Nova: Hunting the Hidden Dimension

Thank you Mahender Nelakonda for catching the following announcement.

Next on NOVA: “Hunting the Hidden Dimension”

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/

Tuesday, October 28 at 7 p.m. CDT (on KERA)

(Check your local listings as dates and times may vary.  Broadcast in high definition where available.)

You may not know it, but fractals, like the air you breathe, are all around you. Their irregular, repeating shapes are found in cloud formations and tree limbs, in stalks of broccoli and craggy mountain ranges, even in the rhythm of the human heart. NOVA’s Hunting the Hidden Dimension takes viewers on a fascinating quest with a group of renegade mathematicians determined to decipher the rules that govern fractal geometry.

For centuries, fractal-like irregular shapes were considered beyond the boundaries of mathematical understanding. Now, mathematicians have finally begun mapping this uncharted territory. This program highlights a host of filmmakers, fashion designers, physicians, and researchers who are using fractal geometry to innovate and inspire.

Here’s what you’ll find on the companion website:

A Radical Mind

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/mandelbrot.html

Benoit Mandelbrot is a true maverick, as his interview reveals.

The Most Famous Fractal

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/set.html

What exactly is the Mandelbrot set? Find out in this excerpt from the book Fractals: The Patterns of Chaos.

Design a Fractal

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/design.html

Create and save your own wildly colorful fractals using our generator.

Sense of Scale

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/scale.html

Explore the infinite detail of a Mandelbrot set as you zoom to 250,000,000x magnification.

Also, Links & Books, the Teacher’s Guide, the program transcript, and more:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/