These fractal patterns of growth have a mathematical, as well as physical, beauty.
So, why are fractals important to ecological awareness? In the ecology book Finding Our Way Home author Myke Johnson notes that our ability to measure fractal patterns in the natural world has also given us:.
Fractal formulas are used to generate computer graphics that look realistically like mountain ranges, and rivers, and forests, and clouds. Fractals have been used to design antennas in greatly reduced sizes, which enabled the creation of the next generation of cell phones and other electronic communicators. Fractal geometry is enlarging our ability to create new devices that work better because they follow patterns that resonate with the natural patterns around us.
Fractals also inspire awe and wonder, especially when you bring your full attention to exploring and mindfully studying them in natural environments like forests. To expand your understanding of fractals, I highly recommend watching the documentary Fractals: Hunting The Hidden Dimension. Watching it will help you further develop your pattern recognition skills so you can recognize and understand the fractal patterns all around you.
If you want to experiment with creating your own fractal patterns, try playing around with Xaos , a free tool from the Fractal Foundation for those who want to get creative with fractals. Remember Me. List of Partners vendors. By Shea Gunther Shea Gunther. Shea Gunther is a writer, entrepreneur, and podcaster living in Portland, Maine.
He covers topics such as renewable energy, climate change, and nature. Learn about our editorial process. Share Twitter Pinterest Email. Environment Weather Outdoors Conservation. What Is Climate Sensitivity? Definition and Examples. What Is Wind Energy?
Definition and How It Works. How the Golden Ratio Manifests in Nature. The 15 Tallest Mountains in the World. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for Treehugger. The heartbeats of many people with cardiovascular disease have been found to be overly regular, and in his aforementioned findings, Orsucci argues that the stimulation of certain brain waves can re-introduce more irregularity into the heartbeats of recovering patients to positive effect.
In her work as a psychotherapist, Marks-Tarlow applies fractal geometry to behavioral change as well. In short: an understanding of how fractals and their growth patterns in nature lends itself well to healing and personal growth.
In the same vein, Orsucci says that many lives develop in a fractal-like manner, with one thing leading to another, in a self-similar but not always controllable manner. You have to understand the way… the way to help a system or a person self-organize in the best way for themselves. Marks-Tarlow extends her research to the metaphorical applications of fractals, such as in certain spiritual practices such as Buddhism that seek to teach the interconnectedness of all things.
Too lazy to be ambitious, I let the world take care of itself. Why chatter about delusion and enlightenment? Listening to the night rain on my roof, I sit comfortably, with both legs stretched out.
Participate Sponsor. Search for:. Event Coverage. COP Countries sign pledges to phase out coal and fossil fuel finance. GLF Live. When home is stolen: stories from the frontlines of climate migration. How can we make the climate justice movement accessible to all? Program to tackle forest-risk commodities, transform global food systems launches at COP Food systems change: a low-hanging fruit for climate change mitigation? What COP26 breakthroughs on forests, finance and carbon markets mean for nature.
Two agreements emerge from COP26 summit — limiting methane and reversing forest loss. The fractal nature of almost all things. Lee Coursey, Flickr. Gabrielle Lipton. There are no straight lines in nature. The cylindrical fractals of the Epithelantha bokei species of cactus. Pavel Golubovskiy, Flickr. The fractal patterns of a spiraled fern.
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