Exploring mathematics: maths in nature and art - for iPad/Mac/PC

A short introduction to the content of this album.

Maths in Nature and Art

An introduction to a primitive mollusc, a triumph of natural engineering.

Spirals in nature

How to create a spiral

Manufacturing patterns

Using the shadow’s path to register the passing of time.

How a sundial works

The mathematics behind the curves created with a torch beam

Visualising a conic

Algebraic systems to represent slices of cones.

Slicing cones

How repeating motifs in fabric designs are made up of four isometric transformations.

Where art meets maths

An introduction to Henri Poincare and his efforts to prove the mathematical stability of the solar system.

The last universalist

A mistake in calculations leads to a revolutionary discovery.

A chaotic universe

The benefit of using a computer for iteration calculations.

The power of computers

Mathematicians have been fascinated with creating fractal patterns on a computer.

The lure of fractal images

How close examination of a fern reveals the geometry of fractals.

Natural mathematics

Exploiting fractals for commercial purposes.

The practical application of fractals

What does mathematics have to do with nature or art? The video tracks in this album trace the origin of the mathematics of chaos and describe how the chance discovery of fractals became the basis for some real - and revolutionary - commercial applications such as the fax and the modem. A closer look at ancient fabric designs and the spiral of a nautilus shell also reveals repeating patterns that can be analysed in a mathematical way. This material forms part of The Open University course MS221 Exploring mathematics.

What does mathematics have to do with nature or art? The video tracks in this album trace the origin of the mathematics of chaos and describe how the 