The Dance of Chance exhibit is a collaboration between the Center for Polymer Studies and the Boston Museum of Science. The exhibit is based on current research pursued by CPS scientists and collaborating scientists around the world. The focus of the exhibit is the emergence of patterns in Nature from physical and biological processes which on the microscopic level appear to be dominated by chance.

Each of the kiosks below will lead you into a different facet of the exciting world of patterns in Nature. Many of these patterns are fractals. Fractal forms are ubiquitous in Nature, and especially likely to arise when randomness plays a large role during the pattern's development. The experiments and examples in this exhibit demonstrate some of the many ways that branching patterns arise in Nature from the conflict between random and constraining forces.

Related Pages:

• Fractals in Science Image Galleries
• Exploring Patterns in Nature Curriculum Guides

Music of the Heart	Bacteria
Frozen Lightning	Metal Deposition
Erosion	Termites
Viscous Fingering

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. ESI-9353490. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.