Public Presentaion Suggestions

[Lee Oliver]

I am preparing a display on fractal geometry for an event coming up on December 4th.  The person organizing this event has suggested that I make a display of not only fractal art but also an explanation of fractals as well.  Does anyone have anything they think should be included, anything that is definitely important to include?

I have, so far, covered how it was discovered, who discovered it [Mandelbrot], a basic explanation about iterative functions and self similarity, and some examples of its application in the real world.  It seems sort of thin though, what else should I include?

[Sockratease]

what else should I include?

FREE BEER!!

But apart from that, I would suggest a display of some sort comparing the idealized, mathematical, fractals we make here with their counterparts in Nature.  See the Fractals In Nature section of this forum for examples if you have difficulty coming up with them.

[Lee Oliver]

Unfortunately, I don't think the beer will go over very well, but I do like your other suggestion.

I will see what I can do.

[Tglad]

I agree with sockratease, too many people think fractals are computer generated, it is good that they know that a cloud is a fractal, and the asteroid belt and the moon's surface and rocks and coastlines etc.

[Millennium Nocturne]

Natural Fractals are quite impressive..specially in motion..so I recommend these two:
High Speed Lightning (7000frames/sec):
http://www.youtube.com/user/ztresearch#p/u/13/A0XkNfTyR9A

And the eruption of the Eyjafjallajökull volcano (check the second video):
http://www.mrietze.com/iceland10-2.htm

In the case that you didn't perceive the fractal: it's on the ashes cloud, since they break in a self similar way..
A good example image:
http://www.mrietze.com/images/Iceland10-2/Is102662.jpg

[Sockratease]

I agree with sockratease...

Another Vote for FREE BEER!   

But just in case I misunderstood that, here's two images from tglad's "Classes of fractals" gallery which nicely illustrate the idea:

[Lee Oliver]

Wow, a lot of cool ideas!

@Millennium Nocturne I can't do videos because the exhibit center doesn't have a very good tv, nor do they have internet connection.

@Tglad I agree I am going to put together a composition of natural fractals which the public will be able to easily understand.

I'm looking forward to this, I hear there's going to be newspaper coverage.