Fractals: Simple rules, complex shapes episode artwork

EPISODE · Jan 28, 2026 · 14 MIN

Fractals: Simple rules, complex shapes

from The Art of Mathematics · host Carol Jacoby

Krystal Taylor, Associate Professor of Mathematics at Ohio State University, discussed the surprising characteristics of fractals, "infinity in a box." They may have fractional dimension, which varies depending on how it's measured. An infinite perimeter may enclose a finite area. Yet they are not just mathematical oddities--they appear in nature and have practical applications.

Krystal Taylor, Associate Professor of Mathematics at Ohio State University, discussed the surprising characteristics of fractals, "infinity in a box." They may have fractional dimension, which varies depending on how it's measured. An infinite perimeter may enclose a finite area. Yet they are not just mathematical oddities--they appear in nature and have practical applications.

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Fractals: Simple rules, complex shapes

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Krystal Taylor, Associate Professor of Mathematics at Ohio State University, discussed the surprising characteristics of fractals, "infinity in a box." They may have fractional dimension, which varies depending on how it's measured. An infinite...

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