PhilosophySciencePsychologySocietyCulture
EssaysVideos

Popular

About
DONATENEWSLETTER
/
/
Aeon
DONATE/NEWSLETTER/
/

Snowflake formulas, dice odds and other satisfying maths of the everyday

Mathematical properties underpin everything in our world, even if our minds tend towards noting their effects rather than their functions. This mesmerising video from the Paris-based design studio Parachutes investigates the maths hidden in our everyday lives – from the swirling patterns of storm clouds to the binary code behind computer screens.

Directors: Nicolas Lefaucheux, Yann Pineill

17 December 2015
Abstract painting with colourful geometric shapes like triangles and squares in blue, red and orange on a black background.

videoMathematics

A brilliant ‘geometric ballet’ of sound, shape and symmetry on the theme of 180°

5 minutes

Abstract painting featuring concentric rings in multiple colours forming a figure eight pattern on a textured beige background.

videoMathematics

Geometric animations form a hypnotic tapestry of minimalist design

2 minutes

A digital illustration of a spiral shape resembling a nautilus shell in red and pink hues, with intricate details and lighting effects.

videoPhilosophy of science

The elegance of mathematics meets the breathtaking complexity of nature

4 minutes

Abstract black-and-white image featuring a spherical shape at the centre surrounded by an intricate web of swirling, crisscrossing lines, creating a three-dimensional effect. The background is dark, enhancing the contrast and emphasising the white lines and central sphere.

videoPhysics

Imagining spacetime as a visible grid is an extraordinary journey into the unseen

12 minutes

Abstract depiction of two galaxies, one on the left with spiral arms and bright centre, and one on the right with swirling patterns and luminous core.

videoPhysics

There’s a striking link between quantum and astronomic scales. What could it mean?

5 minutes

Abstract digital art with colourful geometric shapes and lines on a wood-like background.

videoTechnology and the self

Algorithms are opinions, not truth machines, and demand the application of ethics

3 minutes

Abstract painting featuring geometric patterns with green circles, blue squares, gold arcs and white stars on a dark background.

videoBeauty and aesthetics

Discover the secret geometry of beauty – the mathematics of form and pattern

4 minutes

Four blue, irregularly shaped objects with black squiggly lines attached, displayed in a sequence against grey and white backgrounds.

videoPhysics

Is it possible to design a shape to roll along any fixed path?

4 minutes

Illustration of a person standing on top of a pyramid made from large bricks, with small plants growing around the structure.

videoMathematics

How a verbal paradox shattered the notion of total certainty in mathematics

5 minutes