Thursday, May 26, 2005

Again, the logarithmic spiral

Leonardo's favourite design for exploring the
flux and force of nature was the spiral, the
precise natural form now associated with the
Fibonacci numbers. He never theorised it, but
again and again, in contexts from curly hair to
whirlpools to shells, Da Vinci ceaselessly drew
the spiral with its implicit numerical
proportions 3, 5, 8, 13, 21 ...

The logarithmic spiral has a Strange Attraction
for me. I have 'em, in one form or another, all
over the house, like other people hang the
crucifix.

The spiral has got me.

Anyone else notice this?



Bach's obituary, co-written by his son, praised
him for discovering "the most hidden secrets of
harmony". Listening to The Art of Fugue I can't
hear numbers, let alone identify the Fibonacci
series. But I can feel, as can everyone, the
deep, flowing baroque curve of the universe.

Works for me.

A part of the whole spiral.