Monday, April 13, 2009

Fractals - The Colors Of Infinity

Arthur C. Clarke, through interviews with scientists and mathematicians like Benoit Mandlebrot, use the popular Mandlebrot Set to explore how easy formulas can bring about intricate results. It is also used in an attempt to answer questions about the longevity of the universe.




Benoit Mandelbrot discovered what is now called the M-Set in the early seventies and coined the term fractal to describe the geometry behind it. The power and the beauty of fractals were only capable of being seen with the advent of computers, which become psychedelic windows on the infinite when using simple fractal equations.





In 1992 Nigel Lesmoir-Gordon made the TV documentary, The Colors of Infinity about the Mandelbrot Set and fractals, which has since been seen right round the world. Nigel s enthusiasm brought together a dream team of contributors for the film who all now contribute to the book tracking how fractals have developed since the film was made. Sir Arthur C Clarke presented the film and in the book gives a lucidly simple account of the mathematics of the M-Set.

2 comments:

cinndave said...

Yes! Bravo! This fractal documentary is even better than the previous one.

That quote at the end left me numb.

Whoa dude. It's like the fractal geometry structure of my own brain is resonating with the infinitely reiterating magnificence of the underlying patterns that govern the entire universe.... Or something.

Anonymous said...

GEOMOGGLES!