Spirals In Nature

low pressure spiral

Low pressure system over Iceland. Image from NASA, taken on 2003-09-04. source source

Cyclones in general have the shape of equiangular spiral.

nautilus shell

A cut-away view of the Nautilus shell. Photo by “Chris 73”. source

In general, Spiral-shaped growths in nature are mathematicaly equiangular spirals.

snail

adove: A snail, showing equiangular spiral.

More photos of seashells at Beautiful Seashells Exhibition.

Broccoli Romanesco

Romanesco broccoli, exhibiting equiangular spiral and fractal geometry. Photo courtesy of Dror Bar-Natan)

Hawaiian fern; spiral

A Hawaiian ferm. exhibiting Archimedes' Spiral. (photos courtesy of Dror Bar-Natan)

Great Mosque of Samarra, exhibiting Archimedean Spiral.

violin scroll

The neck of a unfinished violin. Such a spiral in ornament is usually called a volute.


See Also

Mathematics of Seashell Shapes.

Archimedes' spiral, Clothoid, Lituus, equiangular spiral.

1997
© 2002-2008 by Xah Lee.