A Mysterious Design That Appears Across Millennia | Terry Moore | TED
TED・2 minutes read
Roger Penrose developed Penrose tiling in the 1970s, but Peter Lu discovered a similar pattern on a 14th-century madrassa in Uzbekistan, predating Penrose by 500 years, causing a scientific sensation in 2007. The Penrose tiling pattern symbolizes life's complexity and aperiodicity, reflecting an underlying unity amidst unpredictability, with various terms like "first cause" and "implicate order" used historically to describe this concept.
Insights
- Penrose tiling, created by Roger Penrose, showcases a pattern of two shapes that can expand infinitely without repetition, embodying a unique aperiodic structure crucial in mathematics.
- Peter Lu's discovery of a similar pattern predating Penrose's work by 500 years highlights the widespread presence of such patterns in ancient cultures, symbolizing life's complexity and unity amidst unpredictability, with terms like "first cause" and "implicate order" historically used to describe this concept.
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Recent questions
What is Penrose tiling?
Penrose tiling is a mathematical pattern developed by Roger Penrose in the 1970s, consisting of only two shapes that can expand infinitely without repetition, known for its aperiodicity.
Who discovered a similar pattern pre-dating Penrose's work?
Peter Lu, a graduate student in physics, discovered a similar pattern on a 14th-century madrassa in Uzbekistan, causing a scientific sensation and being hailed as a major discovery in 2007.
What does the Penrose tiling pattern symbolize?
The Penrose tiling pattern symbolizes life's complexity and aperiodicity, reflecting an underlying unity amidst unpredictability, with various terms like "first cause" and "implicate order" used to describe this concept throughout history.
Where can the Penrose tiling pattern be found?
The Penrose tiling pattern can be found in ancient cultures worldwide, showcasing its significance and prevalence in various historical contexts.
How did Roger Penrose contribute to mathematics?
Roger Penrose made a significant contribution to mathematics in the 1970s by developing Penrose tiling, a pattern using only two shapes that can expand infinitely without repetition, known for its aperiodicity.
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Summary
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Ancient Patterns Unveil Life's Unity
- Roger Penrose, a renowned scientist, made a significant contribution to mathematics in the 1970s by developing Penrose tiling, a pattern using only two shapes that can expand infinitely without repetition, known for its aperiodicity.
- Peter Lu, a graduate student in physics, discovered a similar pattern on a 14th-century madrassa in Uzbekistan, pre-dating Penrose's work by 500 years, causing a scientific sensation and being hailed as a major discovery in 2007.
- The Penrose tiling pattern, found in ancient cultures worldwide, symbolizes life's complexity and aperiodicity, reflecting an underlying unity amidst unpredictability, with various terms like "first cause" and "implicate order" used to describe this concept throughout history.
