Recreating 1992 magnetic-drop sunflower spirals: golden angle emerges from one rule
JosephJacks_ · x · 2026-11-04
A 3D rebuild of Douady & Couder's 1992 experiment: ferrofluid drops added one at a time to an oil dish repel, drift outward, and self-organize into Fibonacci spirals like a sunflower head. One rule — each new bud forms where older ones leave the most room — makes the golden angle emerge, converging to 137.5° with 13 and 21 spirals.
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