I think about knots a lot these days, and I think about how complicated those knots are. My work involves knots, and knots within knots. The fanciful sea creatures I’m crocheting are a variant of knots called theta curves. Knots with a mathematical twist While knots, in the mathematical sense, are tangled loops, theta curvesContinue reading “Knots, trivial and otherwise”
Category Archives: Theory in Mathemalchemy
If You Give a Mouse Some Symmetries
In recent years, I have been increasingly absorbed by representing different symmetry structures in various fiber arts: knitting, embroidery, beadwork, and so forth. The underlying mathematics is fascinating and often interacts with each handcraft in subtle ways.
Converging and Diverging Ball Arches
Two Ball Arches over Mathemalchemy When you first saw Mathemalchemy, what struck you the most? Let’s guess it’s the two arches showing balls (spheres) of different sizes. Although the spheres in both arches become arbitrarily small, the spheres in one arch extend indefinitely, crashing into the ocean and plummeting into its depths. The spheres in the otherContinue reading “Converging and Diverging Ball Arches”
Dodecahedral Trajectory
Mathemalchemy’s beacon reflects a 2020 breakthrough of mathematicians Jayadev Athreya, David Aulicino and Patrick Hooper.
Bronna Butler, professional artist, math lover and Mathemalchemy team member, demonstrates how her stained glass creation illustrates one of the infinitely many dodecahedral trajectories.
Primes in the Garden
When people ask me what number theory (my research area) is, we invariably end up talking about primes. When they ask me what I like about my field, I tell them about how I love to see patterns and make connections–something I like about all of mathematics–and about how number theory in particular has problemsContinue reading “Primes in the Garden”
The Mandelbrot Bakery
Discover the mathematical inspiration underpinning the creation of the Mandelbrot Bakery.
One of Marjorie Rice’s tilings, symmetry, Vladimir Arnold’s cat, dynamical systems and many more mathematical concepts are represented in this charming bakery.