Milad writes:
“I am a Mechanical Engineering undergrad at UC Berkeley and I got this tattoo about a month ago. It’s the golden ratio in the shape of a rectangle, with the ratio of the sides of the rectangle actually being the golden ratio! I have been obsessed with this number since I heard about it in high school, and it is the reason why I became so fascinated with mathematics. The golden ratio is known to be the closest mathematical explanation of beauty. It has been used a lot in architecture, art, and music around the world, and has some amazing mathematical and geometrical properties.”
Carl: Like DNA and atoms, the golden ratio is a favorite at the emporium. See these geometrical version.
Click here to go to the full Science Tattoo Emporium.
Originally published May 23, 2008. Copyright 2008 Carl Zimmer.