![]() ![]() The study also involved researchers from, University College Cork, Ireland, University Münster, Germany and Northern Rogue Studios, UK.ĭr Sandy Hetherington, an evolutionary palaeobiologist and the project's lead at the University of Edinburgh, said: The research, published in the journal Science, was funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), The Royal Society and the German Research Foundation. The team created the 3D model of Asteroxylon mackiei, which has been extinct for over 400 million years, by working with digital artist Matt Humpage, using digital rendering and 3D printing. The leaves of ancient clubmosses had an entirely distinct evolutionary history to the other major groups of plants today such as ferns, conifers and flowering plants. It indicates that non-Fibonacci spirals were common in ancient clubmosses and that the evolution of leaf spirals diverged into two separate paths. This transforms scientists understanding of Fibonacci spirals in land plants. The findings revealed that leaves and reproductive structures in Asteroxylon mackiei, were most commonly arranged in non-Fibonacci spirals that are rare in plants today. The site contains evidence of some of the planet's earliest ecosystems - when land plants first evolved and gradually started to cover the earth's rocky surface making it habitable. The exceptionally preserved fossil was found in the famous fossil site the Rhynie chert, a Scottish sedimentary deposit near the Aberdeenshire village of Rhynie. Using digital reconstruction techniques the researchers produced the first 3D models of leafy shoots in the fossil clubmoss Asteroxylon mackiei - a member of the earliest group of leafy plants. However, an international team led by the University of Edinburgh has overthrown this theory with the discovery of non-Fibonacci spirals in a 407-million-year old plant fossil. Why Fibonacci spirals, also known as nature's secret code, are so common in plants has perplexed scientists for centuries, but their evolutionary origin has been largely overlooked.īased on their widespread distribution it has long been assumed that Fibonacci spirals were an ancient feature that evolved in the earliest land plants and became highly conserved in plants. Sunflower heads, pinecones, pineapples and succulent houseplants all include these distinctive spirals in their flower petals, leaves or seeds. Spirals are common in plants, with Fibonacci spirals making up over 90% of the spirals. Named after the Italian mathematician, Leonardo Fibonacci, this sequence forms the basis of many of nature's most efficient and stunning patterns. Whether it is the vast swirl of a hurricane or the intricate spirals of the DNA double-helix, spirals are common in nature and most can be described by the famous mathematical series the Fibonacci sequence. This negates a long held theory about the evolution of plant leaf spirals, indicating that they evolved down two separate evolutionary paths. ![]() Instead, the ancient plants were found to have another type of spiral. Blue glowing fibonacci spiral fractal, computer generated abstract background Spiral staircase in tower - interior architecture of building 3d illustration of Fibonacci spiral diagram with numbers Beautiful chrysanthemum flower, close-up.The findings indicate that the arrangement of leaves into distinctive spirals, that are common in nature today, were not common in the most ancient land plants that first populated the earth's surface. Fun food for any practical scientists that loves mathematics. The fractal vegetable is known for it's connection to the fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio. Fibonacci pattern Romanesco broccoli close up. fibonacci pattern Closeup of beautiful warm sunflower for background texture Sunflower macro shot Illustration - sunflower seeds - isolated on white background Chambered Nautilus cutaway Shells on colorful background Beautiful pollen of sunflower - background Spiral staircase going up vertically without people with iron railing and white light at the top Closeup of beautiful warm sunflower for background texture Illustration of golden ratio in nature. Fibonacci pattern Abstract spiral pattern. Illustration of spiral arrangement in nature. Science or mathematics concept illustration. Golden Ratio concept Fibonacci ratio divine proportion isolated - 3d Illustration A perfect close up of an amazing fibonacci pattern in a nautilus shell Fibonacci spiral over 3d black background with grid. Nautilus shell, Fibonacci symmetry, spiral structure growth Beautiful seashells on the beach, close up. ![]()
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