A cross section of a chambered nautilus shell shows the newly defined shape, the "soft cell," repeating outward in a spiral. FlamingPumpkin via Getty Images When humans cover a space using tiles of ...

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Hard as it may be to imagine, there’s a newly defined geometric ...

A new class of mathematical shapes called soft cells can be used to describe how a remarkable variety of patterns in living organisms – such as muscle cells and nautilus shells – form and grow.

Tiling a space with a repeated pattern that has no gaps or overlaps (a structure known as a tessellation) is what led mathematician [Gábor Domokos] to ponder a question: how few corners can a shape ...