From: bivalve (bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com)
Date: Thu Aug 07 2003 - 11:15:52 EDT
I believe that the equiangular spiral is a highly efficiant use of shell material during growth (and obviously more compact than a straight cone). David Raup did some more recent work on shell geometry.
A similar mathematical peculiarity is the habit of some army ants of setting out at a fixed angle relative to their previous foray. It turns out that this angle will provide good coverage of the entire area as it is repeated around the circle while being a wide angle between successive raids.
Dr. David Campbell
Old Seashells
University of Alabama
Biodiversity & Systematics
Dept. Biological Sciences
Box 870345
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0345 USA
bivalve@mail.davidson.alumlink.com
That is Uncle Joe, taken in the masonic regalia of a Grand Exalted Periwinkle of the Mystic Order of Whelks-P.G. Wodehouse, Romance at Droitgate Spa
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