The Fractal Foundation - Inspiring Interest in Science, Math & Art

What are Fractals?

"A fractal is a never-ending pattern. Fractals are infinitely complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales. They are created by repeating a simple process over and over in an ongoing feedback loop.  Fractal patterns are extremely familiar, since nature is full of fractals. For instance: trees, rivers, coastlines, mountains, clouds, seashells, hurricanes, etc." - The Fractal Foundation

What is the Fractal Foundation?

The Fractal Foundation uses the beauty of fractals to inspire interest in Science, Math & Art. Although fractals are inherently thought-provoking, the Fractal Ambassadors from the Fractal Foundation are the ones generating a great deal of local interest. From the famous First Friday Fractals show at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science to school presentations, the Fractal Foundation has educated nearly 63,000 children and 45,000 adults. Even locals who have not seen the show may have noticed the series of giant fractal murals that have been popping up on the sides of buildings. The murals are part of the Fractal Challenge, an annual competition that challenges kids to take a snapshot of the most beautiful fractal that they can find. The pictures can be submitted to the Fractal Foundation. The winners have their artwork blown up into a massive mural which is then mounted onto a local building or billboard. If you would like to learn more about fractals, the Fractal Foundation also offers a number of "fractivites" and other education resources on their website. In fact, they created the largest fractal triangle in the world by using colored Sierpinksi Triangles submitted by students from all over the world. Feel free to play with a fractal below.
Play with a fractal yourself, below: