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General Science, Mathematics, and Technology

Numbers

What are some examples of numbers and mathematical concepts in nature?

The world can be articulated with numbers and mathematics. Some numbers are especially prominent. The number six is ubiquitous: every normal snowflake has six sides; every honeybee colony’s combs are six-sided hexagons. The curved, gradually decreasing chambers of a nautilus shell are propagating spirals of the golden section and the Fibonacci sequence of numbers. Pine cones also rely on the Fibonacci sequence, as do many plants and flowers in their seed and stem arrangements. Fractals are evident in shorelines, blood vessels, and mountains.



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