Circles in Nature

Circles in Nature

On the most simplistic level we see shapes, circles and symmetry in nature all around us. But that is not all, we can delve much deeper. There is no better place to observe the different scales and dimensions of the natural world than in the study of the circle in nature and its related forms.

Some of these circles in nature where formed this by natural growth, some by the action of the wind or waves on natural textures, some by animals making homes or escaping from homes, some are nature cause and effect and some are a byproduct unwanted by nature. check out the rabbit droppings! – nothing is off limits here, well not to me anyway.

However they are created, they are formed in nature by nature.

A collection of natural circles

From left to right starting at the top:

• Barnacle shell

  

• beach stone
• poppy seed head
• hazelnut
• bladder wrack seaweed
• acorn cup
• seed pod of the eucalyptus tree
• rings in onion
• section through a fish spine
• flower of the agapanthus – the geometry of circles together make the petal pattern
• sea urchin
• seed pods from Bottle brush tree
• rabbit droppings
• Third quarter moon
• quartz through rock
• palm ball – shaped by the motion of waves and wind
• small bore holes in coral
• annular solar eclipse
• waning crescent moon
• hornet wasp nest casing enclosed in bubble
• waning gibbous moon
• bladder wrack seaweed
• rings in cedar wood
• slice of bamboo
• holes in clam shells drilled by molluscs in search of a food
• new moon
• lid of the eucalyptus seed pod
• acorn cup surrounded by the bark formed around tree branch
• pattern of the wing of an owl butterfly
• underside of sea urchin
• slice through citrus
• ripples in water
• section through a seed head of cone flower
• conker of the horse chestnut tree
• palm ball – shaped by the motion of waves and wind
• lotus flower seedpod

  

Natural Circles

We see circles in so many flowers, seeds and plants and the food we eat. We have only to spot the rings in a tree’s growth, the perfect circular cup of the acorn and ripples in puddles to be reminded of what the ancients called the ‘monad’ in natural forms in this universe.

If we broaden that scale to stretch our minds a little we see the full moon as a circle presented to us every month. Yet that’s not to dismiss the rest of the month, the different phases of the moon are the interplay of one circle onto another. 

‘But that is a sphere’  I hear you cry.

Yes, it is . But from our perspective it is two dimensional. When we examine the interplay of other spheres with the moon we start to understand its three dimensionality.

Cycle of life

Now let’s broaden that scale of dimensionality further and think about cycles. So often connected with the circle. Plant cycles , life cycles have always held close associations to us with the rhythm of a circle. Never ending pattern of life.

Interplanetary circles

Cycles exist on a planetary majestic level too. Almost too large for our brains to comprehend. On earth we take part in the cycle of seasons throughout the year, governed by the (almost) circular pattern of rotation of the earth around the sun and its axial tilt.

Natural Formations of Circles in nature

Giant snowballs were discovered on the northwest coast of Siberia, created by small ice crystals being blown by wind and waves along a stretch of coastline creating giant snowballs up to 1 metre in diameter. The formation was the result of the current sequence of weather patterns and the natural lay of the coastline providing the perfect rolling ground.

The Palm balls formed in similar ways, the hearts of palm fronds washed up on a beach and shaped by repeated actions of wave and wind and sand to create perfect spherical sculptures.

Other circular holes are made by one organism boring a hole into the shell of another in search of dinner. Other circles are the homes made by nature’s inhabitants. check out nests of birds or the shells of sea urchins.

Of course there is just as much fun to be had in making and finding our own circles with nature!

Geometry of the circle

From a geometric perspective the circle is the parent of all shapes. All other patterns and shapes can be drawn within the circle .

A circle is equality, chairs at a round table denote no leader but a meeting of equal minds.

The circle holds inside it the most area when compared with another shape of the same circumference measurement. That means more topping on your pizza.

And a circular lid never falls inside its container, whereas a square lid will. Think about it, try it out.

The Monad holds the expression of the universe. ‘One’ is at the same time the circle and the centre. Start looking and you’ll see it everywhere.

 

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