MetaFilter posts tagged with Fibonacci

Impossible Crystals

parudox — Sun, 18 Mar 2007 20:54:55 -0800

"This is a story of how the impossible became possible. How, for centuries, scientists were absolutely sure that solids (as well as decorative patterns like tiling and quilts) could only have certain symmetries - such as square, hexagonal and triangular - and that most symmetries, including five-fold symmetry in the plane and icosahedral symmetry in three dimensions (the symmetry of a soccer ball), were strictly forbidden. Then, about twenty years ago, a new kind of pattern, known as a "quasicrystal," was envisaged that shatters the symmetry restrictions and allows for an infinite number of new patterns and structures that had never been seen before, suggesting a whole new class of materials...."

Physicist Paul J. Steinhardt delivers a fascinating lecture (WMV) on tilings and quasicrystals. However, it turns out science was beaten to the punch: a recent paper (PDF) suggests Islamic architecture developed similar tilings centuries earlier.

The so-called Golden Ratio

stbalbach — Sun, 13 Jun 2004 21:47:07 -0800

A good article on the so-called Golden Ratio.

It all started with rabbits

archimago — Tue, 28 Oct 2003 08:59:07 -0800

Fun with Fibonacci numbers. So you say you scored 130 on yesterday's IQ test, did ya?

lbergstr — Mon, 15 Apr 2002 17:00:54 -0800

The golden section (math, graphics) is an important relation used by artists and mathematicians, among others. I'm curious if any of you have good examples of recent use.

katchomko — Fri, 19 May 2000 12:31:31 -0800

"Self-similar syncopations: Fibonacci, L-systems, limericks and ragtime" Along the lines of the book "Godel, Escher and Bach", an award winning essay looks at the mathmatical roots of popular music. I think I'm going to have to find a way to analyze some of my fave mp3's to see how they fall into the Fibonacci sequence...