The Mandelbrot set is possibly the most reproduced mathematical entity of all time, on account of how with a bit of image processing, you can make extremely pretty and interesting pictures with it.
But how does it work? The set has dizzying mathematical depth, but it turns out the rules for creating it are fairly straightforward. To get the idea, all you need is a rough understanding of iteration, convergence, and complex numbers.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
5 worm-ridden cartoons about RFK. Jr and the CDCCartoons Artists take on vaccine advisers, medical quackery, and more
-
Will 2027 be the year of the AI apocalypse?A 'scary and vivid' new forecast predicts that artificial superintelligence is on the horizon A 'scary and vivid' new forecast predicts that artificial superintelligence is on the horizon
-
Crossword: June 15, 2025The Week's daily crossword puzzle
-
Nobody seems surprised Wagner's Prigozhin died under suspicious circumstancesSpeed Read
-
Western mountain climbers allegedly left Pakistani porter to die on K2Speed Read
-
'Circular saw blades' divide controversial Rio Grande buoys installed by Texas governorSpeed Read
-
Los Angeles city workers stage 1-day walkout over labor conditionsSpeed Read
-
Mega Millions jackpot climbs to an estimated $1.55 billionSpeed Read
-
Bangladesh dealing with worst dengue fever outbreak on recordSpeed Read
-
Glacial outburst flooding in Juneau destroys homesSpeed Read
-
Scotland seeking 'monster hunters' to search for fabled Loch Ness creatureSpeed Read
