Earth's Fractal Brain From Above [PICS]

3 years ago Nature

brain fractalPhoto:
All images by Hector Garrido

If anyone close to you has lost their mind recently, we might be able to help. Hidden off the beaten track within Parque Nacional de Doñana (Doñana National Park), Andalucía is something that bears a remarkable resemblance to the human brain.

fractal landscapePhoto:

Discovered by photographer Hector Garrido during an investigation of the National Park on behalf of the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (Scientific Investigation Council), this awesome image shows natural fractals from vegetation at the end of a small river delta. It looks as if the clearing was once a small lake within the marshland but has since dried up considerably, leaving a brain-like appearance to the landscape.

delta fractalPhoto:

Although not an exact fractal by definition – the shapes aren’t identically replicated throughout the pattern – the clearing does have self-repeating quality of a fractal, as does the brain. These other images by the same photographer in various other parks in the south of Spain demonstrates just how often the fractal pattern is seen throughout nature, something we wouldn’t be able to spot within the help of these great images.

close upPhoto:

Located within the provinces of Huelva, Sevilla and Cádiz, Parque Nacional de Doñana has grown around the delta of the Guadalquivir River and is one of Europe's most prominent wetland reserves and conservation centers. It covers an immense 1,300 sq km area and is popular with a huge variety of migrating birds, including five threatened bird species and the critically endangered Iberian Lynx.

Source 1, 2, 3

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Comments

Old Comments

Holidays GeTS says

Feb 2nd, 2009 at 12am
Wonderful pic... Its taken from space or some other place??

Goldwing Guy says

Jan 31st, 2009 at 12am
these are some amazing pictures. really just beautiful examples of mother nature at work

Friedbeef says

Jan 17th, 2009 at 12am
Simply stunning images, thanks for sharing!

chris says

Jan 16th, 2009 at 12am
that's not fractal