Algorithmic worlds

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2011-10-30 Beyond Infinity

2011-09-18 Foil - Breakthrough

2011-09-13 Lichtenberg figures

2011-09-11 Sahara fractals

2011-09-04 Turing-McCabe patterns

2011-08-30 Kim Pimmel

2011-08-19 Rayleigh-Taylor instability

2011-08-18 More fluid dynamics

2011-08-14 Fractal Mondrian animation

2011-08-12 Shinishi Maruyama

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A blog about algorithmic art and fractal aesthetic. Subscribe to the RSS feed.

September 13th 2011

Lichtenberg figures

Lichtenberg figures form when high-voltage electric discharges occur inside an insulating material, just like lightnings. They display characteristic branched fractal structures. For some materials, like acrylic, the discharge can permanently alter their chemical or physical properties and leave an imprint. Captured Lightning is selling such lightning sculptures. (Their website is a mess, but still very interesting.) I had to order one out of curiosity... and it's truly amazing!! Here are a few macro photoshots I made. (The whole piece is only 5cm x 5cm large.)

You can learn more about Lichtenberg figures here. Look at least the pictures, like the one of a Lichtenberg figure involuntarily tatooed on someone's back or of another one on a golf course struck by a lightning. The following video explaining how the lightning sculptures are created is also quite interesting and impressive, like around 6:00...