Beams of light that can be guided into corkscrew-like shapes called optical vortices are used today in a range of applications. Pushing the limits of structured light, Harvard applied physicists in ...

Learn about the optical rotatum, a newfound structure of light that exhibits a spiral pattern linked with various parts of nature. Patterns exist all around the world, creating unforgettable designs ...

Naturalists have long marveled at the shell of the chambered nautilus. The logarithmic spiral echoes the curved arms of hurricanes and distant galaxies. In Italy, the Medicis turned the pearly shells ...

Gael Mariani and Martin Scott perpetuate a series of myths in their letter about Fibonacci numbers in nature (3 September, p 19). It is true that the Fibonacci numbers are associated with a particular ...

Pushing the limits of structured light, applied physicists report a new type of optical vortex beam that not only twists as it travels but also changes in different parts at different rates to create ...

The optical rotatum's logarithmic spiral follows a pattern found often in nature, including nautilus shells. Credit: Capasso Lab / Harvard SEAS The optical rotatum's logarithmic spiral follows a ...