Scientific Method (more!)

An often misunderstood part of science is how facts are classified for type of understanding. The three main categories are:

• Hypothesis - an idea that requires testing
• Theory - an idea that attempts to explain a connection between several proven observations
• Law - a generalization based on a long series of repeated observations

Examples of 'golden ratio' in nature

Illustration of the uniquely golden rectangle deriving the golden spiral

The Golden Ratio (more!)

This ratio is a fun example of math in nature. The 'golden ratio' (Phi) is a number often found when taking the ratios of distances in simple geometric figures.

The flip-side of this ratio is Phi's integer counterpart, the Fibonacci numbers.

Mathematical patterns found in nature have caused some people to make mystical connections. Pythagoras, who discovered the golden ratio around 500 B.C., was a mathematical cult leader.

The Golden Ratio along with other studies of mathematical patterns in nature such as the Chaos Theory and Gammantria were explored in the movie thriller, Pi.