Share facts or photos of intriguing scientific phenomena.

13 Real-life Examples of the Golden Ratio You'll Be

Happy to Know

The golden ratio is derived from the Fibonacci sequence, and is seen universally in varied natural elements. It is a part of the natural
dimensions of most biological as well as non-biological entities on this planet.
Komal B. Patil

Last Updated: Mar 26, 2018

"Geometry has two great treasures: one is the Theorem of Pythagoras; the other, the division of a line into extreme and mean ratio.
The first we may compare to a measure of gold; the second we may name a precious jewel."
―Johannes Kepler
The golden ratio is referred to by many diverse terms, such as golden mean, golden section, medial section, divine proportion, golden
cut, and extreme and mean ratio. All these names point to the fact that, it is a ratio of dimensions of a given entity, but this description
seems vague. A more accurate way to describe it would be, to call it a ratio of line segments when a line is divided into two parts (a
and b), such that the ratio of 'a' to 'b' is the same as the ratio of (a+b) to 'a'. This ratio is called the golden ratio, and is signified by the
Greek letter phi (Φ). Its mathematical value is 1.61803398... For general purposes, the value is assumed to be 1.618. This value can be
derived using basic quadratic equations, geometry, or by analyzing the Fibonacci sequence. This sequence is a series of numbers,
where each number is the sum of its two preceding numbers. The initial sequence is as follows - 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8. 13. 21, 34, 55, 89,
144, and so on. The interesting aspect of this series is that, after the first four to five numbers, if each number is divided by its
immediate predecessor, it yields a value close to 1.618. This value approaches closer to the golden ratio as the series progresses.

Golden Ratio Representation

The Fibonacci series is often visually represented as given above. Each number is represented as a square, whose side measures the
same as the value of the number. These squares are then placed adjacently as the series progresses, to yield what is known as the
Fibonacci rectangle. If a spiral is drawn through the corners of each square, one obtains the Fibonacci spiral. Just as how the ratio of
the numbers of the series yields the golden ration, so is the case with this spiral. The ratio of each turn of the spiral, or the ratio of its
increasing radii, yields the golden ratio. This is the common form of manifestation of the divine ratio in natural elements

The elucidation of the relationship between the golden section and the Fibonacci sequence is vital in order to detect and identify the
presentation of this particular ratio in nature.

Real-life Examples of Golden Ratio

Flower Petals

In almost all flowering plants, the number of petals on the flower is a Fibonacci number. It is extremely rare for the number of petals
not to be so. Examples of this phenomenon are: Corn marigold, cineraria, and daisies have 13 petals; asters and chicory have 21
petals; plantain and pyrethum flowers have 34 petals, etc. The golden ratio is seen in these flowers in terms of petal arrangement. All
the petals exhibit a twisting of about 1.618034°, in order to optimize exposure to sunlight.

Also, flowers with multiple layers of petals exhibit the Fibonacci sequence per layer, and the top view of the flower presents the
Fibonacci spiral. The ratio of petals between each layer is the golden ratio. The same is also true for the leaf arrangement of most
plants

Seed Heads
Spiraling patterns of seed heads, as seen in case of sunflowers, are a great example of the Fibonaccian
process and the divine ratio. In a seed head, typically, new seeds are formed at the center, and they
migrate outwards in a radial fashion as they grow older. Since each whorl of the seed heads follow the
sequence, it logically follows that the ratio of any two adjacent whorls is the golden ratio. The seed heads
also exhibit two distinct radial orientations. If he number of total seed heads oriented in the two directions
are compared, they yield the divine proportion.

Pine Cones
Similar to the spiral patterns of the seed heads, the pods of the pine cone are also arranged in a
Fibonaccian spiral. Each cone consists of pairs of alternating whorls, each oriented in the opposite direction
to the other whorl. The ratio of the turn of each pod and the ratio between the number of pods in
successive whorls is the golden ratio, i.e., 1.618.