Title: Mandelbrot set in the real world Post by: twinbee on December 31, 2009, 06:08:32 PM I remember exactly two occasions where the Mandelbrot has been seen in meat-space.
One was a mention on Slashdot: http://science.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1444562&cid=30110928 "I found that hot chocolate (not too watered-down) in a white ceramic mug leaves a very rudimentary but easily discernible "Mandelbrot" set. At least the classic image (I have no way to zoom in to great detail on the side of my mug.). The set is left over from "chocolate bubbles"." The second is in reference to magnetic fields from this page: http://www.miqel.com/fractals_math_patterns/visual-math-mandelbrot-magic.html "Also Mandelbrot curves have been discovered in cross-sections of magnetic field borders, implying there is a 3-D mandelbrot equivalent that is closely tied to electromagnetism and therefore a deep structural and fundamental aspect of life, and physical space/time." Are there any others? Title: Re: Mandelbrot set in the real world Post by: Nahee_Enterprises on December 31, 2009, 08:04:22 PM One was a mention on Slashdot: http://science.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1444562&cid=30110928 Quote "I found that hot chocolate (not too watered-down) in a white ceramic mug leaves a very rudimentary but easily discernible "Mandelbrot" set. At least the classic image (I have no way to zoom in to great detail on the side of my mug.). The set is left over from "chocolate bubbles"." It would have been nice if they had supplied an image to go along with such a statement. Especially since I have had many such cups over the last several decades and have yet to notice anything similar. Title: Re: Mandelbrot set in the real world Post by: bib on December 31, 2009, 08:20:45 PM One was a mention on Slashdot: http://science.slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=1444562&cid=30110928 Quote "I found that hot chocolate (not too watered-down) in a white ceramic mug leaves a very rudimentary but easily discernible "Mandelbrot" set. At least the classic image (I have no way to zoom in to great detail on the side of my mug.). The set is left over from "chocolate bubbles"." It would have been nice if they had supplied an image to go along with such a statement. Especially since I have had many such cups over the last several decades and have yet to notice anything similar. I think they just see the classic cardioid that can be seen due to reflexion of light on a cylindric surface. Look at your cup of chocolate (or coffee, or anything else...) under a strong light... Title: Re: Mandelbrot set in the real world Post by: ker2x on January 01, 2010, 04:12:24 AM The cup of tea/coffeee/whatever is the typical exemple for explaining a cardioid ;D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caustique.jpg (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Caustique.jpg) Title: Re: Mandelbrot set in the real world Post by: twinbee on January 01, 2010, 07:28:56 AM Lol, do you think that's all it is? :D I can't imagine how he'd mistake it for that, because all one would have to do is move the cup slightly and the cardioid pattern would change drastically.
Quote It would have been nice if they had supplied an image to go along with such a statement. Especially since I have had many such cups over the last several decades and have yet to notice anything similar. Yes agreed. I asked him for a photo actually in my reply. No response. Title: Re: Mandelbrot set in the real world Post by: Nahee_Enterprises on January 03, 2010, 02:13:48 AM I think they just see the classic cardioid that can be seen due to reflection of light on a cylindrical surface. Look at your cup of chocolate (or coffee, or anything else...) under a strong light... I agree with your thoughts, concerning the light reflection. Just never noticed it since I reside in a cave and only use the light from my monitor to see by (and rarely go out during the day). ;) Title: Re: Mandelbrot set in the real world Post by: LesPaul on January 12, 2010, 11:51:11 AM The set is left over from "chocolate bubbles". I think (I hope?) he's just making a joke. The Slashdot crowd is always full of wise guys. I was a regular there for several years but kind of got bored with it. If he's not joking, then I agree, he probably just saw an odd reflection. Or, he's been staring at the M-set for too long (like me) and now every time he sees two circles touching each other, his brain tricks him into seeing the M-set. :) Title: Re: Mandelbrot set in the real world Post by: jwm-art on January 12, 2010, 12:23:52 PM If he's not joking, then I agree, he probably just saw an odd reflection. Or, he's been staring at the M-set for too long (like me) and now every time he sees two circles touching each other, his brain tricks him into seeing the M-set. :) Yeah, when I've been staring at the M-set for too long my brain tricks me into seeing it in shapes plainly not fractal at all - usually in the negative shapes formed by two or more objects. |