

One thing to keep in mind, though, is that the Fibonacci numbers are not observed everywhere.

Finding such patterns and abstractions facilitates our understanding of the world around us.Īs it happens, several living organisms exhibit mathematical patterns too. On a more cosmic scale, the characteristic spiral of galaxies that we are all too familiar with is a result of the laws of gravitation and can be modeled as such. Similarly, meanders or bends in rivers find explanation in the branch of fluid dynamics pertaining to physics. So, it is just that identifying a crystal as a symmetrical, uniform structure helps us in making approximations about its aspects. Assuming the object as perfect helps our cause. Mathematics is an abstract language, and the laws of physics serve to apply these abstractions to the real world. Of course, perfect crystals do not really exist the physical world is rarely perfect. A ‘perfect’ crystal is one that is fully symmetrical, without any structural defects. The struggle to find patterns in nature is not just a pointless indulgence it helps us in constructing mathematical models and making predictions based on those models.Ĭonsider the example of a crystal. After all, mathematics is, in its very essence, a search for patterns of all kinds – and what better place to find such irregularities than nature itself? A closer look into nature leads to some very interesting implications about the underlying beauty of our universe. Philosophers and mathematicians have, for long, dedicated themselves to the cause of explaining nature, beginning from the very early ventures of ancient Greeks. “Mathematics is the science of patterns, and nature exploits just about every pattern there is.” – Ian Stewart, British mathematician
