The human visual system exhibits a remarkable ability to decipher the three-dimensional structure of the world from two-dimensional retinal images. Central to this process is the utilisation of shape ...

Researchers learn to predict how crystals take shape from their internal chemistry, even when the crystal lacks symmetry. A crystal's shape is determined by its inherent chemistry, a characteristic ...

Reflective symmetry is when a shape can be folded in half, with either side of the fold being a mirror image of the other. Rotational symmetry is when a shape can be rotated and it still looks the ...

Scientists discover how a hidden crystal pattern in advanced materials can control how they emit light, offering new ways to guide ultrafast signals using lasers. (Nanowerk Spotlight) Modern ...

Symmetry abounds in nature, often in its most beautiful forms. A perfect snowflake, a blooming sunflower, a light-harvesting complex from a bacterium—they all exhibit striking symmetry, crafted by ...

Crows can recognize geometric patterns, suggesting that humans aren't unique in understanding shape structure.

To begin to understand what mathematicians and physicists see in the abstract structures of symmetries, let’s start with a familiar shape. We are fond of saying things are symmetric, but what does ...

To most people, “symmetry” means the bilateral symmetry exhibited by, say, a butterfly, or the human face. That is, if you take a picture of a butterfly and draw a straight line down the middle of the ...