NatureByNumbers PDF

Nature by numbers (Cristóbal Vila)
This section is meant to be a complement to the animation, in order to better

understand the theoretical basis that you can find behind the sequences. It
was also, more or less, the appearance of the screenplay in the days that I
was planning this project.
The animation begins by presenting a series of numbers. This is a very famous and
recognized sequence since many centuries ago in the Western World thanks to
Leonardo of Pisa, a thirteenth century Italian mathematician, also called Fibonacci. So
it is known as Fibonacci Sequence, even although it had been described much earlier
by Indian mathematicians.
This is an infinite sequence of natural numbers where the

first value is 0, the next is 1 and, from there, each
amount is obtained by adding the previous two.
The values of this sequence have been appearing in numerous applications, but one of
the most recognized is the Fibonacci Spiral, which has always been used as an
approximation to the Golden Spiral (a type of logarithmic spiral) because it is easier to
represent with help of a simple drawing compass.
This is the next thing to be shown on the animation, appearing just after the first
values on the succession: the process of building one of these spirals.
We will create first a few squares that correspond to each value on the sequence: 1x1
- 1x1 - 2x2 - 3x3 - 5x5 - 8x8, etc. And they are arranged in the way how we see in
the diagram at left.
Then we draw a quarter circle arc (90°) within each little square and we can easily see
how it builds step by step the Fibonacci Spiral, looking at right graphic.
I have introduced a small optical correction in the animation in order to get the
resulting curve more like a true Golden Spiral (more harmonious and balanced), as
explained on this plate. It's something similar to what happens when we try to
approach to an ellipse by drawing an oval using circular segments: the result is not
the same as a true ellipse. And it shows.
IMPORTANT NOTE: while watching the animation conveys the idea that the
Fibonacci spiral (or the Golden Spiral, it doesn't matter) is on the origin of the shape
of a Nautilus, this isn't absolutely right.
It's funny because if you perform this search at Google Images: “spiral + nautilus”
you will see how many images suggest that this shell is really based on the
construction system described above.
But this isn't correct, as it's outlined on this other page.
The truth is that this is something I discovered when I had completely finished the
screenplay for this project and I was too lazy to change. Therefore I must confess that
I did a kind of cheat with this animation. Or you could explain in a more "genteel"
way, saying that I have taken an artistic license ;-)
Once it has appeared the Nautilus we advance to the second part of the animation. It
introduces the concept of Golden Ratio by constructing a Golden Rectangle. We start
from a simple square to get that and use a classic method that requires only a ruler
and drawing compass. See the complete process on the following series of
illustrations:
This is very special rectangle known since ancient times. It fulfills this ratio, also
known as the Golden Ratio or Divine Proportion: the ratio of the sum of the quantities
(a+b) to the larger quantity (a) is equal to the ratio of the larger quantity (a) to the
smaller one (b).
The result of this ratio (ie the division of a by b) is an irrational number known as Phi
—not to be confused with Pi— and an approximate value of 1.61803399…
Formerly was not conceived as a true "unit" but as a simple relationship of

proportionality between two segments. And we find in many works created by the
mankind in art and architecture, from the Babylonian and Assyrian civilizations to our
days, passing through ancient Greece or the Renaissance.
JUST A CURIOSITY: it isn't evident on the animation,
but there is a deep connection between the Fibonacci
Sequence and Golden Ratio.
You have an example at right (we will see another

one): if we divide each value in the Fibonacci Series by
the previous, the result tends to Phi. The higher the
value, the greater the approximation (consider that
Phi, like any irrational number, has infinite decimals).
We are going one step further on the animation by introducing a new concept, maybe
less known but equally important, the Golden Angle. That is, the angular proportional
relationship between two circular segments:
These two circular segments are accomplishing too with the same golden
proportionality, but on this case the value of the angle formed by the smallest of them
is another irrational number, we can simplify and round it as 137.5 º
And this value is deeply present in nature. This is the next concept we see on the
animation: how to configure the structure formed by the sunflower seeds.
Look at the figures below:

— We add a first red seed.
— Turn 137.5º
— Add a second green color seed and make the previous traveling to the center.
— Turn other 137.5º
— Add a third ocher seed and make the previous traveling to the center, to stay side
by side with the first one.
— Turn other 137.5º…
…and so on, seed after seed, we will obtain gradually a kind of distributions like the
ones you have in the following figures.
This leads to the characteristic structure in which all seeds are arranged into a
sunflower, which is as compact as possible. We have always said: nature is wise :-)
....etc (For more information visit www.etereaestudios.com)

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Nature by numbers (Cristóbal Vila)

This section is meant to be a complement to the animation, in order to better

This is an infinite sequence of natural numbers where the

values on the succession: the process of building one of these spirals.

But this isn't correct, as it's outlined on this other page.

Formerly was not conceived as a true "unit" but as a simple relationship of

You have an example at right (we will see another

Look at the figures below:

— Turn other 137.5º

— Turn other 137.5º…

....etc (For more information visit www.etereaestudios.com)

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