It’s found in commonly through nature and often in design (whether intended or by coincidence).
Was wondering if anyone knew exactly why it was so common especially in nature.
In: 30
phi the golden ratio is an irrational number, in some sense it is the *most* irrational number. Some irrational numbers have a value that is very close to a simple rational number, but phi can only be closely approximated by a ratio of two numbers with a large number of digits (remember, any quotient, or ratio, of two integers is a rational number). So lets say phi is roughly 123591254 / 23412124 (or whatever, lol). A pattern with this ratio, compared to a ratio of say 3/4, will have to iterate many, many more times before there is a “repeat” in the pattern. In other words, the phi pattern is less prone to symmetry.
So for, say, the arrangement of petals around a flower, if the placement pattern corresponds to phi and the Fibonacci sequence, it prevents the petals from overlapping. We tend to view symmetry, patterns, and disorganization as beautiful, but there are many instances in nature, in evolution, in which a ‘perfect disorganization’ is preferred.
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