The Self-Made Tapestry: Pattern Formation in Nature

by Philip Ball

For centuries, scientists have struggled to understand the origins of the patterns and forms found in nature. Now, in this lucid and accessibly written book, Philip Ball applies state-of-the-art scientific understanding from the fields of biology, chemistry, geology, physics, and mathematics to these ancient mysteries, revealing how nature's seemingly complex patterns originate in simple physical laws.
Tracing the history of scientific thought about natural patterns, Ball shows how common presumptions--for example, that complex form must be guided by some intelligence or that form always follows function--are erroneous and continue to mislead scientists today. He investigates specific patterns in depth, revealing that these designs are self-organized and that simple, local interactions between component parts produce motifs like spots, stripes, branches, and honeycombs. In the process, he examines the mysterious phenomenon of symmetry and why it appears--and breaks--in similar ways in different systems. Finally, he attempts to answer this profound why are some patterns universal? Illustrations throughout the text, many in full color, beautifully illuminate Ball's ideas.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Biology, Nature, Art, Mathematics, Physics

456 pages, Paperback

First published January 7, 1999

About the author

Philip Ball (born 1962) is an English science writer. He holds a degree in chemistry from Oxford and a doctorate in physics from Bristol University. He was an editor for the journal Nature for over 10 years. He now writes a regular column in Chemistry World. Ball's most-popular book is the 2004 Critical Mass: How One Things Leads to Another, winner of the 2005 Aventis Prize for Science Books. It examines a wide range of topics including the business cycle, random walks, phase transitions, bifurcation theory, traffic flow, Zipf's law, Small world phenomenon, catastrophe theory, the Prisoner's dilemma. The overall theme is one of applying modern mathematical models to social and economic phenomena.

Reviews

[Kaśyap · Rating 4 out of 5]

Philip ball provides a comprehensive overview of the Emergent phenomenon of pattern formation in nature.

His discussions range from the physical processes like the minimal surfaces in bubbles and foams, BZ reactions, convection cells, mineral dendrite formations, branching of rivers to the very similar patterns formed in the biological systems like the pattern formation on the hides of zebras and giraffes, branching patterns in trees, retinal nerves etc., and the patterns in communities of animals and humans  He finally concludes with a chapter on the general principles governing pattern formation. Why do so many different physical phenomenon produce very similar patterns?

One theme we can see throughout this book is an argument against the gene-centric reductionism in modern biology. That the presence of some frequently repeating mathematical patterns in the nature like reaction-diffusion systems, fractals, spirals that can be generated by Fibonacci ratios, suggests some physical determinism in morphogenesis.

Highly recommended. some beautiful illustrations are provided and the author assumes no previous knowledge on the part of the reader.

[Jaslyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

took 3years and bees hives r c00l

[Gretchen Rubin]

An absolutely gorgeous book. Can anything be more beautiful than the patterns of nature? This book explains why those patterns form, and even better, includes dozens of full-color photographs.

[John Isles · Rating 4 out of 5]

A remarkable book that explains many of the patterns found in nature using mathematics, but with hardly a single equation. As a result, many of the explanations involve some hand-waving and must be taken on trust.

[Denis Romanovsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why do things around look as they are? This books explains pretty well on a quite fundamental level and with a readable language. How do patterns appear, how they grow and with examples in nature, life and society. One of the best books I have ever read!

[Paige McLoughlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

A coffee table book on pattern generation and self-organization, lots of beautiful spirals, golden ratios, galaxies, Plankton, shells, and bird plumage. The pictures are fun the words are supplemental.

[Karim Kadry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utterly fantastic

[Moniek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Comprehensible, nicely categorized. Very interesting and well written.

[esther thielking · Rating 3 out of 5]

pretty pictures :)

[laurena · Rating 5 out of 5]

In short, one of those books that helps set fundamental frameworks of understanding for the universe. I come back to it again and again. A study of "Pattern Formation in Nature" - Philip Ball looks at many types of patterns, from bubbles to honeycombs to stripes in animals, to fractal shorelines, to name just a few, and digs down into the underlying forces that give rise these patterns, often again and again in diverse natural environments. A bit dense at times for those not given to poring over mathematical or chemical equations in the midst of their prose, it nonetheless has such a compelling interlinked line of subject matter, that any deep interest in the "why" of the structural composition of the natural world will make this book a beautiful thing to visit many times over.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

I tend to read this in dribs and drabs. Fascinating stuff.

[Adrian Herbez · Rating 5 out of 5]

amazing book- really good overview of how physics and chemistry interweave with evolution to create patterns

[Scott Stensland · Rating 5 out of 5]

solid foundation on complex systems, covers pattern formation in both biology, chemistry and physics

[DJ]

popped up in a paper on self-organizing circuits in the brain

[Nor-ashiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting!

[Nick Gogerty · Rating 4 out of 5]

good summary of many concepts and constructs

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent source of pattern information.