Math

See how fractals forever changed math and science

Described by Benoit B. Mandelbrot in 1975, these irregular shapes are everywhere

Two black blobs with neon blue spikes emerging from their edges.

One of the most famous fractals is the Mandelbrot Set, which demonstrates the property of self-similarity.

Mandelbrot.site

By Stephen Ornes

Fifty years ago, “fractal” was born.

In a 1975 book, the Polish-French-American mathematician Benoit B. Mandelbrot coined the term to describe a family of rough, fragmented shapes that fall outside the boundaries of conventional geometry.