SG205B SG in Nature - Part 2: Minerals & Animals

How do we study harmonic patterns in animals & minerals? Crystals and minerals turn out to be the easiest to measure in terms of harmonic proportions. Animals, on the other hand, are more elusive as comparative studies of proportions are almost inexistent. There is a great need to gather data on statistically large samples of animal measurements and behavior.

The first chapter of SG205B is a promenade in the mineral world where we can find the clearest expression of geometric volumes and mathematical forms of pure geometry. We review examples of atomic configurations and then travel through the most regular crystal system: the isometric cubic system which displays the best examples of shapes of the five Platonic Solids. We introduce the new domains of Quasicrystals and clathrates and revisit the snowflakes.

Chapters 6, 7, 8 are a preliminary survey of potential golden proportions in land animals, flying animals and water animals. Our aim is to point to new directions of research and inspire integrative studies of the extraordinary and exquisite perfection of the animal world. Chapters 9 and 10 are galleries of shells and of the minute marine organisms called radiolarians and diatoms.

The new science paradigm is giving priority to whole systems in terms of non-local inter-connectedness, fractal self-similarity, global scaling, harmonic resonance and spontaneous coherence: all these aspects are profusely displayed in the mineral & animal kingdoms.