From the structure of buildings to the discovery of new planets, from trade to fashion and new

technologies, mathematics has always served as an important tool in the advancement of science and
technology, in fields as diverse as Engineering, Biology, Philosophy and Arts. And it is also present in
nature, concealing- and revealing- its charms in various forms, intriguing researchers and inspiring
poets. One of the ideas that best embodies mathematics in all its elegance is the concept of symmetry.
An object is symmetrical when there is "harmony in the proportions" of its parts in relation to the whole:
height, width and length are balanced.
Some say that the size and proportion of perfect solids described by Plato are related to each other -
the sides of particles of fire, water, and air could be combined together because they are proportional.
They were described as having a "golden proportion" among themselves - or a type of symmetry that
marks the growth rate in the development of several species. The leaves of a tree, for example,
multiply more or less at this speed after they sprout: 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 ... and so on. The last
number is always the sum of the two preceding numbers - and when we divide each number by its
predecessor, the result will be very close to 1.6180, or what mathematicians like the Italian Leonardo
Fibonacci (1175 - 1250) consider as "the golden proportion”. When applied to a succession of
proportional squares within a rectangle, this sequence of numbers - always with the golden ratio
between them - generates a "golden rectangle”. If we draw a line, formed by quarters of a circle,
following the progression of the figures formed in it, we have the "golden spiral", as you can see in the
drawing on the side.
We can see several other forms of symmetry in nature. There is a form of bilateral symmetry, like the
reflection of an image in a lake that can be divided into two identical parts; and it can also be radial
when the image forms around a central point and "radiates" to all sides, such as an open flower or a
yellow dandelion. Symmetry also manifests itself in complex forms such as fractals, in which a
structure looks similar to the whole on any scale. Also, in the case of sounds and waves of the same
frequency, we can say with certainty that sounds and lights are also symmetrical. In the natural world,
symmetries are not completely perfect and harbor some visible imperfections

Bilateral beauty (e.g. butterfly)

One of the main symmetries in nature is bilateral. We see how one side of the body of a plant or animal
is a very close copy of the other, as if it were a plane, able to split the image into two sides - or two almost
perfectly reflected images. Not infrequently, this morphology has a clear function: for example, it would
be very difficult for a bird to fly straight if its wings weren't the same size

Nature by numbers) Nature is often remarkably structured and precise. Mathematics has been used since
the ancient times to describe the earth and the universe. Especially the Greek were masters in handling
numbers and using the power of mathematical formulas to explain natural processes like acceleration of
objects and many more.

Not only physics, but also patterns of living beings follow visible regularities. Often nature makes use of
the so-called Fibonacci series: 1 1 2 3 5 8 13… It follows a trivial logic in which the sum of the latter two
numbers gives rise to the next number in the sequence. For example the number of possible spirals,
compromised of hexagons, making up an ananas are 3,5,8.
The family of honeybees also follow the famous Fibonacci scheme. Female bees (workers and the queen)
have always two parents whereas male bees (drones) are born from an unfertilized egg. Looking back on
the ancestors of a drone, then it can be appreciated that is has one parent, two grandparents, three great-
grandpartents, five great-great grandparents and so forth. The female ancestors also follow Fibonacci’s
law (two parents, three grandparents, five great-grandpartents…). By the way if you divide the ancestors
of female by the ancestors of a male, you will get closer to the number 1.618 with each generation.
Another very prevalent mathematical wonder, the golden ratio.

The occurrence of the Fibonacci numbers and the golden ratio in natural objects could also be merely a
coincidence and relate back to superstition like the myth of the 27 club. However, the vast occurrence of
a mathematical nature points towards a universal usage of certain numbers and proportions. The list of
example is going on and on.

But the burning question that arises is like Albert Einstein asked:

How is it possible that mathematics, a product of human thought that is independent of experience, fits
so excellently the objects of reality?

There are several thoughts open for discussion. A rather unlikely one in the light of evolution is that god
is a mathematician himself and created the world that way. More likely and conform to modern ideas,
would be the possibility that humans did not invent mathematics as it was already present in nature and
we rather discovered it. But why did nature come up with exactly these numbers? Probably following
these numbers might be advantageous to an organism. Four-leaf flowers are extremely rare. Rather
flowers with 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 petals are common. Reflecting that the petal arrangement is crucial and
availability of space might be important to the flower.

The mystery, how the same set of numbers turns out to be beneficial in so many different organisms and
settings, remains. But none-the-less, the playful occurrence and interconnection of famous numbers is
fascinating and inspiring for other areas like painting and photography!