a cornell mathematician has figured out how to ‘make physical models of this aberrant geometry with the feminine art of crochet’ (see links here and here). there is a project to crochet the great barrier reef…
Sea slugs, nudibranches, kelps and corals often embody hyperbolic geometry in the frills and frothings of their crenellated forms, yet with global warming and pollution of our marine environment, coral reefs the world over are dying out – some scientists predict that in 20 years Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, the largest collection of coral anywhere, will have disappeared.
how very cool! such interesting shapes to integrate into a scarf or hat or something. so far i haven’t seen any patterns though. the closest i’ve found are some pix on machine project which give some hints. even the idea of having your very own great barrier reef decorating a window sill would rock.
there’s an NPR article on it too which explains it so we non-math geeks can understand and one in the ny times
and while we’re on the subject of cool arty stuff, check out this tat! amazing detail.